Best tv shows like Out on a Limb
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Shirley MacLaine plays herself in this TV mini-series based on her autobiographical best-seller which delves into her new age beliefs and its effects on her personal and public lives.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 618
Genere: Biography, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 235 min
Plot tags: mystical, semi serious
Best tv shows and movies like Out on a Limb (1987):
Similar in 80%
Mistral's Daughter (1984)
Plot Summary:
Beautiful and naïve Maggy Lunel arrives in Paris completely broke. She becomes an artist's model and the toast of Paris, attracting the attention of Picasso-like painter Julien Mistral, an arrogant and selfish man who places his work above everything. Their paths diverge as Mistral's art catches the eye of a rich American woman who becomes his patroness and eventually his wife. During the war years in France, Mistral collaborates with the Nazis in order to continue with his work, a decision that will come back to haunt him years later. In the meantime, Maggy has a daughter named Teddy who grows up and falls in love with Mistral with whom she has a child named Fauve. As Mistral ages, he comes to terms with his selfish past and wartime betrayal through his art, leaving a beautiful legacy for his daughter, Fauve.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 803
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 390 min
Plot tags: sincere, serious, emotional, realistic
Similar in 78%
Ryan's Hope (1975)
Plot Summary:
Ryan's Hope is an American soap opera created by Claire Labine and Paul Avila Mayer, originally airing for 13 years on ABC from July 7, 1975 to January 13, 1989. It revolved around the trials and tribulations within a large Irish-American family in the Riverside district of New York City.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 544
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: soap opera, sentimental, touching, serious, realistic
Similar in 77%
Princess Daisy (1983)
Plot Summary:
The lovely Daisy is the daughter of a Russian prince and an American movie star. After her parents are killed, she flees from her half-brother Ram. She fights her way to the top of the modeling profession and falls in love with a company president. But then, her half-brother arrives on the scene, ready to blackmail and destroy her.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 398
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 190 min
Plot tags: sentimental, serious, emotional, realistic, romantic drama
Similar in 83%
Scruples (1980)
Plot Summary:
The melodramatic story follows the fortunes of three ambitious people: Billy, secretary/wife to an older billionaire, who upon his death starts the Beverly Hills boutique ("Scruples") and pursues film director Vito Orsini. Valentine, a French would-be fashion designer, and Spider, a parking lot attendant/photographer/stud, struggling up the ladder. After Valentine and Spider become Billy's employees, they team up to navigate a number of hazards on the road to happiness.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 421
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 279 min
Plot tags: sexy, serious, realistic, sexual
Similar in 85%
Hotel (1983)
Plot Summary:
Hotel is an American prime time drama series which aired on ABC from September 21, 1983 to May 5, 1988 in the timeslot following Dynasty. Based on Arthur Hailey's 1965 novel of the same name, the series was produced by Aaron Spelling and set in the elegant and fictitious St. Gregory Hotel in San Francisco. Establishing shots of the hotel were filmed in front of The Fairmont San Francisco atop the Nob Hill neighborhood. Episodes followed the activities of passing guests, as well as the personal and professional lives of the hotel staff.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: soap opera, retro, sentimental, feel good, humorous, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 77%
The Bedford Diaries (2006)
Plot Summary:
The Bedford Diaries is an American television series that premiered March 29, 2006 on The WB and concluded its first season on May 10, 2006. It was canceled on May 18, 2006. The series was created by Tom Fontana and Julie Martin. A week prior to its premiere, The WB posted scenes from the pilot, which might have prompted FCC fines, on its website. A version without explicit images was broadcast on television.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 504
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: touching, emotional, semi serious, sentimental, humorous, sexy, realistic, sexual
Similar in 79%
Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979)
Plot Summary:
A man falls for a separated woman but can't cope when she returns to her husband.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: romantic, sentimental, sincere, touching, realistic, semi serious, romantic comedy, comedy drama, cult film
Similar in 80%
Any Human Heart (2010)
Plot Summary:
A novelist's life ricochets from 1920s Paris to '50s New York and '80s London. Along the way he meets Ernest Hemingway, Ian Fleming and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor - the exiled British king and his mistress Wallis Simpson.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: UK
Duration:
Plot tags: stylized, serious, realistic, sentimental, historical drama, romantic, touching, captivating, costume drama, period drama
Similar in 78%
Eleanor and Franklin (1976)
Plot Summary:
The story of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, from early youth to his election as President of the United States, as told from Eleanor's point of view.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 377
Genere: Biography, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 203 min
Plot tags: historical drama, serious, captivating, realistic, stylized, period drama, political drama
Similar in 82%
Five Star Day (2010)
Plot Summary:
One man's journey to disprove the theory of astrology leads him to answer some bigger question about life, love, fate and destiny.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 846
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: sentimental, realistic, road movie, psychological, captivating, indie film, sincere, touching, serious, independent film
Similar in 86%
The Dovekeepers (2015)
Plot Summary:
This four-hour miniseries is based on Alice Hoffman’s acclaimed historical novel about four extraordinary women whose lives intersect in a fight for survival at the siege of Masada.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 913
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: serious, emotional, realistic, biblical, touching, period piece, historical drama, captivating, stylized, soap opera
Similar in 89%
The Starter Wife (2007)
Plot Summary:
The events of one woman's life following her divorce after years of marriage to a Hollywood studio executive. Based on the best-selling novel by Gigi Levangie Grazer.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA, Australia
Duration: 276 min
Plot tags: humorous, realistic, witty, semi serious, sentimental, romantic comedy
Similar in 80%
Out of Order (2003)
Plot Summary:
I suppose this is the story of the beauty and brutality of a long-term marriage as seen through the eyes of a writer who aspires to make art, but makes his living writing popcorn movies. Someone who wants to be a good man, but finds himself contemplating many crimes. Someone who is guilty of the crime of being human. Someone whose life is the only movie he can't rewrite. Well, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 754
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 200 min
Plot tags: humorous, witty, semi serious, sensual, clever, realistic, sexual, black comedy, dark comedy, sexy
Similar in 87%
Virgin River (2019)
Plot Summary:
After seeing an ad for a midwife, a recently divorced big-city nurse moves to the redwood forests of California, where she meets an intriguing man.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 50000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 44 min
Plot tags: captivating, exciting, sincere, entertaining, erotic, sensual, romantic drama, surprise ending
Similar in 82%
Big Sur (2013)
Plot Summary:
Big Sur is a film adaptation of the Jack Kerouac autobiographical novel of the same name.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 81 min
Plot tags: sincere, realistic, serious, captivating, independent film
Similar in 78%
The Dive from Clausen's Pier (2005)
Plot Summary:
Good boy Mike Mayer is looking at a fine future and enjoys life with Wisconsin small town friends and steady girlfriend Carrie Beal. Then a stupid accident, diving from the local pier when the water is too low, leaves him quadriplegic. As if that weren't bad enough, Carrie does what none of the gang could imagine: she dumps him, as soon as best friend Rooster realizes she wasn't even honest. Carrie leaves for New York to pursue an undefined 'ambition', moving in with Simon Rhodes she vaguely knows. She starts a love affair with Paul Elliot 'Kilroy' Fraser. However he has his own nagging tragic secret, and her past needs dealing with.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 775
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: touching, serious, captivating, realistic
Similar in 84%
Wrestling Ernest Hemingway (1993)
Plot Summary:
Frank, a retired Irish seaman, and Walter, a retired Cuban barber, are two lonely old men trapped in the emptiness of their own lives. When they meet in a park Frank is able to start a conversation after several attempts. They begin to spend time together and become friends. But because of their different characters they often quarrel with each other and finally seperate after Frank misbehaves to Walter's friend Elaine.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 123 min
Plot tags: sentimental, realistic, light, sincere, captivating, touching, semi serious
Similar in 77%
1 Message (2011)
Plot Summary:
Tells the story of Becca, a beautiful 28 year-old woman whose perfect life is brought to an abrupt halt after she accidentally discovers a lump in her breast.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 139
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 152 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, serious, realistic, independent film, romantic drama
Similar in 87%
Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story (1996)
Plot Summary:
"Entertaining Angels" is an interesting title for this movie about the 1920's and 30's social activist, Dorothy Day, for it can be regarded that what this woman did, sometimes single-handedly, always controversially, in her fight against social injustice would, indeed, be wonderful entertainment for angels... or it could mean that her work was for the benefit of the 'angels' at the bottom of the social ladder for whom she fought daily against those who would hold them down... this included her work as a suffregette. However it is meant, this film captures much of the real-life drama that took place on big city streets, and of the very personal trials which eventually led her to convert to roman Catholicism, and a dedication to helping the poor.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 522
Genere: Biography, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: political, independent film, sincere, uplifting, serious, captivating, realistic, crying, historical drama
Similar in 87%
Sally Hemings: An American Scandal (2000)
Plot Summary:
Epic television miniseries exploring the complicated relationship of Thomas Jefferson and slave Sally Hemings, who conducted a 38 year love affair, spanning an ocean, ultimately producing children, grandchildren, and lots of controversy.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 548
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 251 min
Plot tags: sincere, serious, realistic, costume drama, historical drama, bleak, contemplative, epic, period drama
Similar in 88%
Bill: On His Own (1983)
Plot Summary:
Bill Sackter struggles to cope after his best friend and guardian, Barry Morrow and his wife Beverly move away. Bill moves into a group home run by Mae Driscoll who teaches him how to read. Bill soon discovers his religious heritage, overcoming the fire that accidentally destroyed his small canteen business, and then travels to California to search for the Morrows.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 342
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: touching, emotional, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 86%
King (1978)
Plot Summary:
A 1978 TV miniseries about the career of Martin Luther King Jr. from his days as a Baptist minister in Atlanta in the early '50s until his assassination in 1968.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 431
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 271 min
Plot tags: sincere, thought provoking, serious, captivating, realistic, disturbing
Similar in 90%
Looking for Alaska (2019)
Plot Summary:
A new arrival at a boarding school falls in love with a beguiling female student.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 426 min
Plot tags: touching, suspenseful, sweet, sentimental, romantic, surprise ending, unusual plot structure, serious, suspense, melancholic
Similar in 77%
Two for the Seesaw (1962)
Plot Summary:
Jerry Ryan wanders aimlessly around New York after giving up his Nebrascan law practice. His wife asks for a divorce. He meets Gittel, a struggling dancer from Greenwich Village and they try to sort out their lives. An extended conversation piece with a static camera, but reflects the moral climate of the time.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 119 min
Plot tags: black and white, independent film, sentimental, touching, humorous, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 89%
Eat Pray Love (2010)
Plot Summary:
Liz Gilbert had everything a modern woman is supposed to dream of having – a husband, a house and a successful career – yet like so many others, she found herself lost, confused and searching for what she really wanted in life. Newly divorced and at a crossroads, Gilbert steps out of her comfort zone, risking everything to change her life, embarking on a journey around the world that becomes a quest for self-discovery. In her travels, she discovers the true pleasure of nourishment by eating in Italy, the power of prayer in India and, finally and unexpectedly, the inner peace and balance of true love in Bali.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 104000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 133 min
Plot tags: inspirational, romantic, touching, road movie, sentimental, scenic, emotional, sweet, motivational, realistic
Similar in 84%
The Least Among You (2009)
Plot Summary:
Black college graduate Richard Kelly reluctantly accepts a plea bargain requiring him to spend two semesters at an all-white seminary after he's wrongly accused of crimes committed during the 1965 Watts riots. Facing bigotry on all sides, he's close to cracking until he meets an elderly custodian who helps him navigate the trials of racism.
IMDB Rating: 4.5
IMDB Votes: 176
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: uplifting, touching, captivating, emotional, thought provoking, serious, realistic, contemplative, independent film, period piece
Similar in 87%
George Wallace (1997)
Plot Summary:
George Wallace is a 1997 television film starring Gary Sinise as George Wallace, the former Governor of Alabama. It was directed by John Frankenheimer, who won an Emmy award for it; Sinise and Mare Winningham also won Emmies for their performances. The film was based on the 1996 biography Wallace : The Classic Portrait of Alabama Governor George Wallace by Marshall Frady, who also co-wrote the teleplay. Frankenheimer's film was highly praised by critics: in addition to the Emmy awards, it received the Golden Globe for Best Miniseries/Motion Picture made for TV. Angelina Jolie also received a Golden Globe for her performance as Wallace's second wife, Cornelia.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 178 min
Plot tags: political, non fiction, tense, sincere, thought provoking, serious, captivating, realistic, contemplative
Similar in 90%
The Other Side of the Mountain: Part II (1978)
Plot Summary:
The Other Side of the Mountain Part 2 is a 1978 film directed by Larry Peerce. It stars Marilyn Hassett and Timothy Bottoms. It is a sequel to The Other Side of the Mountain.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 385
Genere: Biography, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: sentimental, sincere, touching, serious, emotional, realistic
Similar in 87%
The Whole Wide World (1996)
Plot Summary:
Based on her acclaimed autobiographical book, THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD tells the story of Novalyne Price, an attractive feisty West Texas schoolteacher and her bittersweet, romantic and turbulent relationship with Robert E. Howard, the great pulp fiction writer of the 1930's.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, emotional, period piece, cult classic, sincere, serious, realistic, contemplative, crying
Similar in 81%
84 Charing Cross Road (1987)
Plot Summary:
When a humorous script-reader in her New York apartment sees an ad in the Saturday Review of Literature for a bookstore in London that does mail order, she begins a very special correspondence and friendship with Frank Doel, the bookseller who works at Marks & Co., 84 Charing Cross Road.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Romance
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: romantic, sweet, touching, sincere, inspirational, offbeat, intellectual, feel good, sentimental, serious