Movies like I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978)
The best movies like I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978) are Josie and the Pussycats (2001), Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979) and A Hard Day's Night (1964). If I Wanna Hold Your Hand hooked you with its comedy and music, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedA Hard Day's Night (1964)7.3/10 from 778 votes
- NewestLeucosélidophilie (2026)Released 2026
Josie and the Pussycats (2001)
Josie, Melody and Val are three small-town girl musicians determined to take their rock band out of their garage and straight to the top, while remaining true to their look, style and sound. They get a record deal which brings fame and fortune but soon realize they are pawns of two people who want to control the youth of America. They must clear their names, even if it means losing fame and fortune.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRock 'n' Roll High School (1979)
A group of rock-music-loving students, with the help of the Ramones, take over their school to combat its newly installed oppressive administration.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Hard Day's Night (1964)
Capturing John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr in their electrifying element, 'A Hard Day's Night' is a wildly irreverent journey through this pastiche of a day in the life of The Beatles during 1964. The band have to use all their guile and wit to avoid the pursuing fans and press to reach their scheduled television performance, in spite of Paul's troublemaking grandfather and Ringo's arrest.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisWayne's World 2 (1993)
A message from Jim Morrison in a dream prompts cable access TV stars Wayne and Garth to put on a rock concert, "Waynestock," with Aerosmith as headliners. But amid the preparations, Wayne frets that a record producer is putting the moves on his girlfriend, Cassandra, while Garth handles the advances of mega-babe Honey Hornée.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisStuck in the Suburbs (2004)
Brittany Aarons is one of the many girls who has a crush on popular singer and boy-toy Jordan Cahill. However, she is bored of living a suburban existence and seeks a little something more.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Rocker (2008)
In the 1980s, a drummer is abandoned by his band just before they become rock superstars. Twenty years later, the drummer sees his second chance at stardom arise when he is asked to perform with his teenage nephew's high school rock band.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Rutles: All You Need Is Cash (1978)
The story of the rise and fall of the Pre-Fab Four.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisStill Crazy (1998)
In the 1970s, Strange Fruit were it. They lived the rock lifestyle to the max, groupies, drugs, internal tension and an ex front man dead from an overdose. Even their demise was glamorous; when lightning struck the stage during an outdoor festival. Twenty years on, these former rock gods they have now sunk deep into obscurity when the idea of a reunion tour is lodged in the head of Tony, former keyboard player of the Fruits. Tony sets out to find his former bandmates with the help of former manager Karen to see if they can recapture the magic and give themselves a second chance.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Day at the Races (1937)
Doctor Hugo Hackenbush, Tony, and Stuffy try and save Judy's sanitarium by winning a big race with a finicky horse owned by Judy's boyfriend Gil. There are a few problems. Hackenbush, who was recently put in charge of the sanitarium, isn't really a doctor, he's a veterinarian.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMy Little Pony: Equestria Girls - Legend of Everfree (2016)
When Canterlot Highschool goes on a trip to Camp Everfree, they’re surprised to find a magical force is causing strange things to happen around camp. With the help of the Mane 6 and especially Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle must confront the dark “Midnight Sparkle” within herself and embrace her newfound magical abilities to save the camp.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAirheads (1994)
The Lone Rangers have heavy-metal dreams and a single demo tape they can't get anyone to play. The solution: Hijack an FM rock radio station and hold the deejays hostage until they agree to broadcast the band's tape.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNew York Minute (2004)
Honors student Jane Ryan heads to Manhattan for a college-scholarship competition. Her rebellious twin Roxy tags along to crash a video shoot. But anything can happen – and does – in a romp involving a pursuing truant officer, a smuggler, hunkalicious guys, and the girls' realization that when the chips are down, a sister can be the best friend of all.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisChris Rock: Kill the Messenger (2008)
An HBO special edited from three performances from Chris Rock's 2008 comedy tour: London (dark suit, dark shirt), Johannesburg (black suit, white shirt) and New York (shiny jacket). Topics include the ongoing presidential campaign, the possibility of a black president, George W. Bush, gas prices, low-paid jobs, ringtones and bottled water, sex, relationships and the correct use of the n-word
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisGrease Live (2016)
After enjoying a holiday romance, high school students Danny and Sandy are unexpectedly reunited when she transfers to Rydell High, where she must contend with cynical Rizzo and the Pink Ladies.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSleepover (2004)
Desperate to improve their social status, four best friends enter into an all-night scavenger hunt against the popular clique in their school.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe First Wives Club (1996)
After years of helping their hubbies climb the ladder of success, three mid-life Manhattanites have been dumped for a newer, curvier model. But the trio is determined to turn their pain into gain. They come up with a cleverly devious plan to hit their exes where it really hurts - in the wallet!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBarbie: Big City, Big Dreams (2021)
Barbie meets another Barbie Roberts, forming a close friendship, nicknaming each other Malibu and Brooklyn when they both attend the Handlers, Performing Art School in NYC, over the summer, competing for a spot at the spotlight solo.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHairspray (1988)
'Pleasantly plump' teenager Tracy Turnblad achieves her dream of becoming a regular on the Corny Collins Dance Show. Now a teen hero, she starts using her fame to speak out for the causes she believes in, most of all integration. In doing so, she earns the wrath of the show's former star, Amber Von Tussle, as well as Amber's manipulative, pro-segregation parents. The rivalry comes to a head as Amber and Tracy vie for the title of Miss Auto Show 1963.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBroadway Danny Rose (1984)
A hapless talent manager named Danny Rose, by helping a client, gets dragged into a love triangle involving the mob. His story is told in flashback, an anecdote shared amongst a group of comedians over lunch at New York's Carnegie Deli. Rose's one-man talent agency represents countless incompetent entertainers, including a one-legged tap dancer, and one slightly talented one: washed-up lounge singer Lou Canova, whose career is on the rebound.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAccepted (2006)
A high school slacker who's rejected by every school he applies to opts to create his own institution of higher learning, the South Harmon Institute of Technology, on a rundown piece of property near his hometown.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRockers (2003)
Guitarist Ko-chan is a mess of sexual repression after a childhood at the mercy of two elder sisters eager to use him as a guinea pig for their make-up skills. Bassist Gaku-chan keeps a bucket in the wings for whenever his nerves get the better of him, and drummer Momo-chan is doomed to forever carrying the botched childhood attempts at self-tattooing. It's not until this foursome is forced to look for an additional guitar player after Jin's dad burns his Stratocaster, that attitude and musical ability enter into the equation. Leather-clad, shade-wearing Tani (Tamaki), inseparable from his black Les Paul, is introduced as the king of R'n'R cool and Jinnai keeps him firmly seated on his throne throughout the film, retroactively proclaiming the guitarist, rather than himself, as the band's true hero.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy & music
Don's Party (1976)
On the night of the 1969 federal election, Don Henderson invites a group of friends to celebrate a predicted Labor Party victory, much to the dismay of his wife, Kath. The Hendersons and their nine guests drink, joke, make love, and fight, all while coming to terms with their individual struggles in life.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
The Pretenders - Live in London (2010)
With Millions of albums sold and their place in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame solidified, the Pretenders are a special band with a special place in history. Pretenders: Live in London captures their many electrifying performances from their 2009 world tour. I was asked for the set list... here it is: Boots of Chinese Plastic; Don't cut your hair; Talk of the Town; Message of Love; Kid; The Nothing Maker; Don't lose your faith in me; Back on the Chain Gang; Love's A Mystery; Rosalee; I Go To Sleep; Don't Get Me wrong; Tequila; Stop Your Sobbing; Day After Day; Cuban Slide; Break up the Concrete; Thumbelina; Middle of the Road; The Wait; Tattooed Love Boys; Precious; I'll Stand By You; Brass In Pocket
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
In My Life (2009)
A headstrong woman moves to New York and must come to terms with her estranged gay son and his partner.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Off Beat (1986)
Joe Gower's job is skating through library shelves, fetching books. A police officer/friend of his is chosen to participate in a charity dance performance. Gower agrees to take his place in the show by posing as a police officer. He falls for a female officer in the show and gets into various scrapes with fellow cops and also crooks. And he dances.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Styx and the Contemporary Youth Orchestra of Cleveland - One with Everything (2009)
On May 25, 2006, the band took the stage in Cleveland for a new venture accompanied by the 115-piece Contemporary Youth Orchestra and a 60-member chorus. With a set list that combined Styx classics, new songs, and cover versions, this was a truly unique event. In 2006, Styx upped the ante on their already-epic stage presence by joining forces with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra of Cleveland. Backed by the 115-piece symphony and a 60-member choir, the rock band played incredible renditions of their hits, including "Renegade" and "Too Much Time on My Hands."
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Murder Over New York (1940)
When Charlie's old friend from Scotland Yard is murdered when they attend a police convention in New York, Chan picks up the case he was working on.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (1952)
The entertainment duo Mitchell & Petrillo, en route to a USO show for troops in Guam, fall out of their plane and end up on the jungle island of Cola Cola, where the mad scientist Dr. Zabor is conducting evolutionary experiments.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Judy (2019)
Thirty years after starring in 'The Wizard of Oz', beloved actress and singer Judy Garland arrives in London to perform sold-out shows at the Talk of the Town nightclub. While there, she reminisces with friends and fans and begins a whirlwind romance with musician Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like I Wanna Hold Your Hand?
The closest matches to I Wanna Hold Your Hand are Josie and the Pussycats (2001), Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979) and A Hard Day's Night (1964). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after I Wanna Hold Your Hand?
Start with Josie and the Pussycats (2001), the closest match to I Wanna Hold Your Hand.
What is the highest-rated movie like I Wanna Hold Your Hand?
A Hard Day's Night (1964), rated 7.3/10 by 778 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like I Wanna Hold Your Hand?
Leucosélidophilie (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like I Wanna Hold Your Hand?
Yes: Josie and the Pussycats (2001), Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979) and A Hard Day's Night (1964).
How are movies similar to I Wanna Hold Your Hand chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside I Wanna Hold Your Hand, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.