Movies like Dreaming of Fish (2006)
The best movies like Dreaming of Fish (2006) are Gabriela (1983), Nate and Hayes (1983) and Avanti! (1972). If Dreaming of Fish hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedLuca (2021)7.8/10 from 9,231 votes
- NewestMy Best Friend (2026)Released 2026
Gabriela (1983)
In 1925, Gabriela, a poor, uneducated, yet charming woman becomes cook, mistress, and then wife of Nacib, a bar owner in Ilhéus, a small Brazilian coastal town run by the local colonels.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisNate and Hayes (1983)
Nathaniel Williamsen is taken to an island mission with his fiancee Sophie. Their ship, the Rona, is captained by the roguish Bully Hayes, who also takes a liking to Sophie. When Sophie is kidnapped by slave trader Ben Pease "Nate" teams with Hayes in order to find her.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAvanti! (1972)
A successful businessman travels to Italy to arrange for the return of his tycoon father's body, only to learn that dear old dad died with his longtime mistress.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMy Best Friend (2026)
When empty nest syndrome hits, two BFFs follow their teen daughters to Portugal and find love, fun and a whole new meaning of friendship along the way.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLoveling (2018)
On the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, Irene has only a few days to overcome her anxiety and renew her strength before sending her eldest son out into the world.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Island (2023)
When his brother is killed, LAPD officer Mark leaves the city to return to the island he grew up on. Seeking answers and ultimately vengeance, he soon finds himself in a bloody battle with the corrupt tycoon who's taken over the island paradise.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMalibu Rescue: The Next Wave (2020)
It’s summer again, and everyone’s favorite Junior Rescuers, The Flounders, are back at Tower 2. With the International Junior Rescue Championships headed to Southern California, the eyes of the entire planet are on Malibu Beach. But when Team USA falls victim to a bout of food poisoning, it’s up to Tyler, Dylan, Eric, Lizzie and Gina to represent their country in the world's most extreme lifeguard challenge!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Given Word (1962)
Zé is a very poor man whose most prized possession is his donkey. When his donkey falls terminally ill, Zé makes a promise to Saint Bárbara: If his donkey recovers, he will carry a cross - like Jesus - all the way from his city to Saint Bárbara's church, in the state capital. Upon the recovery of his donkey, Zé leaves on his journey. He makes it to the church, but the priest refuses to accept the cross once he discovers the context of Zé's promise.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisThird Star (2010)
James and his three closest lifelong friends go on an ill-advised trip to the stunning coastal area of Barafundle Bay in West Wales. What follows is a touching and comical adventure dealing with friendship, heroism and love.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDown in the Valley (2005)
On a trip to the beach, a teenage girl named Tobe meets a charismatic stranger named Harlan, who dresses like a cowboy and claims to be a former ranch hand. The pair feel an instant attraction and begin a relationship, but her father, a lawman, is suspicious of her lover.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisChasing Mavericks (2012)
Surfer Jay Moriarity sets out to ride the Northern California break known as Mavericks.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLuca (2021)
Luca and his best friend Alberto experience an unforgettable summer on the Italian Riviera. But all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water’s surface.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Young One (1960)
A jazz musician seeks refuge from a lynch mob on a remote island, where he meets a hostile game warden and the young object of his attentions.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCaptains Courageous (1937)
Harvey, the arrogant and spoiled son of an indulgent absentee-father, falls overboard from a transatlantic steamship and is rescued by a fishing vessel on the Grand Banks. Harvey fails to persuade them to take him ashore, nor convince the crew of his wealth. The captain offers him a low-paid job, until they return to port, as part of the crew that turns him into a mature, considerate young man.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCinema, Aspirins and Vultures (2005)
1942, in the middle of Northeastern Brazil, two very different men meet along the road: Johan, an aspirin salesman avoiding the German draft, and Ranulpho, a rural Brazilian seeking escape from the drought.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Middle of the World (2003)
Romão, illiterate and unemployed, feels destiny drawing him on an odyssey to Rio de Janeiro in pursuit of a job and a decent life. A family of seven journeys 2,000 miles across the hinterlands of Brazil on bicycles. Along the way, the story explores the inner dynamics of a family facing a great challenge with the courage to pursue dreams.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSergio (2020)
A sweeping drama set in the chaotic aftermath of the US invasion of Iraq, where the life of top UN diplomat Brazilian Sérgio Vieira de Mello hangs in the balance during the most treacherous mission of his career.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEscobar: Paradise Lost (2014)
For Pablo Escobar family is everything. When young surfer Nick falls for Escobar's niece, Maria, he finds his life on the line when he's pulled into the dangerous world of the family business.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAdopt a Highway (2019)
Russ Millings has just been released from prison after serving 21 years for a 3rd strike conviction for possessing an ounce of marijuana. As he tries to adapt to a world he doesn’t recognize – including trying to learn how to use the internet – he finds an abandoned baby in a dumpster behind the fast food restaurant where he works as a dishwasher. Unsure of what to do, and caught between impulses of kindness and panic, Russ soon realizes this could be his chance at redemption.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRich in Love 2 (2023)
When the idealistic Paula resumes her work as a volunteer doctor in the Amazon, Teto convinces his partners to establish their tomato cooperative in a village in the region. But to win back Paula's heart and save the company from bankruptcy, Teto must definitely overcome his spoiled playboy habits and face the interests of a powerful farmer, who stands in his way.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Dreaming of Fish?
The closest matches to Dreaming of Fish are Gabriela (1983), Nate and Hayes (1983) and Avanti! (1972). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Dreaming of Fish?
Start with Gabriela (1983), the closest match to Dreaming of Fish.
What is the highest-rated movie like Dreaming of Fish?
Luca (2021), rated 7.8/10 by 9,231 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Dreaming of Fish?
My Best Friend (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
How are movies similar to Dreaming of Fish chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Dreaming of Fish, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.