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Movies like Naanga (2012)

The best movies like Naanga (2012) are Eleanor the Great (2025), Matt and Mara (2024) and Each Dawn I Die (1939). If Naanga hooked you with its drama, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. Eleanor the Great (2025)

    94-year-old Eleanor Morgenstein tries to rebuild her life after the death of her best friend. As a result, she moves back to New York City after living in Florida for decades.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

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  2. Matt and Mara (2024)

    Mara is a young creative writing professor struggling with problems in her marriage to an experimental musician. One day, she runs into Matt, a charismatic, free-spirited author from her past, when he wanders onto her university campus. Bonded by their shared interests, the two gradually become closer. When Mara’s husband unexpectedly cancels plans to drive her to an out-of-town conference, Matt accompanies Mara on the trip instead. Along the way, the tension surrounding their undefined relationship slowly grows.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

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  3. Each Dawn I Die (1939)

    A corrupt D.A. with governatorial ambitions is annoyed by an investigative reporter's criticism of his criminal activities and decides to frame the reporter for manslaughter in order to silence him.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

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  4. Here (2024)

    An odyssey through time and memory, centered on a place in New Jersey where—from wilderness, and then, later, from a home—love, loss, struggle, hope and legacy play out between couples and families over generations.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

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  5. Hide Your Smiling Faces (2014)

    Tommy and his older brother Eric live in the midst of vast remote forests. The death of their friend pushes them close to the edge. Eric doesn’t know how to channel his energy. All at once, nature’s vastness feels stifling.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

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  6. Won't Back Down (2012)

    Jamie Fitzpatrick and Nona Alberts are two women from opposites sides of the social and economic track, but they have one thing in common: a mission to fix their community's broken school and ensure a bright future for their children. The two women refuse to let any obstacles stand in their way as they battle a bureaucracy that's hopelessly mired in traditional thinking, and they seek to re-energize a faculty that has lost its passion for teaching.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

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  7. Julia (1977)

    At the behest of an old and dear friend, playwright Lillian Hellman undertakes a dangerous mission to smuggle funds into Nazi Germany.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

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  8. Kavan (2017)

    A budding journalist passionate about ethical, noble, hard-hitting journalism understands the more flourishing ghetto of sensationalism & news fabrication that the Entertainment TV Channel he belongs to, thrives on. When caught in a dilemma of whether to hold for a while or rise in protest, a situation forces him to make a decision that puts him out of work but… there begins his work.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  9. Kodi (2016)

    A young politician finds himself in a position where he has to contest against his girlfriend, who is ambitious. Circumstances force his look-alike twin to also get involved in this political battle.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

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  10. Blue Chips (1994)

    Pete Bell, a college basketball coach is under a lot of pressure. His team isn't winning and he cannot attract new players. The stars of the future are secretly being paid by boosters. This practice is forbidden in the college game, but Pete is desperate and has pressures from all around.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

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  11. Padayappa (1999)

    Padayappa, a mechanical engineer whose father gives up his property to his foster brother, and then dies of shock soon after. Neelambari initially loves Padayappa, but plans to humiliate him after his family humiliates her father. The rest of the plot deals with Padayappa overcoming all the obstacles placed by Neelambari.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  12. Head Full of Honey (2018)

    A young girl tries to help her grandfather, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, navigate his increasing forgetfulness, and ends up going on a remarkable adventure with him.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

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  13. Hungry Hearts (2015)

    The relationship of a couple who meet by chance in New York City is put to the test when they encounter a life or death circumstance.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

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  14. Brighton Rock (1948)

    Centring on the activities of a gang of assorted criminals and, in particular, their leader – a vicious young hoodlum known as "Pinkie" – the film's main thematic concern is the criminal underbelly evident in inter-war Brighton.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

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  15. The Keys of the Kingdom (1944)

    A young priest, Father Chisholm is sent to China to establish a Catholic parish among the non-Christian Chinese. While his boyhood friend, also a priest, flourishes in his calling as a priest in a more Christian area of the world, Father Chisholm struggles. He encounters hostility, isolation, disease, poverty and a variety of set backs which humble him, but make him more determined than ever to succeed.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  16. Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004)

    The story of golf icon and legend, Bobby Jones, who retired from competition at the tender age of 28.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

  17. The Verdict (1982)

    Frank Galvin is a down-on-his-luck lawyer and reduced to drinking and ambulance chasing, when a former associate reminds him of his obligations in a medical malpractice suit by serving it to Galvin on a silver platter—all parties are willing to settle out of court. Blundering his way through the preliminaries, Galvin suddenly realizes that the case should actually go to court—to punish the guilty, to get a decent settlement for his clients... and to restore his standing as a lawyer.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  18. The Public Enemy (1931)

    Two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers and Matt Doyle, rise up from their poverty-stricken slum life to become petty thieves, bootleggers and cold-blooded killers. But with street notoriety and newfound wealth, the duo feels the heat from the cops and rival gangsters both. Despite his ruthless criminal reputation, Tom tries to remain connected to his family, however, gang warfare and the need for revenge eventually pull him away.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  19. Kid Galahad (1962)

    After completing military service, Walter Gulick takes a job as a sparring partner at a gym, the owner of which sees potential in Walter as a professional fighter—and takes him under his wing.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  20. The Man from Colorado (1948)

    Two friends return home after their discharge from the army after the Civil War. However, one of them has had deep-rooted psychological damage due to his experiences during the war, and as his behavior becomes more erratic--and violent--his friend desperately tries to find a way to help him.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  21. Notes on a Scandal (2006)

    A veteran high school teacher befriends a younger art teacher, who is having an affair with one of her 15-year-old students. However, her intentions with this new "friend" also go well beyond platonic friendship.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  22. Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

    Jesse Aarons trained all summer to become the fastest runner in school. So he's very upset when newcomer Leslie Burke outruns him and everyone else. Despite this and other differences including that she's rich, he's poor, she's a city girl, and he's a country boy the two become fast friends. Together they create Terabithia, a land of monsters, trolls, ogres, and giants where they rule as king and queen.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  23. Four Minutes (2006)

    Jenny is young. Her life is over. She killed someone. And she would do it again. When an 80-year-old piano teacher discovers the girl’s secret, her brutality and her dreams, she decides to transform her pupil into the musical wunderkind she once was.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama

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  24. Rocky II (1979)

    After Rocky goes the distance with champ Apollo Creed, both try to put the fight behind them and move on. Rocky settles down with Adrian but can't put his life together outside the ring, while Creed seeks a rematch to restore his reputation. Soon enough, the "Master of Disaster" and the "Italian Stallion" are set on a collision course for a climactic battle that is brutal and unforgettable.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  25. Rocky IV (1985)

    Rocky Balboa holds the world heavyweight championship, but a new challenger has stepped forward: Drago, a six-foot-four, 261-pound fighter who has the backing of the Soviet Union. This time, Rocky's training regimen takes him to Siberia, where he prepares for a globally televised match in the heart of Moscow. But nothing can truly prepare him for what he's about to face – a fight to the finish, in which he must defend not only himself, but also the honor of his country!

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  26. Rocky V (1990)

    A lifetime of taking shots has ended Rocky’s career, and a crooked accountant has left him broke. Inspired by the memory of his trainer, however, Rocky finds glory in training and takes on an up-and-coming boxer.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama

  27. Lights in the Dusk (2006)

    Outcast by his co-workers and living alone, Koistinen is a security guard who works the night shift in a luxury shopping mall in Helsinki. But when icy blonde Mirja approaches him, the lonely Koistinen falls helplessly for her, unaware she is manipulating him for her criminal boyfriend.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama

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  28. Robot Dreams (2023)

    A lonely dog's friendship with his robot companion takes a sad turn when an unexpected malfunction forces him to abandon Robot at the beach. Will Dog ever meet Robot again?

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  29. One Last Shot (2026)

    June and her friends give everything they've got to complete a movie for her college application project.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama

  30. The Elephant Man (1980)

    A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man being mistreated by his "owner" as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of great intelligence and sensitivity.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this

Like Naanga and something else?

Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like Naanga?

The closest matches to Naanga are Eleanor the Great (2025), Matt and Mara (2024) and Each Dawn I Die (1939). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after Naanga?

Start with Eleanor the Great (2025), the closest match to Naanga.

What is the highest-rated movie like Naanga?

Robot Dreams (2023), rated 8.0/10 by 884 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like Naanga?

One Last Shot (2026) is the most recent release on this list.

Are there Tamil movies like Naanga?

Yes: Kavan (2017), Kodi (2016) and Padayappa (1999).

How are movies similar to Naanga chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Naanga, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.

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