Best movies like Breaking Away
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Dave, nineteen, has just graduated high school, with his 3 friends, The comical Cyril, the warm hearted but short-tempered Moocher, and the athletic, spiteful but good-hearted Mike. Now, Dave enjoys racing bikes and hopes to race the Italians one day, and even takes up the Italian culture, much to his friends and parents annoyance.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 25000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: touching, realistic, inspirational, witty, talky, feel good, humorous, captivating, teen, entertaining
Best tv shows and movies like Breaking Away (1979):
Similar in 77%
D3: The Mighty Ducks (1996)
Plot Summary:
The Ducks are offered scholarships at Eden Hall Academy but struggle with their new coach's methods and come under pressure from the board to retain their scholarships before their big game against the Varsity team.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 28000
Genere: Action, Comedy, Drama, Family, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: epic, sincere, feel good, humorous, realistic, semi serious, exciting, inspirational, unusual plot structure, sweet
Similar in 82%
Rad (1986)
Plot Summary:
A BMX racer who lives in a small town with his mother and sister is faced with a tough decision, qualify for Helltrack or take his SAT's in order to attend college.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: semi serious, captivating, touching, disturbing, colorful, feel good, eighties, cult film
Similar in 79%
D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994)
Plot Summary:
After Gordon Bombay's hockey comeback is cut short he is named coach of Team USA Hockey for the Junior Goodwill Games. Bombay reunites the Mighty Ducks and introduces a few new players, however, he finds himself distracted by his newfound fame and must regather if the Ducks are to defeat tournament favourites Iceland.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 42000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: epic, hilarious, spectacular, feel good, humorous, realistic, semi serious, exciting, funny, light
Similar in 75%
American Flyers (1985)
Plot Summary:
When Dr. Marcus Sommers realizes that he and his troubled, estranged brother David may be prone a fatal brain disease that runs in their family, he decides to make peace with his sibling, and invites him on a trip to the Rockies. There, the brothers bond over their shared enthusiasm for cycling and decide to enter a grueling bike race through the mountains. However, Marcus' health soon begins to fail, and David must compete without his brother at his side.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 113 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, sad, sincere, uplifting, serious, realistic, exciting, light, inspirational
Similar in 79%
Airborne (1993)
Plot Summary:
Mitchell Goosen is sixteen/seventeen year old kid from California who loves to surf and roller blade. Yet, his parents, who are two zoologists were given a grant to work in Australia. The only problem was: Mitchell couldn't go with them. So, he gets sent to stay with his aunt, uncle, and cousin in Cincinnati, Ohio. When he arrives, he meets his cousin who is also his new roommate for the next six months: Wiley. Mitchell then goes to school and gets on the bad side the high school hockey players. Mitchell and Wiley end up enduring weeks of torture from the guys. Then, the big guys and Mitchell and Wiley have to learn to get along to try to beat the Central High School rivals in a competition down Devil's Backbone.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: epic, feel good, humorous, realistic, semi serious, vintage
Similar in 77%
Ghislain Lambert's Bicycle (2001)
Plot Summary:
In the 70s, there was Merckx and there were the others. Ghislain Lambert was one of the others. This is his story, a quite simple one. The story of a modest Belgian bike racer. His greatest ambition in life? To become a champion. His greatest tragedy? Not having the legs his heart deserves.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Sport
Country: France, Belgium
Duration: 119 min
Plot tags: touching, humorous, semi serious, realistic, fast paced
Similar in 82%
Side Out (1990)
Plot Summary:
A law student comes to California for the summer and ends up playing professional volleyball.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: humorous, semi serious, entertaining, inspirational, funny, captivating, realistic, erotic, exciting, romantic
Similar in 88%
Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board (2007)
Plot Summary:
Johnny Kapahala, a teen snowboarding champion from Vermont, returns to Oahu, Hawaii, for the wedding of his hero -- his grandfather, local surf legend Johnny Tsunami -- and to catch a few famous Kauai waves. When Johnny arrives, he meets his new family including "Uncle Chris" (the 12-year-old son of his new step-grandmother) who resents the upcoming marriage. Chris's only interest is to join a mountain boarding crew led by a teenage bully. When Johnny's grandfather and his new wife open a surf shop that also caters to mountain boarders, they are soon embroiled in a turf war with a rival shop owner who wants to shut their business down.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family, Sport
Country: USA, New Zealand, Australia, Mozambique
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: humorous, inspirational, captivating, feel good, entertaining, romantic, scenic, teen, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 80%
Madison (2001)
Plot Summary:
In 1971, air-conditioner repairman and boat enthusiast Jim McCormick entertains his desire to 'go down' as a legend in the record books when the Gold Cup hydroplane boat race improbably comes to his small town of Madison, Indiana. Immediately, Jim seizes his opportunity to enter the contest. With a motley crew of fellow mechanics and friends at his side, Jim fixes up his old boat and brings hope to the blighted industrial city. Written by Sujit R. Varma.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: feel good, serious, realistic, melancholic, anamorphic, independent film
Similar in 81%
The Sandlot 2 (2005)
Plot Summary:
A decade has passed in the small town where the original Sandlot gang banded together during the summer of ’62 to play baseball and battle the Beast. Now comes the sequel, a campy romp back to the dugout where nine new kids descend on the diamond only to discover that a descendant of the Beast lives in Mr. Mertle’s backyard--a monster of mythical proportions known as "The Great Fear.".
IMDB Rating: 4.5
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy, Family, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: touching, feel good, semi serious, sentimental, humorous, realistic, saga
Similar in 75%
Vision Quest (1985)
Plot Summary:
High school wrestler Louden Swain is a man obsessed , trying to shed 23 pounds in a dangerously short time and take on Shute, the undefeated, tough-as-nails 168-pound champion who's the best wrestler in the state. Matthew Modine stars as the mop-headed student undeterred in his Vision Quest...until a day a sexy drifter threatens to pin Louden and his dreams to the mat of unrequited love.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Drama, Romance, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: inspirational, melancholic, sentimental, serious, realistic, cult classic, intense, romantic, uplifting, romantic drama
Similar in 89%
The Bad News Bears (1976)
Plot Summary:
An aging, down-on-his-luck ex-minor leaguer coaches a team of misfits in an ultra-competitive California little league.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 25000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: inspirational, talky, intense, humorous, exciting, touching, feel good, clever, realistic, funny
Similar in 90%
Goodbye, Franklin High (1978)
Plot Summary:
Comic melodrama following the day-to-day life of high school senior Will, a promising but naive athlete struggling with choices that could determine his future, romance and family difficulties.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 55
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: grindhouse, independent film, touching, humorous, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 83%
Ping Pong Summer (2014)
Plot Summary:
In 1985 a summer vacation in Ocean City, Md., changes the life of a shy white teen who's obsessed with table tennis and hip-hop music.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: humorous, realistic, captivating, light, happy, touching, offbeat, semi serious, independent film, whimsical
Similar in 83%
Jump In! (2007)
Plot Summary:
Story revolves around a young boxer, Izzy Daniels, who trains to follow in his father's footsteps by winning the Golden Glove. When his friend, Mary, however, asks him to substitute for a team member in a Double Dutch tournament, the young man discovers a hidden passion for jump roping.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family, Romance, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: humorous, feel good, realistic, semi serious, teen
Similar in 83%
Disney's Air Bud (1997)
Plot Summary:
A young boy and a talented stray dog with an amazing basketball playing ability become instant friends. Rebounding from his father's accidental death, 12-year-old Josh Framm moves with his family to the small town of Fernfield, Washington. The new kid in town, Josh has no friends and is too shy to try out for the school basketball team. Instead he prefers to practice alone on an abandoned court, he befriends a runaway golden retriever named Buddy. Josh is amazed when he realizes that Buddy loves basketball...that is playing basketball...and he is GOOD! Josh eventually makes the school team and Buddy is named the Team Mascot. Josh and Buddy become the stars of halftime. Buddy's half-time talent draws media attention. Unfortunately, when Buddy's mean former owner, Norm Snively, comes along with a scheme to cash in on the pup's celebrity, it looks like they are going to be separated.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 19000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family, Sport
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: light, inspirational, touching, feel good, humorous, sad, semi serious, slapstick comedy, sentimental, road movie
Similar in 80%
School of Life (2005)
Plot Summary:
At Fallbrook Middle School, the annual student-elected Teacher of the Year award is held. And every year for the last 43 years Norman Warner or most fondly called Stormin' Norman Warner has won the award. Now that he has died, the burden of carrying the legacy falls into the hands of Matt Warner, the son of the late Norman Warner who has always lived in the shadow of his father.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family, Sport
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: touching, feel good, humorous, semi serious, sincere, captivating, entertaining, funny, realistic, contemplative
Similar in 86%
The Big Green (1995)
Plot Summary:
In a depressed Texas town, British foreign exchange teacher Anna attempts to inject some life into her hopeless kids by introducing them to soccer. They're terrible at first, but Anna and her football-hero assistant whip them into shape. As they work overtime, the pair help kids build their self-esteem and also get involved in solving family squabbles.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Comedy, Family, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: sentimental, light, inspirational, melancholic, touching, feel good, humorous, semi serious, entertaining, epic
Similar in 88%
The Sandlot (1993)
Plot Summary:
Scotty Smalls moves to a new neighborhood with his mom and stepdad, and wants to learn to play baseball. The neighborhood baseball guru Rodriquez takes Smalls under his wing. They fall into adventures involving baseball, treehouse sleep-ins, the desirous lifeguard at the local pool, the snooty rival ball team, and the travelling fair.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 100000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: feel good, funny, sentimental, teen, inspirational, sweet, witty, talky, humorous, semi serious
Similar in 90%
Now and Then (1995)
Plot Summary:
Waxing nostalgic about the bittersweet passage from childhood to puberty in this tender coming-of-age tale, four childhood girlfriends -- Teeny, Chrissy, Samantha and Roberta -- recall the magical summer of 1970. During their walk down memory lane, they reconcile experiences with boys, secrets, bullies and more.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 32000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: feel good, emotional, touching, teen, semi serious, humorous, cult classic, sentimental, retro, epic
Similar in 84%
Angels in the Outfield (1994)
Plot Summary:
Roger is a foster child whose irresponsible father promises to get his act together when Roger's favourite baseball team, the California Angels, wins the pennant. The problem is that the Angels are in last place, so Roger prays for help to turn the team around. Sure enough, his prayers are answered in the form of angel Al.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 34000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: inspirational, touching, entertaining, light, sweet, emotional, humorous, feel good, epic, hilarious
Similar in 83%
There's Only One Jimmy Grimble (2000)
Plot Summary:
Jimmy Grimble is a shy Manchester school boy. At school he is constantly being bullied by the other kids, and at home he has to face his mother's new boyfriend. However, through football, and some special boots, he manages to gain the confidence to succeed and leads his school football team towards the final of the local schools cup.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Sport
Country: UK, France
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: uplifting, touching, sentimental, feel good, humorous, offbeat, captivating, gloomy, semi serious
Similar in 89%
Hoosiers (1986)
Plot Summary:
High school basketball is king in small-town Indiana, and the 1954 Hickory Huskers are all hope and no talent. But their new coach -- abrasive, unlikable Norman Dale -- whips the team into shape ... while also inciting controversy.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 50000
Genere: Drama, Sport
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 114 min
Plot tags: inspirational, emotional, realistic, exciting, sincere, captivating, entertaining, independent film, scary, motivational
Similar in 87%
Cupid's Balls (2011)
Plot Summary:
Swedish Lucas moves from Stockholm to a small Norwegian town, and immediately falls in love with Susanne, the goal keeper of the local girls' soccer team. He becomes axquanted with the overweight, sex-fixated son of the coach. With him as a sparring partner, Lukas hatches a plan for winning Susanne's heart. But Susanne has a boyfriend, and Lucas soon comes to realize that the road to love may be paved with lies and animosity. Cupid's Balls is packed with humour, romantic summer nights and fervent conflicts both off an on the soccer field.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 973
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sport
Country: Norway
Duration: 79 min
Plot tags: feel good, humorous, captivating, light, sincere, touching, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 77%
Rocket Science (2007)
Plot Summary:
Hal, a 15-year-old high-school student with a minor yet socially alienating (and painful) disability: he stutters uncontrollably. Determined to work through the problem, Hal opts for an extreme route he joins the school debating team, which sends him on a headfirst plunge into breakneck speech competitions and offers a much-needed boost toward correcting the problem.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: clever, sincere, psychological, sentimental, touching, teen, indie film, realistic, funny, feel good
Similar in 76%
The Kings of Summer (2013)
Plot Summary:
Joe Toy, on the verge of adolescence, finds himself increasingly frustrated by his single father, Frank's attempts to manage his life. Declaring his freedom once and for all, he escapes to a clearing in the woods with his best friend, Patrick, and a strange kid named Biaggio. He announces that they are going to build a house there, free from responsibility and parents. Once their makeshift abode is finished, the three young men find themselves masters of their own destiny, alone in the woods.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 84000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: touching, feel good, sentimental, funny, emotional, humorous, melancholic, teen, indie film, realistic
Similar in 86%
The Way Way Back (2013)
Plot Summary:
Over the course of his summer break, a teenager comes into his own thanks in part to the friendship he strikes up with one of the park's managers.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 155000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: touching, emotional, realistic, teen, independent film, sweet, indie film, semi serious, sentimental, witty
Similar in 88%
Mystic Pizza (1988)
Plot Summary:
Three teenage girls come of age while working at a pizza parlor in Mystic Connecticut.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 32000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: light, sentimental, sweet, melancholic, feel good, touching, humorous, realistic, semi serious, teen
Similar in 89%
Rudy (1993)
Plot Summary:
Rudy grew up in a steel mill town where most people ended up working, but wanted to play football at Notre Dame instead. There were only a couple of problems. His grades were a little low, his athletic skills were poor, and he was only half the size of the other players. But he had the drive and the spirit of 5 people and has set his sights upon joining the team.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 68000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 114 min
Plot tags: inspirational, uplifting, feel good, emotional, tear jerker, sentimental, touching, epic, christian film, non fiction
Similar in 75%
Flipped (2010)
Plot Summary:
When Juli meets Bryce in the second grade, she knows it's true love. After spending six years trying to convince Bryce the same, she's ready to give up - until he starts to reconsider.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 96000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: touching, sweet, feel good, romantic, emotional, sentimental, realistic, romantic comedy, teen, cute