Movies like The Tiger of Santa Julia (2002)
The best movies like The Tiger of Santa Julia (2002) are Plunkett & Macleane (1999), El Infierno (2010) and Thick as Thieves (1999). If The Tiger of Santa Julia hooked you with its comedy and drama, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedEl Infierno (2010)8.0/10 from 840 votes
- NewestBorley Rectory: The Awakening (2026)Released 2026
- In SpanishEl Infierno (2010)Also in Spanish
Plunkett & Macleane (1999)
Will Plunkett and Captain James Macleane, two men from different ends of the social spectrum in 18th-century England, enter a gentlemen's agreement: They decide to rid the aristocrats of their belongings. With Plunkett's criminal know-how and Macleane's social connections, they team up to be soon known as "The Gentlemen Highwaymen". But when one day these gentlemen hold up Lord Chief Justice Gibson's coach, Macleane instantly falls in love with his beautiful and cunning niece, Lady Rebecca Gibson. Unfortunately, Thief Taker General Chance, who also is quite fond of Rebecca, is getting closer and closer to getting both.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEl Infierno (2010)
After being deported back to Mexico, a man has no choice but to join the vicious drug cartel that has corrupted his hometown in order to survive.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & comedy
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisThick as Thieves (1999)
Two master thieves go at odds with one another as one sets the other up for a crime. The first, a suave pro who does his job and then hides in his own privacy, listening to old jazz records and caring for his ailing dog, Wally. The other is a local gangster with a taste for the finer life, who decides to eliminate the competition. This ignites a war between the two men and their aides. An angry mob boss and a female police officer try to sort the mess before things get too out of hand.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMan on Fire (2004)
Jaded ex-CIA operative John Creasy reluctantly accepts a job as the bodyguard for a 10-year-old girl in Mexico City. They clash at first, but eventually bond, and when she's kidnapped he's consumed by fury and will stop at nothing to save her life.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Kid (2019)
New Mexico Territory, 1880. Rio Cutler and his older sister Sara must abandon their home after an unfortunate event happens. In their desperate flee to Santa Fe, they cross paths with the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid and his gang, who are ruthlessly pursued by a posse led by Sheriff Pat Garret.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisIn Too Deep (1999)
Drug lord Dwayne Gittens rules Cincinnati with an iron fist. No wonder he's known as "God" on the streets. Determined to break Gittens' stranglehold on the city is undercover cop Jeffrey Cole. But as Cole takes on an assumed identity to penetrate Gittens' criminal empire, he makes a disturbing discovery -- he kind of likes being a gangster.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisUnit 7 (2012)
Angel, a young intelligent and kind, aims to be a police inspector. Rafael instead is an expeditious, forceful and arrogant policeman. Meanwhile, Miguel and Mateo are part of Group 7, a group of rogue cops ready to do anything to achieve their goals.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRapid Fire (1992)
College student Jake Lo is pursued by smugglers, mobsters and crooked federal agents after he witnesses a murder by a Mafia kingpin.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEl padrino: The Latin Godfather (2004)
In the streets of East Los Angeles, Manny is a formidable drug dealer. Impressed by his extravagant lifestyle and prowess, his young son, Kilo, yearns to follow in his footsteps. Kilo resolves to learn how to prosper in the drug world, and his new life as a dealer begins. In a world where a man wants everything, he may end up with nothing.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAl Capone (1959)
In this unusually accurate biography, small-time hood Al Capone comes to Chicago at the dawn of Prohibition to be the bodyguard of racketeer Johnny Torrio. Capone's rise in Chicago gangdom is followed through murder, extortion, and political fraud. He becomes head of Chicago's biggest "business," but moves inexorably toward his downfall and ignominious end.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisStraight from the Barrio (2008)
A young drug dealer falls in love while facing disruption among the men in his gang, and being offered a career as a Reggaetón singer.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisDomino (2005)
The story of the life of Domino Harvey, who abandoned her career as a Ford model to become a bounty hunter.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisFast Charlie (2023)
When his aging mob boss is whacked, Charlie Swift, a loyal friend and hired gun, will stop at nothing to destroy the upcoming crew that took him out.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSpenser Confidential (2020)
Spenser, a former Boston patrolman who just got out from prison, teams up with Hawk, an aspiring fighter, to unravel the truth behind the death of two police officers.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNo Man's Land (1987)
A rookie cop goes undercover to infiltrate a gang of car thieves led by smooth and charming Ted. The rookie becomes too involved and starts to enjoy the thrill and lifestyle of the game, and becomes romanticly involved with the leaders sister.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisShowdown in Little Tokyo (1991)
An American with a Japanese upbringing, Chris Kenner is a police officer assigned to the Little Tokyo section of Los Angeles. Kenner is partnered with Johnny Murata, a Japanese-American who isn't in touch with his roots. Despite their differences, both men excel at martial arts, and utilize their formidable skills when they go up against Yoshida, a vicious yakuza drug dealer with ties to Kenner's past.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Newton Boys (1998)
The story of the Newton gang, the most successful bank robbers in history, owing to their good planning and minimal violence.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPlay Dirty (2025)
Expert thief Parker gets a shot at a major heist, but to pull it off he and his team must outsmart a South American dictator, the New York mob, and the world's richest man.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCHiPs (2017)
The adventures of two California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers as they make their rounds on the freeways of Los Angeles.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Pope of Greenwich Village (1984)
Charlie and his troublesome cousin Paulie decide to steal $150,000 in order to back a "sure thing" race horse that Paulie has inside information on. The aftermath of the robbery gets them into serious trouble with the local Mafia boss and the corrupt New York City police department.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & 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 drama & action
Ned Kelly (1970)
Unable to support his family in the Australian outback, a man turns to stealing horses in order to make money. He gets more deeply drawn into the outlaw life, and eventually becomes involved in murders. Based on the life of famed 19th-century Australian outlaw Ned Kelly.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama & action
Instant Family (2018)
When Pete and Ellie decide to start a family, they stumble into the world of foster care adoption. They hope to take in one small child but when they meet three siblings, including a rebellious 15 year old girl, they find themselves speeding from zero to three kids overnight.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSound of Freedom (2023)
The story of Tim Ballard, a former US government agent, who quits his job in order to devote his life to rescuing children from global sex traffickers.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & drama
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisBruce Lee: The Man, The Myth (1976)
A highly fictionalized biography of the famous Bruce Lee, this movie traces his college life, his marriage to Linda Lee, his relationship with his master, and his untimely death.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action
McVicar (1980)
John McVicar was a London Bad Boy. he graduated to armed bank robbery and was Britain's "Public Enemy No. 1". He was captured and put into a high security prison. Will even the highest security prison be able to hold him? This is the true story of his life, his criminal exploits and his eventual rehabilitation.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBorley Rectory: The Awakening (2026)
In 1900, young Reverend Henry Bull and his sister, Kitty, are tasked with taking over the duties of their family home in Essex, a majestic Victorian mansion built on the site of an old monastery. Unaware of the sinister forces that lurk within, the pair are soon confronted by terrifying paranormal activities that threaten their loved ones. Desperate to protect themselves from the demonic intrusion, they call upon the services of a trusted family friend to investigate the origins of the vengeful ghosts which haunt their property. But these are spirits who will not rest, and Borley Rectory is doomed to gain a chilling reputation, as the most haunted house in all of Britain.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Padu (2024)
The story of the reliability of the Malaysian Women's Basketball team which has collected 13 gold medals from 20 SEA Games tournaments since 1977.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
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 drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLady Joker (2004)
Men and women caught up in a downward spiral of corruption, discrimination, poverty and death are the focus of this detective-thriller/social-drama inspired by the unsolved 1984 kidnapping of a Japanese candy company president.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Like The Tiger of Santa Julia and something else?
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like The Tiger of Santa Julia?
The closest matches to The Tiger of Santa Julia are Plunkett & Macleane (1999), El Infierno (2010) and Thick as Thieves (1999). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after The Tiger of Santa Julia?
Start with Plunkett & Macleane (1999), the closest match to The Tiger of Santa Julia.
What is the highest-rated movie like The Tiger of Santa Julia?
El Infierno (2010), rated 8.0/10 by 840 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like The Tiger of Santa Julia?
Borley Rectory: The Awakening (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Spanish movies like The Tiger of Santa Julia?
Yes: El Infierno (2010), Unit 7 (2012) and Straight from the Barrio (2008).
How are movies similar to The Tiger of Santa Julia chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Tiger of Santa Julia, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.