Movies like So You Want to Play the Piano (1956)
The best movies like So You Want to Play the Piano (1956) are The Music Box (1932), Much Ado About Nothing (2013) and Thunderstruck (2012). If So You Want to Play the Piano hooked you with its comedy, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
So You Want to Play the Piano
Quick picks
- Highest ratedThe Music Box (1932)7.5/10 from 233 votes
- NewestThe Special Offer (2025)Released 2025
The Music Box (1932)
The Laurel & Hardy Moving Co. have a challenging job on their hands (and backs): hauling a player piano up a monumental flight of stairs to Prof. von Schwarzenhoffen's house. Their task is complicated by a sassy nursemaid and, unbeknownst to them, the impatient Prof. von Schwarzenhoffen himself. But the biggest problem is the force of gravity, which repeatedly pulls the piano back down to the bottom of the stairs.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMuch Ado About Nothing (2013)
A modern retelling of Shakespeare's classic comedy about two pairs of lovers with different takes on romance and a way with words.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThunderstruck (2012)
After NBA star Kevin Durant switches talent with 16 year old Brian, the teenager becomes the star of his high school team, but Durant starts struggling and eventually learns an important lesson.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Mouse That Roared (1959)
The Duchy of Grand Fenwick decides that the only way to get out of their economic woes is to declare war on the United States, lose and accept foreign aid. They send an invasion force (in chain mail, armed with bows and arrows) to New York and they arrive during a nuclear drill that has cleared the streets.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisKeeping Up with the Joneses (2016)
An ordinary suburban couple finds it’s not easy keeping up with the Joneses – their impossibly gorgeous and ultra-sophisticated new neighbors – especially when they discover that Mr. and Mrs. “Jones” are covert operatives.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Audition (2015)
Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio must compete for the lead role in Martin Scorsese's next film.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGood Neighbor Sam (1964)
To help his divorced neighbor claim a substantial inheritance, a family man poses as her husband. The ruse spills over into his career in advertising, and his recent promotion relies on his wholesome and moral appearance.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDuplex (2003)
When a young couple buys their dream home, they have no idea what the sweet little old lady upstairs is going to put them through!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA 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: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisUnaccustomed as We Are (1929)
Laurel and Hardy try to entertain a female neighbor, unbeknown to Hardy’s wife.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSeriously Single (2020)
While her free-living bestie urges her to embrace singlehood, a commitment-craving social media expert can't stop following the life of a former love.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisManhattan Murder Mystery (1993)
A middle-aged couple suspects foul play when their neighbor's wife suddenly drops dead.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisShadow of the Thin Man (1941)
While attending a major horse race with their young son, Nick Jr., Nick and Nora Charles witnesse a shocking murder from the crowded grandstand. What first appears to be an isolated killing soon leads to a maze of corruption, blackmail, gambling scandals, and criminal intrigue. As Nick investigates, he encounters suspicious bookmakers, dishonest officials, rival gangsters, and a mysterious killer determined to stay ahead of the law. Nora, as always, is never far from the action, bringing her quick wit and fearless curiosity to the case.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSong of the Thin Man (1947)
While attending a glamorous jazz cruise on New York’s East River, Nick and Nora Charles witness the fatal shooting of a wealthy patron. When suspicion falls on a young bandleader and his musicians, the couple steps in to clear their friends and uncover the real killer. Their investigation leads through a lively world of jazz clubs, radio personalities, high society, and backstage rivalries, where almost everyone has a secret and the next clue may be hidden in the music.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAdventures in Public School (2018)
A socially-awkward, home-schooled kid forces his way into public school against his suffocating, but loving, mother's wishes.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFun with Dick and Jane (1977)
When an upwardly mobile couple find themselves unemployed and in debt, they turn to armed robbery in desperation.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Vagabond (1916)
A tramp tries to earn money by playing the violin, but he’s soon facing off against the jealous competition.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisTaking Care of Business (1990)
An uptight advertising exec has his entire life in a filofax organizer which mistakenly ends up in the hands of a friendly convict who poses as him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Thin Man Goes Home (1944)
Hoping for a peaceful visit with his parents in the small town of Sycamore Springs, Nick Charles and his wife Nora soon find themselves surrounded by old rivalries, family tensions, and a mysterious murder. Nick’s father, a respected retired doctor, would much rather see his son give up detective work, but a suspicious shooting quickly draws Nick back into action. As Nick and Nora investigate, they uncover jealousy, deception, hidden motives, and a dangerous secret involving the town’s prominent citizens.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSneakerella (2022)
When El, an aspiring sneaker designer from Queens, meets Kira King, the fiercely independent daughter of legendary basketball star and sneaker tycoon Darius King, sparks fly as the two bond over their mutual affinity for sneakers. With a little nudge from his best friend and a sprinkle of Fairy Godfather magic, El finds the courage to use his talent to pursue his dream of becoming a ‘legit’ sneaker designer in the industry.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
SnoozefestMovies like thisA Legal Marriage (1985)
At the beginning of the 1941 war, a young talented artist Igor and his theater were evacuated to Tashkent. Here he meets music teacher Olga, who is seriously ill with malaria. Igor understands that only treatment in the capital will save the girl. But they are allowed into Moscow only on special passes. And then Igor almost by force drags Olga to the registry office. Feeling responsible for the girl, Igor begins to patronize her more and more...
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
The Special Offer (2025)
Jelly, a young executive girl, is determined to prove to her father that she can support herself. She has to show her father within 6 months, or else she will have to go back to help him work in her hometown. She decides to take up piano teaching, which is where she meets her first student, Jay, a very annoying young man. Jelly has to find different teaching methods to get him to play the piano and prove herself.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Neither Seen Nor Recognized (1958)
In a small French village, everything would be quiet if the local wildlife cop was not being ridiculed by a smart poacher.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFor Elsie (2012)
Glenn is a disillusioned piano teacher, who once aspired to be a concert pianist. He is moving back to his parents house and is on the brink of giving up the piano for good when Kilov, a Russian gangster, offers him a unique opportunity: £10,000 if Glenn teaches his daughter Beethoven's "Fur Elise"... in a day.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
While traveling home from Vegas, an amorous lounge singer named Dino gets conned by a local mechanic/songwriter into staying in town for the night. The mechanic's songwriting partner, Orville, offers Dino his home for overnight lodging and enlists a local waitress/call girl to pose as his wife in order to placate Dino's urges.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Music Man (1962)
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: Similar story and style · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLe Pion (1978)
Humiliated and down on his luck, a superintendent turns his life around when he decides to write a book.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
On a Magical Night (2019)
After 20 years of marriage, Maria decides to leave her husband. She moves into room 212 at the hotel across the street, with a bird’s-eye view of her apartment, her husband and the life she shared with him. While she wonders if she made the right decision, many of the people in her life offer their opinions on the matter. They intend to let her know, whether she likes it or not, on what proves to be a life-changing evening.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDiscord (2024)
At a young girl's first lesson with a new piano teacher tensions rise to an unexpected climax.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
School Teacher in the House (1978)
Luisa De Dominicus is a Milanese piano teacher who moves to Lucca to be with the man she loves: Ferdinando 'Bonci' Marinotti, a city councilman campaigning for mayor on a platform of moral values. She is of the belief that Fernando is single, living with his ailing mother. This, of course, is far from the case. The boys living in her apartment building mistakenly believe Luisa is a call-girl who uses piano teaching as a cover for her true profession, and word soon spreads among the building's dirty old men. The resourceful boys drill a well-concealed hole in the wall between Signorina Luisa's flat and the bedroom of the landlord's son, Marcello Busatti, allowing them a spectacular view of their spectacular neighbor. Marcello quickly becomes infatuated with Luisa, but is also conflicted regarding her supposed profession. Eventually Luisa learns of Fernando's philandering nature, and after a vigorous misunderstanding, satisfies Marcello's unrequited lust/love.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like So You Want to Play the Piano?
The closest matches to So You Want to Play the Piano are The Music Box (1932), Much Ado About Nothing (2013) and Thunderstruck (2012). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after So You Want to Play the Piano?
Start with The Music Box (1932), the closest match to So You Want to Play the Piano.
What is the highest-rated movie like So You Want to Play the Piano?
The Music Box (1932), rated 7.5/10 by 233 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like So You Want to Play the Piano?
The Special Offer (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like So You Want to Play the Piano?
Yes: The Music Box (1932), Much Ado About Nothing (2013) and Thunderstruck (2012).
How are movies similar to So You Want to Play the Piano chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside So You Want to Play the Piano, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.