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Movies like The Debbie Allen Special (1989)

The best movies like The Debbie Allen Special (1989) are Spin (2021), Adele One Night Only (2021) and Drumline: A New Beat (2014). If The Debbie Allen Special hooked you with its music and tv movie, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. Spin (2021)

    Rhea discovers her passion for creating DJ mixes that blend the rich textures of her South Asian culture and the world around her. Her life revolves around her eclectic group of friends, her after-school coding club, her family’s Indian restaurant and her tight-knit, multigenerational family. Everything changes when she falls for aspiring DJ Max, and her long-lost fervor for music is re-ignited. Rhea discovers that she has a natural gift for creating beats and producing music but must find the courage to follow her true inner talent.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  2. Adele One Night Only (2021)

    A primetime special with performances from the superstar including Adele’s first new material in six years plus her chart-topping hits. The special will also feature an exclusive interview with Adele by Oprah Winfrey from her rose garden, in Adele’s first televised wide-ranging conversation.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  3. Drumline: A New Beat (2014)

    A girl from New York attends a college in Atlanta to join their once-famous marching band.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  4. iParty with Victorious (2011)

    Carly discovers her boyfriend Steven Carson has been cheating on her with Tori Vega, so the gang flies out to Los Angeles where they meet Tori and the gang from Hollywood Arts. They attend a party hosted by Kenan Thompson where Carly and Tori realize Steven was dating them both and therefore cheating on them at the same time, so they plot payback on him.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  5. Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B (2014)

    The story of R&B singer and actress Aaliyah; namely, the highs and lows of her career, her romantic pursuits, and the events leading up to her death in 2001 at the age of 22.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  6. The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash (1978)

    The story of the rise and fall of the Pre-Fab Four.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  7. Holiday Harmony (2022)

    A likeable and talented underdog gets momentarily sidelined from chasing her musical dreams when her van breaks down in a welcoming small town just before Christmas.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  8. Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life (2018)

    Comedians and writers Steve Martin and Martin Short perform a live comedy set with music by The Steep Canyon Rangers and jazz pianist, Jeff Babko, at the Peace Center in Greenville, South Carolina.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  9. David Bowie: Five Years (2013)

    Featuring a wealth of previously unseen archive, this film looks at how Bowie continually evolved: from Ziggy Stardust to the Soul Star of Young Americans, to the ‘Thin White Duke’. It explores his regeneration in Berlin with the critically acclaimed album Heroes, his triumph with Scary Monsters and his global success with Let’s Dance. With interviews with all his closest collaborators, David Bowie - Five Years presents a unique account of why Bowie has become an ‘icon of our times’.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  10. Lovestruck: The Musical (2013)

    Harper was one of the best dancers to hit Broadway, but an injury caused her to leave the spotlight, become a choreographer, and raise her daughter Mirabella. When Mirabella decides to quit the show to get married, her mother is determined to put a stop to the wedding and show Mirabella that she cannot give up her career for love.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  11. John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch (2019)

    John Mulaney and his kid pals tackle existential topics for all ages with catchy songs, comedy sketches and special guests in a nostalgic variety special.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  12. The Little Mermaid Live! (2019)

    Live musical performances by a star-studded cast will be interwoven into the broadcast of the animated classic.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  13. Grace of My Heart (1996)

    Philadelphia teenager Edna Buxton wins a talent contest during the early rock 'n' roll era, changes her name to Denise Waverly and moves to New York City to make it big. Though she flops as a recording artist, fast-talking record producer Joel Millner recognizes her songwriting talent and teams her with struggling songsmith Howard Caszatt.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  14. David Blaine: Real or Magic (2013)

    David Blaine's signature brand of street magic mystifies the most recognisable celebrities in the world, such as Jamie Foxx, Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Ricky Gervais, Katy Perry, Woody Allen, and Robert DeNiro, to name a few. He goes to the homes of Kanye West and Harrison Ford, Will Smith and Olivia Wilde. He pays a visit to Stephen Hawking at his office in Cambridge University. Blaine also travels the world, astonishing people from all walks of life with never-before seen, inconceivable magic.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  15. Normal (2003)

    A Midwestern husband and father announces his plan to have a sex change operation.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  16. TalhotBlond (2012)

    Thomas Montgomery, a married father of two young daughters, gets seduced by the world of online gambling and chat rooms where a virtual romance and sexual obsession ultimately leads to the murder of an innocent man.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  17. Drake & Josh Go Hollywood (2006)

    When Drake and Josh accidentally send their little sister Megan on a plane to L.A., they soon find themselves in the middle of a dangerous situation.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  18. Sneakerella (2022)

    When El, an aspiring sneaker designer from Queens, meets Kira King, the fiercely independent daughter of legendary basketball star and sneaker tycoon Darius King, sparks fly as the two bond over their mutual affinity for sneakers. With a little nudge from his best friend and a sprinkle of Fairy Godfather magic, El finds the courage to use his talent to pursue his dream of becoming a ‘legit’ sneaker designer in the industry.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

  19. Comedy Central Roast of Bruce Willis (2018)

    Bruce Willis goes from "Die Hard" to dead on arrival as some of the biggest names in entertainment serve up punches of their own to Hollywood's go-to action star. And with Roast Master Joseph Gordon-Levitt at the helm, nobody is leaving the dais unscathed.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  20. The Neighbor in the Window (2020)

    A suburban wife finds herself and the security of her family threatened by another seemingly friendly neighborhood mom.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this

Like The Debbie Allen Special and something else?

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

Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like The Debbie Allen Special?

The closest matches to The Debbie Allen Special are Spin (2021), Adele One Night Only (2021) and Drumline: A New Beat (2014). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after The Debbie Allen Special?

Start with Spin (2021), the closest match to The Debbie Allen Special.

What is the highest-rated movie like The Debbie Allen Special?

Drake & Josh Go Hollywood (2006), rated 7.1/10 by 232 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like The Debbie Allen Special?

Holiday Harmony (2022) is the most recent release on this list.

Are there English movies like The Debbie Allen Special?

Yes: Spin (2021), Adele One Night Only (2021) and Drumline: A New Beat (2014).

How are movies similar to The Debbie Allen Special chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Debbie Allen Special, 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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