Movies like Drowning Lessons (2001)
The best movies like Drowning Lessons (2001) are Good Neighbor Sam (1964), Welcome to the Dollhouse (1996) and 27 Dresses (2008). If Drowning Lessons hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedThe Man in the Moon (1991)7.4/10 from 400 votes
- NewestAnemone (2025)Released 2025
Good Neighbor Sam (1964)
To help his divorced neighbor claim a substantial inheritance, a family man poses as her husband. The ruse spills over into his career in advertising, and his recent promotion relies on his wholesome and moral appearance.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWelcome to the Dollhouse (1996)
An unattractive 7th grader struggles to cope with suburban life as the middle child with inattentive parents and bullies at school.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like this27 Dresses (2008)
Altruistic Jane finds herself facing her worst nightmare as her younger sister announces her engagement to the man Jane secretly adores.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMargot at the Wedding (2007)
Margot Zeller is a short story writer with a sharp wit and an even sharper tongue. On the eve of her estranged sister Pauline's wedding to unemployed musician/artist/depressive Malcolm at the family seaside home, Margot shows up unexpectedly to rekindle the sisterly bond and offer her own brand of support. What ensues is a nakedly honest and subversively funny look at family dynamics.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisWish Upon a Star (1996)
A younger sister wishes to switch places with her popular older sister and the two bickering siblings awaken to find the wish has come true.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisKeeping Up with the Joneses (2016)
An ordinary suburban couple finds it’s not easy keeping up with the Joneses – their impossibly gorgeous and ultra-sophisticated new neighbors – especially when they discover that Mr. and Mrs. “Jones” are covert operatives.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Good Neighbor (2022)
A nightmarish evening unfolds for neighbors David and Robert when they accidentally hit a woman on her bike and flee the scene. While David is increasingly plagued by feelings of guilt, Robert shows no remorse and becomes overbearing and possessive.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAnemone (2025)
Middle-aged Jem sets out from his suburban home on a journey into the woods, where he reconnects with his estranged hermit brother Ray. Bonded by a mysterious, complicated past, the men share a fraught, if occasionally tender relationship—one that was forever altered by shattering events decades earlier.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisSweetie (1989)
The buttoned-down, superstitious Kay is attempting to lead a normal existence with her new boyfriend Louis. That’s until Sweetie, her rampaging, devil-may-care sister, returns home after an absence, exposing the rotten roots of their family and placing a strain on Kay and Louis’ relationship.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSisters (2015)
Two disconnected sisters are summoned to clean out their childhood bedrooms before their parents sell their family home.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDrive Me Crazy (1999)
Nicole and Chase live next door to each other but are worlds apart. However, they plot a scheme to date each other in order to attract the interest and jealousy of their respective romantic prey. But in the mist of planning a gala centennial celebration, Nicole and Chase find that the one they always wanted was closer than they ever thought.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Chipmunk Adventure (1987)
The Chipmunks and the Chipettes go head to head in a hot air balloon race, and the winner gets $100,000. Unbeknownst to the participants, the "race" is actually a diamond smuggling ring!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Man in the Moon (1991)
Maureen Trant and her younger sibling Dani share a strong connection, but local boy Court Foster threatens to throw their bond off balance. Dani and Court meet first and have a flirtatious rapport -- but when he meets Maureen, he falls hard and they begin a passionate affair. The new couple try to keep their love hidden from Dani, but she soon learns the truth, disavowing her sister. But a heartbreaking accident later reunites the girls.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCruel Intentions (1999)
Slaking a thirst for dangerous games, Kathryn challenges her stepbrother, Sebastian, to deflower their headmaster's daughter before the summer ends. If he succeeds, the prize is the chance to bed Kathryn. But if he loses, Kathryn will claim his most prized possession.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Seven Year Itch (1955)
When his family goes away for summer vacation, a hitherto faithful publishing executive with an overactive imagination is tempted by an attractive new neighbor.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSabrina (1995)
After her return from school in Paris, a playboy finally takes notice of his family's chauffeur's daughter Sabrina, who's long had a crush on him, but he questions his more serious brother's motives when he warns against getting involved with her.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Cement Garden (1993)
After the death of her husband, the mother of Julie, Jack, Sue and Tom begins to suffer from a mysterious illness. Aware that she is going to have to go into hospital she opens a bank account for the children, so that they can be financially self-sufficient and will be able to avoid being taken into care by the authorities. Unfortunately she also dies and Julie and Jack (the older, teenage children) decide to hide her body in the basement so that they can have free reign of their household. Soon Tom has taken to dressing as a girl whilst Sue has become increasingly reticent, confiding only to her diary, meanwhile Jack and Julie sense an attraction developing for each other. However Julie's new beau, Derek, threatens to unearth the many dark secrets within this family as he becomes increasingly suspicious of Jack.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRamona and Beezus (2010)
Ramona is a little girl with a very big imagination and a nose for mischief. Her playful antics keep everyone in her loving family on their toes, including her older sister Beezus, who's just trying to survive her first year of high school. Through all the ups and downs of childhood, Ramona and Beezus learn that anything's possible when you believe in yourself and rely on each other.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisStuart Little (1999)
When the Littles adopt Stuart, the mouse, George is initially unwelcoming to his new brother, and the family cat, Snowbell, is even less enthusiastic. Stuart resolves to face these difficulties with as much pluck and courage as he can muster.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOur Idiot Brother (2011)
Everybody has one—the sibling who is always just a little bit behind the curve when it comes to getting his life together. For sisters Liz, Miranda and Natalie, that person is their perennially upbeat brother, Ned. But as each of their lives begins to unravel, Ned's family comes to realise that Ned isn't such an idiot after all.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Drowning Lessons?
The closest matches to Drowning Lessons are Good Neighbor Sam (1964), Welcome to the Dollhouse (1996) and 27 Dresses (2008). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Drowning Lessons?
Start with Good Neighbor Sam (1964), the closest match to Drowning Lessons.
What is the highest-rated movie like Drowning Lessons?
The Man in the Moon (1991), rated 7.4/10 by 400 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Drowning Lessons?
Anemone (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Drowning Lessons?
Yes: Good Neighbor Sam (1964), Welcome to the Dollhouse (1996) and 27 Dresses (2008).
How are movies similar to Drowning Lessons chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Drowning Lessons, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.