Movies like The Descendant (2007)
The best movies like The Descendant (2007) are Hurry Sundown (1967), Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004) and The Last Bus (2021). If The Descendant hooked you with its drama, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
The Descendant
Quick picks
- Highest ratedA Call to Spy (2020)6.8/10 from 219 votes
- NewestA Body of Water Runs Through Us (2025)Released 2025
Hurry Sundown (1967)
A ruthless Southern opportunist tries to buy his cousin's land, and when thwarted, brings several tragedies to the lives of his loved ones.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBobby 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
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Last Bus (2021)
Widower Tom, on the recent passing of his wife Mary, uses his free bus pass to travel the length of Britain from John O'Groats in Caithness to Land's End in Cornwall, their shared birthplace, using only local buses. It's an incident-fuelled nostalgia trip and his encounters with local people make him a media phenomenon. Tom is totally unaware and to his surprise on arrival at Land’s End he’s greeted as a celebrity.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHome Run (2013)
A pro ball player with a substance abuse problem is forced into rehab in his hometown, finding new hope when he gets honest about his checkered past, and takes on coaching duties for a misfit Little League team
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCome Sunday (2018)
Evangelist Carlton Pearson is ostracized by his church for preaching that there is no Hell.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisA Call to Spy (2020)
The story of Vera Atkins, a crafty spy recruiter, and two of the first women she selects for Churchill's "secret army": Virginia Hall, a daring American undaunted by a disability and Noor Inayat Khan, a pacifist. These civilian women form an unlikely sisterhood while entangled in dangerous missions to turn the tide of the war.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Truth About Emanuel (2013)
A troubled young woman becomes obsessed with her mysterious new neighbor, who bears a striking resemblance to the girl's dead mother.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Ritual Killer (2023)
Unable to process the death of his daughter, Detective Boyd embarks on a hunt for a serial killer who murders according to a brutal tribal ritual: Muti. The only person who can help Boyd is Professor Mackles, an anthropologist who hides an unspeakable secret. The line between sanity and madness thins as Boyd goes deeper into the killer’s world.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisHounddog (2008)
A drama set in the American South, where a precocious, troubled girl finds a safe haven in the music and movement of Elvis Presley.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFlash of Genius (2008)
In this David vs. Goliath drama based on a true story, college professor Robert Kearns goes up against the giants of the auto industry when they fail to give him credit for inventing intermittent windshield wipers. Kearns doggedly pursues recognition for his invention, as well as the much-deserved financial rewards for the sake of his wife and six kids.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisViolent Saturday (1955)
Three men case a small town very carefully, with plans to rob the bank on the upcoming Saturday, which turns violent and deadly.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLove Finds You In Sugarcreek (2014)
Will a mysterious stranger's past wreak havoc on a quiet Amish community after they've opened their doors -- and hearts -- to him and his son?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFast Girls (2012)
A street smart runner develops an intense rivalry with an equally ambitious wealthy young athlete.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSkin (2009)
Based on the true story of a black girl who was born to two white Afrikaner parents in South Africa during the apartheid era.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBlue 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
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWon'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
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHands of Stone (2016)
The legendary Roberto Duran and his equally legendary trainer Ray Arcel change each other's lives.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRadium Girls (2020)
Young women toiling in a factory are exposed to hazardous material which takes a disastrous toll on their health.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMary (2024)
A miraculous conception. A merciless king. A murderous pursuit. Mary's journey to give birth to Jesus unfolds in this biblical coming-of-age epic.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Girl in the Book (2015)
The story of a young writer's transformation when her past invades her present.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Story of Us (1999)
After 15 years of marriage, Katie and her husband, Ben, have grown apart. While they keep up the facade of having a contented marriage, mostly to not worry their children, they aren't happy together and argue frequently. While the kids are away at camp, Katie and Ben decide to separate and try to reassess their relationship to see if they should stay together or split up for good.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBorn Free: A New Adventure (1996)
Another thrilling adventure for Elsa the lioness as she works her magic on two teenagers struggling with changes in their life.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Odyssey of the Soul (TBA)
Marina, a trans woman and singer in São Paulo's nightlife, reunites with her father, who has Alzheimer's, after years of estrangement. In an attempt to reconcile, she takes him to significant places from her past, hoping to revive his memories and rebuild their lost bond.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Charlie & Boots (2009)
After a family tragedy, Charlie and his estranged son, Boots, try to put their differences aside and head off on the road trip of a lifetime - from regional Victoria to the Cape York Peninsula - they overcome many challenges to reach their dream - to fish off the northernmost tip of Australia.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Body of Water Runs Through Us (2025)
Seeking to reconnect with her brother Daniel, Ama organizes a trip to some local pools. However, as the waters stir, so do their emotions, forcing them to confront the family and personal tensions that have been brewing since she ran away from home.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
House of Dark Shadows (1970)
Barnabas Collins searches for a cure for vampirism in order to marry a woman resembling his long-lost fiancée Josette.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNight of Dark Shadows (1971)
Recently married, Quentin and Tracy Collins have just moved into Collinwood, a New England estate that has long been in the Collins family and which Quentin has just inherited. They soon find themselves plagued by spirits of past residents.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCimarron (1931)
When the government opens up the Oklahoma territory for settlement, restless Yancey Cravat claims a plot of the free land for himself and moves his family there from Wichita. A newspaperman, lawyer, and just about everything else, Cravat soon becomes a leading citizen of the boom town of Osage. Once the town is established, however, he begins to feel confined once again, and heads for the Cherokee Strip, leaving his family behind. During this and other absences, his wife Sabra must learn to take care of herself and soon becomes prominent in her own right.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisRainpour (2024)
Aiyra left her small hometown to work in the big city. Conceição, her mother, left many years ago, but she returned.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Like The Descendant and something else?
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like The Descendant?
The closest matches to The Descendant are Hurry Sundown (1967), Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004) and The Last Bus (2021). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after The Descendant?
Start with Hurry Sundown (1967), the closest match to The Descendant.
What is the highest-rated movie like The Descendant?
A Call to Spy (2020), rated 6.8/10 by 219 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like The Descendant?
A Body of Water Runs Through Us (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like The Descendant?
Yes: Hurry Sundown (1967), Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004) and The Last Bus (2021).
How are movies similar to The Descendant chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Descendant, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.