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Movies like The Heart in the Black (2026)

The best movies like The Heart in the Black (2026) are Mo' Better Blues (1990), Rudderless (2014) and Once (2007). If The Heart in the Black hooked you with its music, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. Mo' Better Blues (1990)

    Talented but self-centered trumpeter Bleek Gilliam is obsessed with his music and indecisiveness about his girlfriends Indigo and Clarke. But when he is forced to come to the aid of his manager and childhood friend, Bleek finds his world more fragile than he ever imagined.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  2. Rudderless (2014)

    A grieving father in a downward spiral stumbles across a box of his recently deceased son's demo tapes and lyrics. Shocked by the discovery of this unknown talent, he forms a band in the hope of finding some catharsis.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  3. Once (2007)

    A vacuum repairman moonlights as a street musician and hopes for his big break. One day a Czech immigrant, who earns a living selling flowers, approaches him with the news that she is also an aspiring singer-songwriter. The pair decide to collaborate, and the songs that they compose reflect the story of their blossoming love.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  4. Apple Music Live: Lady Gaga MAYHEM Requiem (2026)

    For Apple Music Live, Gaga presents MAYHEM Requiem, a celebration and musical reimagining of MAYHEM.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  5. Flora and Son (2023)

    Single mom Flora is at a loss about what to do with her rebellious teenage son, Max. Her efforts to keep him out of trouble lead to a beat-up acoustic guitar, a washed-up LA musician, and harmony for this frayed Dublin family.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  6. Back to Black (2024)

    The extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame from her early days in Camden through the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black that catapulted Winehouse to global fame. Told through Amy’s eyes and inspired by her deeply personal lyrics, the film explores and embraces the many layers of the iconic artist and the tumultuous love story at the center of one of the most legendary albums of all time.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  7. Good Vibrations (2012)

    The story of music legend Terri Hooley, a key figure in Belfast's punk rock scene. Hooley founded the Good Vibrations store from which a record label sprung, representing bands such as The Undertones, Rudi and The Outcasts.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  8. The Greatest Hits (2024)

    Harriet finds art imitating life when she discovers certain songs can transport her back in time – literally. While she relives the past through romantic memories of her former boyfriend, her time travelling collides with a burgeoning new love interest in the present. As she takes her journey through the hypnotic connection between music and memory, she wonders – even if she could change the past, should she?

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  9. The Commitments (1991)

    Jimmy Rabbitte, just a thick-ya out of school, gets a brilliant idea: to put a soul band together in Barrytown, his slum home in north Dublin. First he needs musicians and singers: things slowly start to click when he finds three fine-voiced females virtually in his back yard, a lead singer (Deco) at a wedding, and, responding to his ad, an aging trumpet player, Joey "The Lips" Fagan.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  10. Sing Street (2016)

    A boy growing up in Dublin during the 1980s escapes his strained family life by starting a band to impress the mysterious girl he likes.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  11. Don't Say Good Luck (2026)

    Sophie Birenbaum is ready for the spotlight as the lead in her high school musical—until she's suddenly facing more drama at home than on the stage.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  12. Crazy Heart (2009)

    When reporter Jean Craddock interviews Bad Blake—an alcoholic, seen-better-days country music legend—they connect, and the hard-living crooner sees a possible saving grace in a life with Jean and her young son.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  13. Keith Richards: Under the Influence (2015)

    A portrait of Keith Richards that takes us on a journey to discover the genesis of his sound as a songwriter, guitarist and performer.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  14. Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025)

    Bruce Springsteen, a young musician on the cusp of global superstardom, struggles to reconcile the pressures of success with the ghosts of his past.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  15. August Rush (2007)

    Evan, a musically gifted orphan, runs away from his orphanage and searches New York City for his birth parents. On his journey, he's taken under the wing of the Wizard, a homeless man who lives in an abandoned theater. After discovering his talent, the Wizard gives Evan the name "August Rush" and devises a plan to profit from his talent. Little does Evan know that his parents, Lyla and Louis, are searching for him too.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  16. Downfalls High (2021)

    When reserved and lonely teenager Fenix meets popular high school girl Scarlett, the two form a bond that shapes the rest of his life.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  17. One More Time with Feeling (2016)

    Andrew Dominik's One More Time With Feeling is a remarkable black and white documentary which chronicles the creation of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' album Skeleton Tree. Originally a performance based concept, the film evolved into something much more significant as Dominik delved into the tragic backdrop of the writing and recording of the album. The result is stark, fragile and raw, and a true testament to an artist trying to find his way through the darkness. It documents the writing, recording and performing of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ sixteenth studio album, Skeleton Tree.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  18. To Write Love on Her Arms (2015)

    The story follows 19-year-old Renee who has always loved fairy tales: the idea of a princess, a hero and a happily ever after. But Renee’s life is that of a darker tale: she’s a young woman battling addiction, depression and self-injury. In a creative blend of artistic fantasy balanced with harsh reality, the movie follows Renee on her courageous journey towards recovery.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  19. Riverdance: The Animated Adventure (2021)

    A young Irish boy named Keegan and Spanish girl named Moya journey into a magical world of the Megaloceros Giganteus who teach them to appreciate Riverdance as a celebration of life. Based on the stage show phenomenon of the same name and featuring Bill Whelan’s multi-platinum Grammy Award-winning music.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  20. Kurt Cobain: About a Son (2007)

    An intimate and moving meditation on the late musician and artist Kurt Cobain, based on more than 25 hours of previously unheard audiotaped interviews conducted with Cobain by noted music journalist Michael Azerrad for his book "Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana." In the film, Kurt Cobain recounts his own life - from his childhood and adolescence to his days of musical discovery and later dealings with explosive fame - and offers often piercing insights into his life, music, and times. The conversations heard in the film have never before been made public, and they reveal a highly personal portrait of an artist much discussed but not particularly well understood.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  21. Nine (2009)

    Arrogant, self-centered movie director Guido Contini finds himself struggling to find meaning, purpose, and a script for his latest film endeavor. With only a week left before shooting begins, he desperately searches for answers and inspiration from his wife, his mistress, his muse, and his mother.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music

  22. Waiting For Smith's Trilogy (2024)

    This short film by the artist 'Waiting for Smith' forms an audiovisual triptych in which the video clips of 'Nature's Mind', 'White Light of Love' and 'Let Light In' are told in a continuous story.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music

  23. Ray (2004)

    Born on a sharecropping plantation in Northern Florida, Ray Charles went blind at seven. Inspired by a fiercely independent mom who insisted he make his own way, He found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard. Touring across the Southern musical circuit, the soulful singer gained a reputation and then exploded with worldwide fame when he pioneered coupling gospel and country together.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  24. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

    In Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, gifted but volatile folk musician Llewyn Davis struggles with money, relationships, and his uncertain future.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  25. 25th Anniversary Studio Ghibli Concert (2008)

    Concert held on August 4, 5 and 6, 2008 at the Nippon Budōkan hall in Tokyo to commemorate both the Japanese theatrical release of Ponyo (2008) and the 25 years of musical collaboration between composer Joe Hisaishi and filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music

  26. i think about you all the time (2026)

    An unofficial music video for the song 'i think about you all the time' by Deftones. After a rough patch in an already strained relationship, Cian uses a surreal outlet in an attempt to remedy the connection with his partner.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music

  27. Demon (2004)

    Based on a painting by M. Vrubel, a poem by M. Lermontov and the play "Faust" by Goethe. This film is the first part of the trilogy 'Everlasting Variations'. The author attempts to expose the atmosphere of early 20th century Russian romanticism, which Vrubel's works so brilliantly illustrate.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music

  28. Paradise Is There: A Memoir by Natalie Merchant (2015)

    Natalie Merchant's entire musical life encapsulated in this very personal film, which digs deep into the music through live performances, archival footage, and interviews. The memoir-style film contains live performances, archival footage, and interviews with musicians, friends, and fans about the influence the songs of Tigerlily have had over the past 20 years.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music

  29. The Ultimate Tally Hall Documentary (2021)

    A complete historical documentation of one of the world's most unique bands, Tally Hall, & its members

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music

  30. Cascade (2022)

    After a close friends suicide; Will, a Punk and Post-Punk musician living in the US is struggling with doubts about his relationship, his identity and ultimately what he wants to do in life. Will becomes isolated, reliant on substances and is sent down a path of pain, suffering and existential terror.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music

Like The Heart in the Black and something else?

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

Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like The Heart in the Black?

The closest matches to The Heart in the Black are Mo' Better Blues (1990), Rudderless (2014) and Once (2007). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after The Heart in the Black?

Start with Mo' Better Blues (1990), the closest match to The Heart in the Black.

What is the highest-rated movie like The Heart in the Black?

Sing Street (2016), rated 7.9/10 by 2,551 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like The Heart in the Black?

Don't Say Good Luck (2026) is the most recent release on this list.

Are there English movies like The Heart in the Black?

Yes: Mo' Better Blues (1990), Rudderless (2014) and Once (2007).

How are movies similar to The Heart in the Black chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Heart in the Black, 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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