Movies like For the Boys (1991)
The best movies like For the Boys (1991) are Biloxi Blues (1988), Duets (2000) and Bye Bye Birdie (1995). If For the Boys hooked you with its drama and music, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedGood Morning, Vietnam (1987)7.3/10 from 3,151 votes
- NewestDanny Collins (2015)Released 2015
Biloxi Blues (1988)
A Jewish teenager sets three goals: lose his virginity, become a writer, and survive World War II.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDuets (2000)
Duets is a road-trip comedy which revolves around the little known world of karaoke and the whimsical characters who inhabit it. All roads lead to Omaha, site of a national karaoke competition where this motley group of singers and stars come together for a blow-out sing-off.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisBye Bye Birdie (1995)
In 1995, ABC presented a telemovie version of the Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie produced by RHI Entertainment. It starred Seinfeld's Jason Alexander and Vanessa Williams of Desperate Housewives. While this version remained mostly faithful to the original musical (Michael Stewart remains the only credited author of this version), several songs were added and re-arranged, and dialogue was slightly rewritten to smoothly facilitate the musical changes. The musical revolves around an Elvis Presley-type rocker who's about to join the Army. To mark the occasion, his manager's secretary arranges for him to kiss a random fan goodbye on The Ed Sullivan Show. Bye Bye Birdie earned four Tony awards in 1961, including Best Musical and Best Actor in a Musical for its original star, Dick Van Dyke. In addition to Alexander and Williams, ABC's production starred Tyne Daly, George Wendt, Chynna Phillips and Mark Kudisch.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & drama
Privates on Parade (1983)
It is 1947, the year of the communist rebellion in Malaya and the British army's SADUSEA (Song And Dance Unit South East Asia) are called to the Malayan Jungle to entertain the troops. The eccentric, bible-bashing Major Giles Flack (John Cleese) is in command of the unit. Flack is accompanied by an ageing, theatrical drama queen, Terri Dennis (Denis Quilley) who hopes to entertain the troops with his flamboyant impressions, but the bored troops find other ways to enjoy themselves.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & drama
The Music Man (2003)
Traveling con artist Harold Hill targets the naïve residents of a small town in 1910s Iowa by posing as a boys' bandleader to raise money before he can skip town.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & drama
The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989)
The lives of two struggling musicians, who happen to be brothers, inevitably change when they team up with a beautiful, up-and-coming singer.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLove Me Tender (1956)
After the Civil War, Confederate soldiers Clint and Vance Reno steal a Union payroll, leading to conflict when the younger marries the woman his older brother loves.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both music & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEvery Time We Say Goodbye (1986)
A Protestant World War II pilot and a Jewish girl fall in love in Jerusalem, even though their diverse backgrounds threaten to pull them apart.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both war & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSunday in the Park with George (1986)
The days leading up to the completion of his most famous painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, Georges Seurat is struggling to make meaningful art and maintaining a relationship with his lover, Dot. Amid the scorn of the artistic community, Seurat's artistic ability thrives while his love diminishes. A century later, Seurat's descendant – named George and also an artist – finds himself burnt out and in search of what artistic path to follow, but he finds the answer to his future in the past.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both music & comedy
Gypsy (1994)
Gypsy's mother Rose dreams of a life in show business for her daughters, but Louise becomes a huge burlesque star. Stage musical loosely based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & drama
Gardens of Stone (1987)
At Arlington National Cemetery during the Vietnam era, veteran sergeant Clell Hazard trains young soldiers while mourning those lost in combat. Unable to return to war himself, he mentors Jackie Willow—the idealistic son of a fallen comrade—hoping to prepare him for the realities of Vietnam and the cost of duty.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both war & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Idolmaker (1980)
Based on the life of rock promoter/producer Bob Marucci, who discovered, among others, Frankie Avalon and Fabian.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both drama & music
Yentl (1983)
In a time when girls were forbidden to study religious scriptures, a Jewish girl masquerades as a boy to enter religious training and unexpectedly finds love along the way.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both music & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCamp (2003)
Misfits in their lives back home, a group of young people live it up at musical-theater camp. While the sports counselor is completely ignored, the kids' spend all their time in rehearsal for a grueling schedule that involves a new show every two weeks. Several personal stories come to the fore.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & music
SnoozefestMovies like thisRadio Days (1987)
The Narrator tells us how the radio influenced his childhood in the days before TV. In the New York City of the late 1930s to the New Year's Eve 1944, this coming-of-age tale mixes the narrator's experiences with contemporary anecdotes and urban legends of the radio stars.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCabaret (1993)
Inside the Kit Kat Club in 1931 Berlin, starry-eyed singer Sally Bowles and the lewd Emcee sound the clarion call to decadence, while outside, the Nazi party grows into a brutal force. (Filmed live during the 1993 revival, Sam Mendes' directorial debut takes place at the Donmar Warehouse in London's West End.)
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both music
Bye Bye Birdie (1963)
A singer goes to a small town for a performance before he is drafted.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & music
SnoozefestMovies like thisWords and Music (1948)
Encomium to Larry Hart (1895-1943), seen through the fictive eyes of his song-writing partner, Richard Rodgers (1902-1979): from their first meeting, through lean years and their breakthrough, to their successes on Broadway, London, and Hollywood. We see the fruits of Hart and Rodgers' collaboration - elaborately staged numbers from their plays, characters' visits to night clubs, and impromptu performances at parties. We also see Larry's scattered approach to life, his failed love with Peggy McNeil, his unhappiness, and Richard's successful wooing of Dorothy Feiner.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both drama & music
A Song Is Born (1948)
The story of seven scholars in search of an expert to teach them about swing music. They seem to have found the perfect candidate in winsome nightclub singer Honey Swanson. But Honey's gangster boyfriend doesn't want to give her up.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMy Gal Sal (1942)
Biopic chronicling the early life of gay nineties-era songwriter Paul Dresser as he outgrows his job as carnival entertainer and moves up into New York society, writing one hit song after another. Despite his egotistical behavior, he manages to woo and win Sally Elliott, one of the more popular songstresses of the day
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & music
Stormy Weather (1943)
The relationship between an aspiring dancer and a popular songstress provides a retrospective of the great African-American entertainers of the early 1900s.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMusic for Millions (1944)
Six-year-old "Mike" goes to live with her pregnant older sister, Babs, who plays string bass in José Iturbi's orchestra. And the orchestra is rapidly turning completely female, what with the draft. As the orchestra travels around the country, Babs' fellow orchestra members intercept and hide her War Office telegram to protect the baby.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & drama
Blaze (1989)
A middle-aged Louisiana governor falls in love with a young stripper, which jeopardizes his political career and the radical policies which have made him a controversial figure.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSwing Kids (1993)
The story of a close-knit group of young kids in Nazi Germany who listen to banned swing music from the US. Soon dancing and fun leads to more difficult choices as the Nazis begin tightening the grip on Germany. Each member of the group is forced to face some tough choices about right, wrong, and survival.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both music & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGood Morning, Vietnam (1987)
A disk jockey goes to Vietnam to work for the Armed Forces Radio Service. While he becomes popular among the troops, his superiors disapprove of his humor.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSwing Shift (1984)
In 1941 America, Kay and her husband are happy enough until he enlists after Pearl Harbor. Against his wishes, she takes a job at the local aircraft plant where she meets Hazel, the singer from across the way. The two soon become firm friends and with the other girls become increasingly expert workers. As the war drags on, Kay finally dates her trumpet-playing foreman and life gets more complicated.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both drama & war
SnoozefestMovies like thisGrace 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 comedy & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisKrush Groove (1985)
Russell Walker is a young, successful manager of rap performers, handling acts for the Krush Groove label, including Run-DMC and The Fat Boys. When Run-D.M.C. has a hit record and Russell needs more money to press more copies, he borrows it from a street hustler and soon regrets his decision.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSchool Dance (2014)
High schooler Jason has found his dream girl—the gorgeous Anastacia. There’s just one problem: she doesn’t know he exists. If he can win a spot on the school’s hottest dance crew, Jason might have a shot. But before he does, he’ll have to overcome his battle-ax of a mother, survive Anastacia’s gangsta brother, and pass the crew’s initiation—in this fresh, sexy, and outrageously funny comedy.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDanny Collins (2015)
An ageing hard-living 1970s rock star decides to change his life when he discovers a 40-year-old undelivered letter written to him by John Lennon.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like For the Boys?
The closest matches to For the Boys are Biloxi Blues (1988), Duets (2000) and Bye Bye Birdie (1995). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after For the Boys?
People who watched For the Boys most often go on to Biloxi Blues (1988), Duets (2000) and Bye Bye Birdie (1995).
What is the highest-rated movie like For the Boys?
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), rated 7.3/10 by 3,151 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like For the Boys?
Danny Collins (2015) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like For the Boys?
Yes: Biloxi Blues (1988), Duets (2000) and Bye Bye Birdie (1995).
How are movies similar to For the Boys chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside For the Boys, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.