Best movies like Harlem Aria
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
An aspiring opera singer from Harlem teams up with a charismatic busker and a kindhearted hustler to share his voice with the world, and teaches his two newfound friends the importance of taking your destiny into your own hands. Anton (Gabriel Casseus) lives in Harlem with his aunt. He dreams of moving to Italy and becoming a famous opera singer, and though he's been blessed with a magnificent singing voice, his passion has made him an outsider in his neighborhood. Running away from home, Anton meets passionate street pianist Matthew (Christian Carmago) and together the two begin drawing large, appreciate crowds on the street. Working the crowd as they do their thing is Wes (Damon Wayans), whose natural charm always gets the cash flowing. And while life on the streets is never easy, Anton, Matthew, and Wes soon discover that by following their dreams, they may find a means of transforming their lives forever.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 319
Genere: Drama
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: independent film, uplifting, touching, feel good, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic, black cinema
Best tv shows and movies like Harlem Aria (1999):
Similar in 82%
The Misplaced World (2015)
Plot Summary:
By chance Paul Kromberger discovers on the internet a photograph of the US opera diva Caterina Fabiani who is the spitting image of Evelyn, his dead wife. His unease and growing sense of alarm are transferred to his daughter, Sophie. Filled with curiosity, she leaves Germany and journeys across the Atlantic to make contact with this stranger.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 206
Genere: Drama
Country: Germany
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: touching, serious, emotional, realistic
Similar in 80%
Antonia (2006)
Plot Summary:
Determined to escape their poverty-stricken lives, four talented young women living on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, Brazil, form an all-female rap group but find their road to success is riddled with sexism, racism, and violence. One by one, they succumb to their grim realities...until they discover that out of struggle come strength, and out of strength, the courage to continue on. Written by Echo Bridge Home Entertainment.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 434
Genere: Drama, Musical
Country: Brazil
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: serious, captivating, realistic, rough
Similar in 83%
When Harvey Met Bob (2010)
Plot Summary:
Bob Geldof and Harvey Goldsmith set up one of the world's greatest ever concerts, Live Aid in 1984 to help ease the Ethiopian Famine.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 298
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: realistic, uplifting, serious, psychological, captivating, sentimental
Similar in 76%
Louis (2010)
Plot Summary:
A silent film about Louis Armstrong as a young boy and how he acquired his first cornet.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 224
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, realistic, psychological, captivating, sentimental, offbeat, humorous, stylized, semi serious, independent film
Similar in 79%
Fame L.A. (1997)
Plot Summary:
Fame L.A. is an American drama series that aired in syndication from 1997-1998. It told the story of a drama/dance school in Los Angeles where students honed their talents while overcoming various personal problems. It starred Christian Kane, Roselyn Sánchez, and William R. Moses. Its producers included Patricia Green. Among its directors were Sharron Miller and Nancy Malone. A total of 22 sixty-minute episodes were produced. 'RTÉ' Ireland's National public service broadcaster, is currently airing their own version of the show, titled, Fame: The Musical.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 246
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: sentimental, sincere, feel good, serious, realistic
Similar in 88%
Video Girl (2011)
Plot Summary:
Lorie Walker ( Meagan Good), attends a ritzy private school in a small southern town. Raised by her grandmother Valerie ( Ruby Dee), she often daydreams of becoming a professional dancer. After a chance meeting with a renowned music video director, her lifestyle changes completely. She finds herself struggling to stay grounded in this new, provocative, glamorous world.
IMDB Rating: 5.2
IMDB Votes: 772
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: realistic, psychological, atmospheric, captivating, serious
Similar in 80%
Brotherly Love (2015)
Plot Summary:
West Philadelphia basketball star Sergio Taylor deals with the pressures of fame while his brother and sister have their own issues with ambition.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: serious, touching, realistic, captivating, hood, independent film, entertaining, black cinema
Similar in 87%
Earthwork (2009)
Plot Summary:
In 1994, real-life crop artist Stan Herd traveled from Kansas to Manhattan's Upper West Side to create a massive environmental artwork on land owned by Donald Trump. The multi-acre artwork was made from soil, rock, plants and vegetation near an underground railway tunnel. Stan recruited a number of homeless individuals living in the tunnel to become his crew. Over the months it took to complete the earthwork, Stan dealt with a myriad of difficulties in bringing his unique, rural art form to an urban canvas and the many costs his art exacted upon his life. In the process, he unexpectedly encountered the true meaning of his art and it's ultimate, lasting rewards.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 882
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: uplifting, sentimental, sincere, realistic, serious, independent film
Similar in 81%
Life Support (2007)
Plot Summary:
The true-life story of a mother who overcame an addiction to crack and became a positive role model and an AIDS activist in the black community.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, sincere, thought provoking, touching, psychological, captivating
Similar in 78%
A Brother's Kiss (1997)
Plot Summary:
Two brothers, Lex and younger Mick, are living in Harlem. Mick is a policeman, and Lex, who spent youth years in reformatory because of injustice after he confronted the cop who tried to sodomize Mick on the street, is living with his wife Debbie trying to make ends meet and failing. One day Lex calls Mick - he has a problem.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 412
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: emotional, touching, serious, rough, bleak, erotic, independent film, realistic, gloomy
Similar in 90%
May Allah Bless France (2014)
Plot Summary:
French rapper, author, and spoken word artist Abd Al Malik makes his directorial debut with this adaptation of his 2004 autobiography, chronicling his upbringing in the crime- and drug-ridden streets of Strasbourg and his life-changing encounters with hip hop and religion.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 291
Genere: Drama
Country: France
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: captivating, inspirational, psychological, atmospheric, rough, touching, serious, realistic
Similar in 87%
The Beat (2003)
Plot Summary:
In a split narrative, a young man follows two paths: his father's dream of him becoming a cop, and his own dream of becoming a rapper.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 167
Genere: Action, Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: sincere, rough, serious, realistic, sentimental, offbeat, contemplative
Similar in 75%
The Dollmaker (1984)
Plot Summary:
Jane Fonda gives an Emmy-winning performance as Gertie Nevels, a pioneer woman and the mother of five from the Kentucky hills who is forced to uproot her children to follow her husband Clovis (Levon Helm) to Detroit when he finds work during World War II. One setback follows another and shattering tragedy strikes the family. It's all up to Gertie to find new strength, courage and determination to keep her family together and strong.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 946
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 142 min
Plot tags: sentimental, uplifting, touching, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic
Similar in 79%
Anne B. Real (2003)
Plot Summary:
ANNE B. REAL is the coming of age story of a young female rapper, who finds her inspiration by reading the Diary of Anne Frank.
IMDB Rating: 2.2
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: sincere, touching, serious, realistic, contemplative
Similar in 78%
Go for It! (2011)
Plot Summary:
Carmen is a good student with a bad attitude who lives for dancing in the underground clubs of Chicago. She yearns to be 'somebody' but is afraid to believe in herself. Her immigrant Mexican, working-class parents want her to stay in school and get an education, so she attends junior college while working at a grocery store. Carmen's professor catches her performing one day in the neighborhood and challenges her to audition to a formal dance school in California. She gets into a fight with her chaotic family and runs away to her best friend Gina's place only to find out Gina's been getting beat up by her boyfriend. Meanwhile, Carmen's boyfriend, Jared wants her to commit and move in with him. Pulled apart in every direction, her dream of dancing fades. Can Carmen overcome her fears and take the biggest chance of her life, or will she succumb to her self-doubt?.
IMDB Rating: 3.7
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: touching, realistic, uplifting, serious, captivating, emotional, teen, independent film
Similar in 75%
Pop Star (2013)
Plot Summary:
When talented young singer, Roxie Santos, meets music producer, Eddie Marz, he promises her an amazing new lifestyle and a future record deal. All he needs her to do is first lend her voice to a celebrity with no singing talent. However, when things go too far and it looks like she might lose her “voice” forever, she sets off to prove the truth.
IMDB Rating: 4.7
IMDB Votes: 417
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: sentimental, feel good, humorous, serious, realistic, independent film
Similar in 84%
A Beautiful Soul (2012)
Plot Summary:
An R&B singer snagged by the trappings of superstardom loses his way and turns his back on his church and faith-filled beginnings. Tragedy strikes, leaving a chance for redemption in its wake. But with rebirth, first comes death.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 126
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: realistic, touching, psychological, captivating, sincere, serious
Similar in 89%
Filly Brown (2012)
Plot Summary:
“Majo” Tonorio, a.k.a. Filly Brown, is a raw, young Los Angeles hip-hop artist who spits from the heart. When a sleazy record producer offers her a crack at rap stardom, Majo faces some daunting choices. With an incarcerated mother, a record contract could be the ticket out for her struggling family. But taking the deal means selling out her talent and the true friends who helped her to the cusp of success.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 80 min
Plot tags: realistic, sincere, captivating, psychological, hood, serious, independent film
Similar in 87%
How She Move (2007)
Plot Summary:
After the death of Raya Green's(Rutina Wesley) sister, she gets out from her classes at school, and sees a stomp crew practicing. She meets Bishop(Dwain Murphy) which is the dance crew leader. She then meets Michelle and does a stomp battle with her. They become enemies then friends later on. Her uptight mom pushes her to pass the test to get into Medical school, but she thinks she failed.
IMDB Rating: 3.6
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Drama
Country: France, Canada, USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: touching, realistic, exciting, serious, independent film
Similar in 81%
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete (2013)
Plot Summary:
Coming of age story about two inner city youths, who are left to fend for themselves over the summer after their mothers are taken away by the authorities.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min
Plot tags: touching, serious, emotional, realistic, hood, clever, sad, therapeutic
Similar in 87%
The Stick Up Kids (2008)
Plot Summary:
People always told Santos he was something special. His Uncle told him to get a skill, so he became a hustler and with his three,they became "The Stick Up Kids" Harlem would never be the same. They thought they had it all... Money, cars, the lifestyle and the lingo. The only two words They didn't know were JURISDICTION AND GENTRIFICATION but in their world it was all for one and one for all until an unexpected, mysterious death, forced "The Stick Up Kids"to change their focus from doing crime to stopping the "North Manhattan Project". Now it was up to Santos to pull off one last sting before it destroyed them all. Watch out America. 'The Stick Up Kids" are coming to your town!.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 104
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: realistic, serious, psychological, captivating, crime drama, independent film, rough, suspenseful
Similar in 82%
Just Like the Son (2006)
Plot Summary:
A petty thief's mentoring of an apparent orphan takes a profound turn when he kidnaps the boy from a foster home and drives him cross-country to his sister's house in Texas.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: emotional, realistic, touching, captivating, independent film, serious
Similar in 76%
Matchups (2003)
Plot Summary:
Ian Willams -- who was born blind in one eye -- grew up undaunted to become an elite college basketball player. But his dream of winning a national championship and turning pro was sidetracked when a tragic accident left him completely blind. Triumphing over adversity, Williams recalibrated his ambition and went on to become college basketball's first blind coach. A truly inspiring story about the triumph of the human spirit.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 29
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, touching, independent film
Similar in 78%
Marathon (2010)
Plot Summary:
Drama by Biju Viswanath, Marathon was adapted from Harteis's memoir of the same name. Explores the relation ship between two poets Richard Harteis and William Meredith former US poet laureate and winner of every major American award for poetry including the 1988 Pulitzer prize.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 58
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: emotional, touching, serious, captivating, realistic, sentimental, gloomy, independent film, queer cinema
Similar in 90%
Touch of the Light (2012)
Plot Summary:
Yu-Siang is blind – but he has a superb sense of hearing. Born in rural Taiwan, this extremely talented musician moves to the capital Taipei to study the piano. But how will he manage on his own? Even the walk across campus from his halls of residence poses a challenge and he must learn how to make the trip step by step. Yu-Siang began winning awards for his piano playing as a young boy but he once overheard somebody saying he only won because of his blindness. Since then he has avoided public competitions – in spite of his teachers' encouragement. Yu-Siang is not interested in recognition: to him his musical development is more important. One day he meets a young woman working in a snack bar. She dreams of becoming a dancer. The encounter proves to be a turning point for both of them.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Taiwan
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: uplifting, touching, serious, realistic
Similar in 90%
Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back (2000)
Plot Summary:
"Meat Loaf" Aday is an overgrown Texas youngster, the son of a gentle woman dying of cancer and an alcoholic, abusive father. Tormented by his father and schoolmates over his size, he strikes out on his own after his mother's death, in an impossible task to prove himself to the world and to himself. A chance audition for a musical leads him to join forces with composer Jim Steinman, and together the two make music history with the operatic rock album "Bat Out of Hell." But the demons that drive Meat Loaf aren't assuaged by success, and eventually he must come to terms with them.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 537
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: sincere, touching, realistic, captivating, semi serious
Similar in 89%
The Tic Code (1998)
Plot Summary:
A 10 year old gifted boy wants to be a jazz pianist much to the chagrin of his more classical oriented piano instructor. With his mother's help, he is an underage regular at a local nightspot, where he is teamed up with a sax superstar. Both come to learn that each suffers from Tourette's Syndrome (thus the film title). The older man has developed mannerisms to cover up his own fallibilities and resents the boy and his mother's acceptance of the disease.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 484
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, realistic, independent film, offbeat, serious, contemplative, light, inspirational, feel good
Similar in 88%
Our America (2002)
Plot Summary:
The true story of two African-American teen radio reporters and their documentary investigation of a notorious child murder.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 304
Genere: Drama
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, emotional, realistic, controversial, sincere, bleak
Similar in 77%
The Reading Room (2005)
Plot Summary:
Making good on a promise he made to his dying wife, a widower (Jones) opens a reading room, a place where people can learn to read. Despite his goodwill, problems in the neighborhood threaten his establishment.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 687
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: sincere, uplifting, touching, feel good, serious, emotional, realistic, hispanic
Similar in 83%
Knights of the South Bronx (2005)
Plot Summary:
A business man decides that he wants to teach school in the inner city and chooses a tough school in the South Bronx. He teaches the children how to play the game of chess, and along the way they learn a lot about life.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: uplifting, touching, serious, realistic, spiritual