Movies like Beginner's Luck (1994)
The best movies like Beginner's Luck (1994) are Secretariat (2010), Ride Like a Girl (2019) and Fast & Furious (2009). If Beginner's Luck hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedThe Art of Racing in the Rain (2019)8.1/10 from 1,763 votes
- NewestBallad of a Small Player (2025)Released 2025
Secretariat (2010)
Housewife and mother Penny Chenery agrees to take over her ailing father's Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge. Against all odds, Chenery - with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin - manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRide Like a Girl (2019)
The story of Michelle Payne, the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisFast & Furious (2009)
When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto reignites his feud with agent Brian O'Conner. But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmaneuver him. And the two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what's possible behind the wheel.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
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
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisJungleland (2020)
Stanley manages his boxer brother Lion but when a devastating loss in the ring leaves the pair in debt, an opportunity to recoup the cash leads to a series of misadventures that threaten to break the bond between them.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLittle Miss Marker (1980)
Sorrowful Jones is a cheap bookie in the 1930s. When a gambler leaves his daughter as a marker for a bet, he gets stuck with her. His life changes a great deal with her arrival and he finds sudden love for a woman also involved in gambling operations.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFactotum (2005)
This drama centers on Hank Chinaski, the fictional alter-ego of "Factotum" author Charles Bukowski, who wanders around Los Angeles, CA trying to live off jobs which don't interfere with his primary interest, which is writing. Along the way, he fends off the distractions offered by women, drinking and gambling.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRush (2013)
In the 1970s, a rivalry propels race car drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt to fame and glory — until a horrible accident threatens to end it all.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLogan Lucky (2017)
Trying to reverse a family curse, brothers Jimmy and Clyde Logan set out to execute an elaborate robbery during the legendary Coca-Cola 600 race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDays of Thunder (1990)
Talented but unproven stock car driver Cole Trickle gets a break and with the guidance of veteran Harry Hogge turns heads on the track. The young hotshot develops a rivalry with a fellow racer that threatens his career when the two smash their cars. But with the help of his doctor, Cole just might overcome his injuries-- and his fear.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Love Bug (1968)
Down-on-his-luck race car driver Jim Douglas teams up with a little VW Bug that has a mind of its own, not realizing Herbie's worth until a sneaky rival plots to steal him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHardball (2001)
An aimless young man who is scalping tickets, gambling and drinking, agrees to coach a Little League team from the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago as a condition of getting a loan from a friend.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLet It Ride (1989)
An average kind of guy who has a slight problem with gambling goes to the track, and mystically, it seems as though he can't lose, no matter how he bets; and he has an incredible day.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAll's Well, End's Well '97 (1997)
Old Mr. Lo has three sons and the youngest one Lo Kung is his favorite. However, Kung does nothing but fool around all day long. Old Mr. Lo is very annoyed about this. The relationship between father and son is thus affected. So on Kung's birthday, his two brothers decide to play a joke on him. They trick him into believing he has won the lottery. Kung is so happy that he spends a tremendous amount of money. When he realizes he is in huge debt, he pretends to go insane and the whole family believes him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBallad of a Small Player (2025)
Amid the glittering casinos of Macau, a gambler running from his past—and his debts—becomes fascinated by an enigmatic woman at the baccarat table.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisChampion (1949)
An unscrupulous boxer fights his way to the top, but eventually alienates all of the people who helped him on the way up.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDreamer: Inspired By a True Story (2005)
Ben Crane believes that a severely injured racehorse deserves another chance. He and his daughter Cale adopt the mare and save it from being sacrificed by the owner.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Art of Racing in the Rain (2019)
A family dog – with a near-human soul and a philosopher's mind – evaluates his life through the lessons learned by his human owner, a race-car driver.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisHerbie Fully Loaded (2005)
Maggie Peyton, the new owner of Number 53 - the free-wheelin' Volkswagen bug with a mind of its own - puts the car through its paces on the road to becoming a NASCAR competitor.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisSeabiscuit (2003)
True story of the undersized Depression-era racehorse whose victories lifted not only the spirits of the team behind it but also those of their nation.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Beginner's Luck?
The closest matches to Beginner's Luck are Secretariat (2010), Ride Like a Girl (2019) and Fast & Furious (2009). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Beginner's Luck?
Start with Secretariat (2010), the closest match to Beginner's Luck.
What is the highest-rated movie like Beginner's Luck?
The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019), rated 8.1/10 by 1,763 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Beginner's Luck?
Ballad of a Small Player (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
How are movies similar to Beginner's Luck chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Beginner's Luck, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.