Best movies like Wide Awake
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
A feel-good comedy about the laughter, excitement and fun that come with being a kid! Joshua is a thoughtful 10-year-old looking for some simple answers to life's eternal questions. The problem is that no one - including his concerned parents and his 5th grade teacher - seems to be making any sense!.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: sentimental, light, emotional, humorous, touching, spiritual, semi serious, crying, independent film, fairy tale
Best tv shows and movies like Wide Awake (1998):
Similar in 82%
Raspberry Magic (2010)
Plot Summary:
Eleven-year-old Monica Shah is a brainy schoolgirl whose science fair project about growing raspberries becomes a touching emotional crusade. After her dad leaves and her mother falls into a funk, Monica decides it's her job to rescue the family.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 191
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 82 min
Plot tags: sentimental, sincere, humorous, captivating, sad, touching, serious, realistic
Similar in 76%
Saint Ralph (2004)
Plot Summary:
This Canadian made comedy/drama, set in Hamilton, Ontario in 1954, is a sweet and - at times - goofy story that becomes increasingly poignant as the minutes tick by. It's the fictional tale of a wayward 9th grader, Ralph (Adam Butcher), who is secretly living on his own while his widowed, hospitalized mother remains immersed in a coma. Frequently in trouble with Father Fitzpatrick (Gordon Pinsent), the principal of his all-boys, Catholic school, Ralph is considered something of a joke among peers until he decides to pull off a miracle that could save his mother, i.e., winning the Boston Marathon. Coached by a younger priest and former runner, Father Hibbert (Campbell Scott), whose cynicism has been lifted by the boy's pure hope, Ralph applies himself to his unlikely mission, fending off naysayers and getting help along a very challenging path from sundry allies and friends.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Sport
Country: Canada
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: emotional, sincere, sentimental, realistic, feel good, spiritual, semi serious, inspirational, crying, touching
Similar in 78%
Millions (2004)
Plot Summary:
Two boys, still grieving the death of their mother, find themselves the unwitting benefactors of a bag of bank robbery loot in the week before the United Kingdom switches its official currency to the Euro. What's a kid to do?.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 26000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Family
Country: UK
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: feel good, sentimental, humorous, uplifting, visually stunning, touching, spiritual, scenic, existential, hilarious
Similar in 78%
My Girl 2 (1994)
Plot Summary:
Vada Sultenfuss has a holiday coming up, and an assignment: to do and essay on someone she admires and has never met. She decides she wants to do an assignment on her mother, but quickly realises she knows very little about her. She manages to get her father to agree to let her go to LA to stay with her Uncle Phil and do some research on her mother.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 21000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: touching, teen, romantic, sentimental, feel good, entertaining, sad, independent film, humorous, realistic
Similar in 81%
Taliesin Jones (2000)
Plot Summary:
Not quite a religious film, not quite a coming-of-age story, not quite a kiddie flick, and not quite a supernatural horror movie, Taliesin Jones's identity crisis nonetheless reveals a sweet examination of one child and his thoughts on God.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 263
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: touching, sentimental, serious, realistic, independent film
Similar in 90%
Spin (2003)
Plot Summary:
"Spin" tells the story of a boy who loses his parents in a plane crash, is taken in by his uncle (Tucci), who then leaves him for ten years in the care of his Hispanic ranch hand (Blades) and his wife (Delany). Once in high school, Eddie (Merriman) reconnects with a girl from his past (Garces), and their growing interracial relationship teaches the sometimes-sullen Eddie to think of others before himself.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 537
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, serious, emotional, realistic, independent film
Similar in 76%
The Great Gilly Hopkins (2015)
Plot Summary:
Wisecracking, gum-chewing 12-year-old Gilly is well known in the foster system. Totally unmanageable, she has stayed with more families than she can remember and has outwitted them all. After all, how can she settle down when her real mother, the beautiful and glamourous Courtney, might be out there waiting for her? When Gilly is sent to live with the Trotters, the weirdest family yet, she isn’t planning to stick around. But cheerful, affectionate Maime Trotter isn’t giving up on Gilly just yet.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: sincere, feel good, captivating, entertaining, light, emotional, sad, happy
Similar in 76%
Two Bits (1995)
Plot Summary:
It's a hot summer day in 1933 in South Philly, where 12-year old Gennaro lives with his widowed mom and his ailing grandpa, who sits outside holding tight to his last quarter, which he's promised to Gennaro and which Gennaro would like to have to buy a ticket to the plush new movie theater. But grandpa's not ready to pass on the quarter or pass on to his final reward: he has some unfinished business with a woman from his past, and he enlists Gennaro to act as his emissary.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, emotional, independent film, anamorphic, cult classic, serious, realistic, thought provoking, feel good
Similar in 80%
The Nanny Express (2008)
Plot Summary:
With their mother dead, Emily and Ben torment their nannies to quit as fast as their father hires them. Till a nanny named Kate shows up and slowly wins Ben over. That's bad enough, but when her father and Kate start to fall in love, Emily sets out to break them up and match him with her ballet teacher.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: touching, semi serious, feel good, humorous, emotional, cute, sentimental, uplifting, realistic
Similar in 76%
Opal Dream (2006)
Plot Summary:
Pobby & Dingan are invisible. They live in an opal town in Australia and are friends with Kellyanne, the 9 year-old daughter of an opal miner. The film tells the story of the bizarre and inexplicable disappearance of Pobby & Dingan, Kellyanne's imaginary friends, and the impact this has on her family and the whole town. The story is told through the eyes of Kellyanne's 11 years old brother Ashmol.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Australia, UK
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: touching, feel good, semi serious, humorous, sad
Similar in 85%
Children on Their Birthdays (2002)
Plot Summary:
Havoc is created in a small Southern community when a 12-year-old shows up, causing a couple 13-year-old friends to fall in love with her, thus possibly jeopardizing their friendship.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 581
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, feel good, humorous, independent film, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 84%
Miracle (2000)
Plot Summary:
What do you do if you're twelve years old, your mum is a neurotic babbler, your best friend is hitting on the girl you love, and you're the only guy in your class who doesn't yet sport pubes ...? For Dennis P. there's only one way out - pray. In this musical adventure the miracle comes in the shape of an angel clone looking suspiciously like Dennis P.'s late father. The angel issues Dennis P. with a license to perform medium grade miracles, but there's a string attached - Dennis P. must stop using swearwords. Dennis P. throws himself into readjusting his existence. But one miracle leads to another, and the 'adjustments' lead to grotesque consequences.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 630
Genere: Family, Musical, Drama, Comedy, Fantasy
Country: Denmark
Duration: 80 min
Plot tags: touching, humorous, semi serious, feel good, offbeat
Similar in 81%
Leave It to Beaver (1997)
Plot Summary:
Cleavers are an all-American family living in Ohio - wise father Ward, loving mother June, teen-age son Wally and 8-year-old "Beaver" Theodore. Beaver hopes to get a bike as a gift from his father and to please him tries out for his school football team and he makes it, only to be embarrassed. The bike he gets is quickly stolen. Meanwhile Wally is trying to help his friend Eddie Haskell to get the heart of pretty classmate Karen, but Karen seems to like Wally more, and that leads to tensions between the friends.
IMDB Rating: 5.1
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Comedy, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 84 min
Plot tags: melancholic, feel good, semi serious, humorous, epic, scary, romantic, sexy, unusual plot structure, sweet
Similar in 80%
Harriet the Spy (1996)
Plot Summary:
When the secret notebook of a young girl who fancies herself a spy is found by her friends, her speculations make her very unpopular! Can she win her friends back?.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: intense, enigmatic, entertaining, epic, children's program, touching, feel good, humorous, semi serious, crying
Similar in 81%
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 84%
My Dog Skip (2000)
Plot Summary:
A shy boy is unable to make friends in Yazoo City, Mississippi in 1942, until his parents give him a terrier puppy for his ninth birthday. The dog, which he names Skip, becomes well known and loved throughout the community and enriches the life of the boy, Willie, as he grows into manhood. Based on the best-selling Mississippi memoir by the late Willie Morris.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 21000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: feel good, touching, sentimental, sad, uplifting, heartbreaking, tear jerker, sweet, crying, sincere
Similar in 81%
House of D (2004)
Plot Summary:
In the present, artist Tom Warshaw recalls his traumatic coming of age. As a 13-year-old growing up in New York City in 1973, Tom hangs out with Pappass, a mentally disabled man. With Tom's mother battling depression after the death of her husband, the young boy is left to his own devices. When Tom develops a crush on schoolmate Melissa, Pappass feels abandoned and begins behaving erratically.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: sentimental, light, emotional, intense, spiritual, period piece, cult classic, feel good, humorous, realistic
Similar in 76%
Snowmen (2010)
Plot Summary:
Three young friends find adventure and purpose in their attempts to set a Guinness World Record. Set in a wintry mountain town, the unpopular trio pursues fame through a series of schemes and stunts that eventually imperil their own lives. Along the way, they conquer schoolyard bullies, unite their community and discover that while fame is fleeting, true friendship lasts forever.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 748
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: uplifting, touching, sentimental, feel good, semi serious, offbeat, humorous, realistic, independent film, surprise ending
Similar in 86%
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 79%
The Mighty (1998)
Plot Summary:
This tells the story of a strong friendship between a young boy with Morquio's syndrome and an older boy who is always bullied because of his size. Adapted from the novel, Freak the Mighty, the film explores a building of trust and friendship. Kevin, an intelligent guy helps out Maxwell to improve his reading skills. In return, Kevin wants Maxwell to take him out places since he is not allowed out unauthorized. Being the social outcasts of the town, Kevin and Maxwell come to realize that they are similar to each other and accept that they are "freaks" and nothing will stop them.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: sentimental, emotional, touching, serious, inspirational, tear jerker, independent film, spiritual, sad, epic
Similar in 88%
Madeline (1998)
Plot Summary:
The adventurous, young Madeline is very good at getting into trouble, but she's also fantastic at solving problems as well, and her school-mistress Miss Clavel is not too approving of her. The biggest problem comes up when Lord Covington decides to sell Madeline's school.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Comedy, Family
Country: France, USA
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: touching, melancholic, talky, feel good, humorous, surprise ending, semi serious, inspirational, sad, juvenile
Similar in 90%
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 85%
Bruno (2000)
Plot Summary:
The story of a unique young boy genius, Bruno, whose expression of his own individuality leads his family and community along an emotional journey.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min
Plot tags: touching, realistic, emotional, semi serious, sentimental, humorous, inspirational, motivational, independent film, flamboyance
Similar in 79%
Martian Child (2007)
Plot Summary:
A recently-widowed, science fiction writer considers whether to adopt a hyper-imaginative 6-year-old abandoned and socially-rejected boy who says he's really from Mars.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 21000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: touching, emotional, sentimental, sweet, feel good, humorous, uplifting, spiritual, happy, realistic
Similar in 80%
Because of Winn-Dixie (2005)
Plot Summary:
A girl, abandoned by her mother when she was three, moves to a small town in Florida with her father. There, she adopts an orphaned dog she names Winn-Dixie. The bond between the girl and her special companion brings together the people in a small Florida town and heals her own troubled relationship with her father.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: touching, sentimental, light, sweet, feel good, funny, gothic, teen, happy, comedy drama
Similar in 88%
My Girl (1991)
Plot Summary:
Vada Sultenfuss is obsessed with death. Her mother is dead, and her father runs a funeral parlor. She is also in love with her English teacher, and joins a poetry class over the summer just to impress him. Thomas J., her best friend, is "allergic to everything", and sticks with Vada despite her hangups. When Vada's father hires Shelly, and begins to fall for her, things take a turn to the worse.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 87000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: touching, sentimental, feel good, crying, emotional, sad, sweet, inspirational, tear jerker, heartbreaking
Similar in 84%
Bee Season (2005)
Plot Summary:
11-year-old Eliza is the invisible element of her family unit: her parents are both consumed with work and her brother is wrapped up in his own adolescent life. Eliza ignites not only a spark that makes her visible but one that sets into motion a revolution in her family dynamic when she wins a spelling bee. Finding an emotional outlet in the power of words and in the spiritual mysticism that he sees at work in her unparalleled gift, Eliza's father pours all of his energy into helping his daughter become spelling bee champion. A religious studies professor, he sees the opportunity as not only a distraction from his life but as an answer to his own crisis of faith. His vicarious path to God, real or imagined, leads to an obsession with Eliza's success and he begins teaching her secrets of the Kabbalah. Now preparing for the National Spelling Bee, Eliza looks on as a new secret of her family's hidden turmoil seems to be revealed with each new word she spells.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: touching, emotional, depressing, realistic, psychological, sincere, thought provoking, serious, spiritual, anamorphic
Similar in 82%
The Baby-Sitters Club (1995)
Plot Summary:
It's the story about seven very different best friends, and one summer that will bring them together like never before.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: light, feel good, humorous, semi serious, sad, touching, realistic, sexy, unusual plot structure, sweet
Similar in 77%
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town (2003)
Plot Summary:
Zachary Beaver, a sideshow attraction also known as the world's fattest boy, arrives in the sleepy town of Granger, Texas.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 850
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: feel good, sentimental, humorous, semi serious, touching
Similar in 84%
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008)
Plot Summary:
The Great Depression hits home for nine year old Kit Kittredge when her dad loses his business and leaves to find work. Oscar nominee Abigail Breslin stars as Kit, leading a splendid cast in the first ever "American Girl" theatrical movie. In order to keep their home, Kit and her mother must take in boarders - paying house - guests who turn out to be full of fascinating stories. When mother's lockbox containing all their money is stolen, Kit's new hobo friend Will is the prime suspect. Kit refuses to believe that Will would steal, and her efforts to sniff out the real story get her and friends into big trouble. The police say the robbery was an inside job, committed by someone they know. So if it wasn't Will, then who did it.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: sentimental, melancholic, inspirational, stylized, feel good, touching, humorous, realistic, semi serious, crying