Movies like Mo' Better Blues (1990)
The best movies like Mo' Better Blues (1990) are Taurus (2022), Battle of the Year (2013) and Coda (2020). If Mo' Better Blues 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 ratedCrossroads (1986)7.4/10 from 503 votes
- NewestRedwood Diaries (2026)Released 2026
Taurus (2022)
A rising but troubled musician searches for the inspiration to record one last song, pushing himself deep into the void.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & music
SnoozefestMovies like thisBattle of the Year (2013)
A down-on-his-luck coach is hired to prepare a team of the best American dancers for an international tournament that attracts all the best crews from around the world, but the Americans haven't won in fifteen years.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCoda (2020)
A famous pianist at the twilight of his career meets a free-spirited music critic who soon becomes his rock as his mental state deteriorates.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA (2017)
A young alcoholic ambient musician locks himself in his apartment on a dangerous seven day bender as he attempts to finish his upcoming album.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisClika (2026)
Aspiring small-town musician Chito is determined to make it big. When a clip of him performing one of his songs goes viral, he seizes the opportunity and pushes to carve out a place for himself in the new wave of Mexican-American music... and ultimately gets caught in a game more dangerous than anticipated.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & drama
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisA Late Quartet (2012)
When the beloved cellist of a world-renowned string quartet is diagnosed with a life threatening illness, the group's future suddenly hangs in the balance as suppressed emotions, competing egos and uncontrollable passions threaten to derail years of friendship and collaboration. As they are about to play their 25th anniversary concert — quite possibly their last — only their intimate bond and the power of music can preserve their legacy.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Mambo Kings (1992)
The Mambo Kings tells the story of César and Nestor Castillo, brothers and aspiring musicians who flee from Cuba to America in search of the American Dream.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHoney: Rise Up and Dance (2018)
Street dancer Skyler comes out of the shadow of her trained dancer sister, Tosha, & joins a dance competition with the Honey dance studio; the prize is a college scholarship.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisTo 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 drama & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLike Sunday, Like Rain (2014)
A struggling musician becomes a 12-year-old musical prodigy's guardian for a summer.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBeats (2019)
An agoraphobic hip-hop prodigy and a disgraced former music manager cross paths in Chicago’s South Side and help each other face demons of their pasts.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBorn to Be Blue (2015)
Jazz legend Chet Baker finds love and redemption when he stars in a movie about his own troubled life to mount a comeback.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAll Eyez on Me (2017)
All Eyez on Me chronicles the life and legacy of Tupac Shakur, including his rise to superstardom as a hip-hop artist, actor, poet and activist, as well as his imprisonment and prolific, controversial time at Death Row Records. Against insurmountable odds, Tupac rose to become a cultural icon whose career and persona both continue to grow long after his passing.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWild Style (1982)
Legendary New York graffiti artist Lee Quinones plays the part of Zoro, the city's hottest and most elusive graffiti writer. The actual story of the movie concerns the tension between Zoro's passion for his art and his personal life, particularly his strained relationship with fellow artist Rose.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Five Heartbeats (1991)
In the early 1960s, a quintet of hopeful, young African-American men form an amateur vocal group called The Five Heartbeats. After an initially rocky start, the group improves, turns pro, and rises to become a top flight music sensation. Along the way, however, the guys learn many hard lessons about the reality of the music industry.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisStomp the Yard (2007)
After the death of his younger brother, a troubled 19-year-old street dancer from Los Angeles is able to bypass juvenile hall by enrolling in the historically black, Truth University in Atlanta, Georgia. But his efforts to get an education and woo the girl he likes are sidelined when he is courted by the top two campus fraternities, both of which want and need his fierce street-style dance moves to win the highly coveted national step show competition.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCrossroads (1986)
A wanna-be blues guitar virtuoso seeks a long-lost song by legendary musician, Robert Johnson.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRogue Agent (2022)
Conman Robert Freegard poses as an undercover MI5 agent and kidnaps countless victims amidst a high-stakes manhunt, until the woman who fell for him brings him to justice.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies 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 thisThe Good Neighbor (2022)
A nightmarish evening unfolds for neighbors David and Robert when they accidentally hit a woman on her bike and flee the scene. While David is increasingly plagued by feelings of guilt, Robert shows no remorse and becomes overbearing and possessive.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisStateside (2004)
The film follows a rebellious teenager on leave from the Marines who falls in love with a female musician. The relationship is threatened when she develops a mental illness...
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama & music
Philadelphia by the Delaware (2025)
In wake of the Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost trade, a fan comes to terms with their new reality during a journey to the sea.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Redwood Diaries (2026)
When strange entries begin appearing in her diary written in handwriting that isn't hers, new student Evie Quinn is pulled into a chilling mystery as the messages reveal secrets, predict impossible events, and point toward a truth someone has desperately tried to bury.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Giulia Doesn't Date at Night (2009)
Guido, an acclaimed writer, leads a seemingly perfect life with his wife and daughter, but his restless search for inspiration leads him into the arms of Giulia, a charming and mysterious swim instructor who's hiding a secret.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAachar & Co - The journey (2024)
Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy’s six-minute short pitch to Dr. Puneeth Rajkumar & Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar, which blossomed into an acclaimed feature film ‘Aachar & Co.’, a delightful blend of nostalgia, humor & drama.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Youth (2015)
Two lifelong friends bond whilst vacationing in a luxury Swiss Alps lodge as they ponder retirement. While Fred has no plans to resume his musical career despite the urging of his loving daughter Lena, Mick is intent on finishing the screenplay for what may be his last important film for his muse Brenda. And where will inspiration lead their younger friend Jimmy, an actor grasping to make sense of his next performance?
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAngelic Kitty Miracle-chan (2025)
Alex's obsession with their favorite anime character Angelic Kitty Miracle-chan offers them a chance to experiment with their sense of identity, but things don’t go exactly as planned.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Hard Paint (2019)
Pedro earns a living in chat rooms. He transforms himself into NeonBoy in front of the webcam. Slowly, this young man dips his fingers into pots of coloured paint and glides them across his naked body. But things change when Pedro notices that somebody is imitating his performances. He agrees to go on a date with his mysterious rival. This rendezvous will have far-reaching consequences.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
Nothing is as it seems when a woman experiencing misgivings about her new boyfriend joins him on a road trip to meet his parents at their remote farm.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisTELL ME I'M DREAMING (2025)
A pregnant young couple gets into a car accident and state law prevents them from receiving the correct medical care.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Mo' Better Blues?
The closest matches to Mo' Better Blues are Taurus (2022), Battle of the Year (2013) and Coda (2020). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Mo' Better Blues?
Start with Taurus (2022), the closest match to Mo' Better Blues.
What is the highest-rated movie like Mo' Better Blues?
Crossroads (1986), rated 7.4/10 by 503 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Mo' Better Blues?
Redwood Diaries (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Mo' Better Blues?
Yes: Taurus (2022), Battle of the Year (2013) and Coda (2020).
How are movies similar to Mo' Better Blues chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Mo' Better Blues, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.