Best movies like The Free World
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Following his release from a brutal stretch in prison for crimes he didn't commit, Mo is struggling to adapt to life on the outside. When his world collides with Doris, a mysterious woman with a violent past, he decides to risk his newfound freedom to keep her in his life.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, thought provoking, realistic, contemplative, romantic drama
Best tv shows and movies like The Free World (2016):
Similar in 77%
Uncertainty (2008)
Plot Summary:
Every choice has a consequence. But what if the flip of a coin could trigger two separate but parallel destinies? Bobby (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Kate (Lynn Collins) are a young New York couple at a crossroads whose lives are about to take very different directions. A seemingly ordinary July 4th is cleaved in two by the flip of a coin. One path leads them to gentle discoveries about family, loss and each other on a visit to Brooklyn, and the other plunges them into an urban nightmare of pursuit, suspense and murder in Manhattan.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: sincere, serious, clever, captivating, erotic, experimental, offbeat, independent film, suspense, crying
Similar in 80%
Beloved/Friend (1999)
Plot Summary:
Based on a work of Josep Maria Benet i Jornet entitled "Testament", the film tells the story of an aging professor of medieval literature with the dilemma of deciding who will inherit his essay on "The Book of friend and loved" by Ramon Llull. Feeling near death as a result of illness, he discovers that the ideal person is a young and intelligent student he is in love with and who is dedicated to male prostitution.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 468
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: Spain
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: psychological, serious, realistic, contemplative, crying
Similar in 90%
The Edukators (2004)
Plot Summary:
Three activists cobble together a kidnapping plot after they encounter a businessman in his home.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 32000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: Germany, Austria
Duration: 127 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, political, psychological, philosophical, sentimental, independent film, clever, realistic, talky, art house
Similar in 81%
The City of Your Final Destination (2009)
Plot Summary:
28-year-old Kansas University doctoral student Omar Razaghi wins a grant to write a biography of Latin American writer Jules Gund. Omar must get through to three people who were close to Gund--his brother, widow, and younger mistress--so he can get authorization to write the biography. Written by Marisa_Gabriella, edited by Krystal Frauendienst.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min
Plot tags: emotional, realistic, serious, rough, tense, thought provoking, contemplative, gloomy, independent film
Similar in 76%
By the Sea (2015)
Plot Summary:
Set in France during the mid-1970s, Vanessa, a former dancer, and her husband Roland, an American writer, travel the country together. They seem to be growing apart, but when they linger in one quiet, seaside town they begin to draw close to some of its more vibrant inhabitants, such as a local bar/café-keeper and a hotel owner.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 22000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: France, Malta, USA
Duration: 122 min
Plot tags: psychological, depressing, melancholic, scenic, artsy, erotic, sexy, thought provoking, cult classic, aesthetic
Similar in 86%
Little Accidents (2014)
Plot Summary:
In a small American coal town living in the shadow of a recent mining accident, the disappearance of a teenage boy draws three people together—a surviving miner, the lonely wife of a mine executive, and a local boy—in a web of secrets.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: suspense, psychological, enigmatic, sad, disturbing, crying, independent film, psychological thriller, interesting, psycho film
Similar in 76%
Blue Bayou (2021)
Plot Summary:
As a Korean-American man raised in the Louisiana bayou works hard to make a life for his family, he must confront the ghosts of his past as he discovers that he could be deported from the only country he has ever called home.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 117 min
Plot tags: thought provoking
Similar in 76%
Angel Eyes (2001)
Plot Summary:
A story about a seemingly unlikely couple who cross paths under life-threatening circumstances as though they are destined not only to meet but to save each other's lives. Not once, but twice.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 25000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: emotional, romantic, psychological, suspense, serious, realistic, romantic comedy, romantic drama, psychotronic, sex comedy
Similar in 79%
Finding Home (2003)
Plot Summary:
Inheriting her grandmother's remote island Inn causes Amanda to re-evaluate her life and decisions.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 594
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 124 min
Plot tags: psychological, serious, realistic, independent film, gloomy, crying
Similar in 86%
A Better Life (2011)
Plot Summary:
A gardener in East L.A. struggles to keep his son away from gangs and immigration agents while traveling across town to perform landscaping work for the city's wealthy landowners.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: touching, emotional, realistic, sincere, thought provoking, inspirational, hood, independent film, romantic, captivating
Similar in 82%
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Plot Summary:
After her fiance is falsely imprisoned, a pregnant African-American woman sets out to clear his name and prove his innocence.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 52000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 119 min
Plot tags: inspirational, captivating, social, realistic, tense, touching, serious, poignant, hood, art film
Similar in 75%
Our Friend (2019)
Plot Summary:
After learning that his terminally ill wife has six months to live, a man welcomes the support of his best friend who moves into their home to help out.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 15000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 124 min
Plot tags: sad, captivating, touching, family comedy, cult classic, entertaining
Similar in 87%
Dandelion (2004)
Plot Summary:
In a small town of rolling fields and endless skies, isolated 16 year old Mason lives in a world where families exist in fragmented silence and love seems to have gone missing. Then Mason meets Danny, a sensitive and troubled girl, and their tender bond is soon tested after a fatal accident and a series of complications takes Mason away for something he didn't do.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: sincere, emotional, touching, sentimental, independent film, teen, serious, realistic, contemplative, gloomy
Similar in 87%
Queen & Slim (2019)
Plot Summary:
An exploration of America’s social and political climate through the lens of a genre-defying love story. The film centers on a black man and black woman who go on a first date that goes awry after the two are pulled over by a police officer at a traffic stop. They kill the police officer in self-defense and rather than turn themselves in, they go on the run.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 34000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Romance
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 132 min
Plot tags: road movie, thought provoking, exciting, sad, captivating, disturbing, romantic, sexy, neo noir, political
Similar in 90%
The Green (2011)
Plot Summary:
Michael Gavin and his partner Daniel trade the rat race of New York City for the idyllic charm of the Connecticut shoreline, with hopes of a simpler life and time for Michael to finish his first novel. All that changes when one of Michael's high school students accuses him of 'inappropriate conduct', and the town rushes to judgment.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 860
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, serious, realistic, touching, lgbt cinema, crying, detective
Similar in 90%
Personal Velocity (2002)
Plot Summary:
Three women's escapes from their afflicted lives. Each struggles to flee from the men who confine their personal freedom.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: talky, stylized, intense, touching, psychological, sincere, serious, realistic, anthology, erotic
Similar in 83%
The Immigrant (2013)
Plot Summary:
In 1921 New York. an immigrant woman is tricked into a life of burlesque and vaudeville until a dazzling magician tries to save her and reunite her with her sister who is being held in the confines of Ellis Island.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 33000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, harsh, emotional, suspenseful, serious, captivating, period piece, costume drama, stylized, romantic
Similar in 78%
Great Expectations (1998)
Plot Summary:
Loosely based on the Charles Dickens' classic novel, "Great Expectations" is a sensual tale of a young man's unforgettable passage into manhood, and the three individuals who will undeniably change his life forever. Through the surprising interactions of these vivid characters, "Great Expectations" takes a unique and contemporary look at life's great coincidences.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 56000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: romantic, heartbreaking, emotional, sexy, touching, light, melancholic, serious, realistic, erotic
Similar in 76%
Leo (2002)
Plot Summary:
A young mother is plagued by a tragic mistake and alienates her little boy. A brilliant writer is released from prison after serving a 15-year sentence and begins working at Vic's Diner. Their stories converge when the man must overcome obstacles of the past to save the little boy and ultimately himself.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, captivating, suspense, sincere, crying
Similar in 80%
Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013)
Plot Summary:
The tale of an outlaw who escapes from prison and sets out across the Texas hills to reunite with his wife and the daughter he has never met.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 23000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Romance, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: tense, bleak, melancholic, heartbreaking, emotional, cult classic, visually stunning, independent film, atmospheric, stylized
Similar in 82%
Jamesy Boy (2014)
Plot Summary:
Based on the true story of teenager James Burns who goes from a suburban street gang to a maximum-security prison cell surrounded by hardened criminals. He turns his life around in prison thanks to the unexpected friendship he forms with a convicted murderer who becomes his mentor.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: sincere, rough, serious, realistic, crime drama, crying
Similar in 88%
New Life (2016)
Plot Summary:
Benjamin Morton's life changed forever the day he met the little girl next door. Ava was and always would be the girl of his dreams. From the innocence of a childhood friendship, through adolescent attraction, their love strengthens and grows. When life takes a turn neither of them expected, their entire future is called into question.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 983
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: romantic, sincere, rough, thought provoking, touching, captivating, christian film, independent film
Similar in 75%
The Greatest (2009)
Plot Summary:
Teenagers Rose and Bennett were in love, and then a car crash claimed Bennett's life. He left behind a grieving mother, father and younger brother, and Rose was left all alone. She has no family to turn to for support, so when she finds out she's pregnant, she winds up at the Brewer's door. She needs their help, and although they can't quite admit it, they each need her so they can begin to heal.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 9000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: touching, sincere, captivating, realistic, serious, emotional, breathtaking, cult classic, gloomy, independent film
Similar in 86%
Everything, Everything (2017)
Plot Summary:
A teenager who's lived a sheltered life because she's allergic to everything, falls for the boy who moves in next door.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 42000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: romantic, sincere, captivating, romantic drama, sentimental, intellectual, heartbreaking, scenic, multicultural, teen
Similar in 82%
Fruitvale Station (2013)
Plot Summary:
The true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident, who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family, and strangers on the last day of 2008.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 85000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: emotional, sad, hood, heartbreaking, intense, sincere, thought provoking, realistic, depressing, social
Similar in 83%
Crown Heights (2017)
Plot Summary:
When Colin Warner was wrongfully convicted of murder, his best friend Carl King devoted his life to proving his innocence.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: realistic, intense, thought provoking, serious, suspense, social, sad
Similar in 78%
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them (2014)
Plot Summary:
A New York couple's relationship is tested after the loss of their child. This film is the wide-released combination of the original two :him and :her volumes that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 13000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 123 min
Plot tags: independent film, psychological, meditative, surreal, sincere, touching, crying, sad, eros, cute
Similar in 86%
The Spectacular Now (2013)
Plot Summary:
A hard-partying high school senior's philosophy on life changes when he meets the not-so-typical "nice girl.".
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 160000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: touching, teen, sincere, melancholic, emotional, independent film, romantic, feel good, sweet, heartbreaking
Similar in 82%
The Choice (2016)
Plot Summary:
Travis and Gabby first meet as neighbors in a small coastal town and wind up in a relationship that is tested by life's most defining events.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 45000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: romantic, touching, emotional, sweet, scenic, sentimental, serious, realistic, tear jerker, romantic comedy
Similar in 82%
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Plot Summary:
Framed in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden. During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates -- including an older prisoner named Red -- for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.
IMDB Rating: 9.3
IMDB Votes: 28000000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 142 min
Plot tags: clever, inspirational, touching, twist ending, sentimental, uplifting, emotional, philosophical, suspense, serious