Movies like I wanted to be me (2020)
The best movies like I wanted to be me (2020) are The Neighbors' Window (2019), The Pumpkin Eater (1964) and What Maisie Knew (2013). If I wanted to be me hooked you with its drama, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedLet Go (2024)7.9/10 from 378 votes
- NewestBODYCOUNT (2026)Released 2026
The Neighbors' Window (2019)
The story of a middle-aged woman with small children whose life is shaken up when two free-spirited twenty-somethings move in across the street.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Pumpkin Eater (1964)
Jo, the mother of seven children, divorces her second husband in order to marry Jake, a successful but promiscuous screenwriter. Though they are physically and emotionally compatible, they are slowly torn apart.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWhat Maisie Knew (2013)
In New York City, six-year-old Maisie is caught in the middle of a bitter custody battle between her self-absorbed parents—an aging rock singer mother and a distracted art dealer father. As both quickly marry new partners to strengthen their legal standing, Maisie is shuttled back and forth in an endless game of emotional point-scoring. Yet amid the chaos and upheaval, Maisie begins to find true comfort and affection in her new step-parents.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHands of Stone (2016)
The legendary Roberto Duran and his equally legendary trainer Ray Arcel change each other's lives.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLet Go (2024)
A jaded mother makes a last-ditch effort to keep her family together by taking them on a trip to their teenage daughter’s pole dancing competition.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisBastard Out of Carolina (1996)
A poor, struggling South Carolinian mother and daughter face painful choices with their resolve and pride. Bone, the eldest daughter, and Anney her tired mother, grow both closer and farther apart: Anney sees Glen as her last chance.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like this1 Chance 2 Dance (2014)
When a 17-year old aspiring dancer is uprooted in her high school senior year, she finds herself divided between two boys, and she will have one last shot at making her dream a reality.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisI Am Elizabeth Smart (2017)
The story of Elizabeth Smart's kidnapping and captivity, as told from her perspective.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
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 · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHungry Hearts (2015)
The relationship of a couple who meet by chance in New York City is put to the test when they encounter a life or death circumstance.
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 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 drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEmbattled (2020)
The eldest son of a ruthlessly tough MMA champion must fight his way out of the abusive cycle his father has continued.
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 thisA Corner in Wheat (1909)
On a whim, a greedy tycoon decides to corner the world market in wheat. This doubles the price of bread, forcing grain producers into charity lines and others further into poverty. The film contrasts the differences between the lives of those who work to grow the wheat and the life of the man who dabbles in its sale for profit.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Cut (2025)
A retired boxer intends to return to the ring for one last shot at the title, but first he must make the weight. Holed up in a room in Las Vegas with an unscrupulous trainer, he embarks on an intensive and illegal weight-cutting program.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisBobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004)
The story of golf icon and legend, Bobby Jones, who retired from competition at the tender age of 28.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisEl Chicano (2019)
A pair of twin brothers from East L.A. choose to live their lives differently and end up on opposite sides of the law.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAll Day and a Night (2020)
While serving life in prison, a young man looks back at the people, the circumstances and the system that set him on the path toward his crime.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLorelei (2020)
A man is released from prison after 15 years. He reunites with his high school girlfriend, now a single mother of three. What follows is a lyrical take on love, regret and second chances.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBODYCOUNT (2026)
During a quiet moment of closeness, a young couple’s playful banter takes a profound and sobering turn when a simple question about the past redefines the meaning of "counting" one's life experiences.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Shadow / Self (2015)
Shadow / Self is a film project that combines dance, fashion and music to explore the darker side of the feminine psyche. A story of human struggle told with movement, beauty and light.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Mudlove (2019)
A chance spark in a cafe sends two lovers into a surreal mud wrestling ring where they must find a common rhythm while their friends demand a fight.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
The Gold Wedding (2021)
An old couple doesn’t talk to each other anymore. They express their hatred through dance.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Desperado (2025)
1930. Dallas, Texas. A young Bonnie Parker sees Clyde Burrow for the first time. It is love at first sight, but she is haunted by a premonition that her immediate attraction to Clyde will lead to her ultimate demise. What would happen if she chooses a different route? Could Bonnie be the ultimate outlaw on her own?
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
When the Night Falls (2022)
The dance film When the Night Falls tells the story of a woman fleeing the horrors of a collapsing society in the near future. Along the way, she encounters people on whose trust her entire future depends on.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Untitled Dirty Dancing Sequel (TBA)
Baby takes us back to Kellerman’s Resort for a story of summer, young romance, and dancing.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
When Nigeria Happens (2025)
Misfit dancers Fagbo, Pokko, Lighter, Movement, Colos, and Poppy are bound by art and friendship. When Fagbo's mother falls ill, their world shifts, testing their dreams, loyalty, and what it means to fight for a future in Nigeria.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Showtime (2019)
Darius and Hakeem dance on New York City trains to earn honest money and escape the crime-riddled streets of Harlem. Their friendship is tested when unforeseen opportunities come.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Walks with Me (2021)
Old woman looks outside her apartment window and sees her life passing, or dancing, in front of her eyes.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Like I wanted to be me and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like I wanted to be me?
The closest matches to I wanted to be me are The Neighbors' Window (2019), The Pumpkin Eater (1964) and What Maisie Knew (2013). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after I wanted to be me?
Start with The Neighbors' Window (2019), the closest match to I wanted to be me.
What is the highest-rated movie like I wanted to be me?
Let Go (2024), rated 7.9/10 by 378 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like I wanted to be me?
BODYCOUNT (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
How are movies similar to I wanted to be me chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside I wanted to be me, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.