Movies like Live For Real (2018)
The best movies like Live For Real (2018) are Salsa (1988), Brigadoon (1954) and Make Your Move (2013). If Live For Real hooked you with its romance and music, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedThe Red Shoes (1948)8.0/10 from 787 votes
- NewestEndless Journey of Love (2025)Released 2025
- In ChineseFinding Mr. Right 2 (2016)Also in Chinese
Salsa (1988)
Fatherless barrio Puerto Rican Rico is a menial car mechanic by day, but lives for the nights, when he dances and dates hot dancing girls, cockily convinced the title of Salsa king in fancy nightclub La Luna's upcoming contest is to be his. He encourages his best friend, courteous gentleman Ken, to date his sister Margarita so he gets a free hand with her flirtatious classmate Lola. The reigning salsa queen Luna's interest in Rico as dance-partner threatens his on-off relationship with Vicki. More jealous trouble follows when Ken and Margarita fall in true love.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBrigadoon (1954)
Americans Jeff and Tommy, hunting in Scotland, stumble upon a village - Brigadoon. They soon learn that the town appears once every 100 years in order to preserve its peace and special beauty. The citizens go to bed at night and when they wake up, it's 100 years later. Tommy falls in love with a beautiful young woman, Fiona, and is torn between staying or going back to his hectic life in New York.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMake Your Move (2013)
A pair of star-crossed dancers in New York find themselves at the center of a bitter rivalry between their brothers' underground dance clubs.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
SnoozefestMovies like thisFinding Mr. Right 2 (2016)
Continuing the story of Beijing Meets Seattle I from 2013, the new movie has the couple fall in love again.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Nutcracker (1993)
On Christmas Eve, a little girl named Marie falls asleep and dreams herself into a fantastic world in which her toys become larger than life. She meets up with the Nutcracker Prince who takes her on a journey to his kingdom and defends her from the Mouse King.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
SnoozefestMovies like thisEvery Day (2018)
16-year old Rhiannon falls in love with a mysterious spirit named “A” that inhabits a different body every day. Feeling an unmatched connection, Rhiannon and “A” work each day to find each other, not knowing what the next day will bring.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLast Chance for Christmas (2015)
When Prancer injures his hoof Santa’s stable hand, John, must find a fill in to ensure Christmas deliveries go off without a hitch. His mission gets complicated when he discovers that Frankie, the perfect substitute reindeer, belongs to a precocious 8-year-old girl and her mother Annie. As he races to get Frankie up to the North Pole, he realizes that he’s actually falling in love with Annie and has to find a way to win her over and save Christmas at the same time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance
SnoozefestMovies like thisHoliday Date (2019)
When Brooke’s boyfriend, Ethan, breaks up with her just before the holidays, she agrees to go home with Joel, an actor who will pose as her boyfriend.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLove at First Dance (2018)
Hope is tasked with teaching Manhattan's former "Most Eligible Bachelor" how to dance for his extravagant, society wedding. But as the dance lessons progress, complications ensue when feelings begin to develop between student and instructor.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSpin (2021)
Rhea discovers her passion for creating DJ mixes that blend the rich textures of her South Asian culture and the world around her. Her life revolves around her eclectic group of friends, her after-school coding club, her family’s Indian restaurant and her tight-knit, multigenerational family. Everything changes when she falls for aspiring DJ Max, and her long-lost fervor for music is re-ignited. Rhea discovers that she has a natural gift for creating beats and producing music but must find the courage to follow her true inner talent.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisUnder the Sea: A Descendants Story (2018)
Mal emerges from the shadows of a mystical forest onto a dark coastline where she crosses paths with Dizzy.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
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 thisLet It Shine (2012)
A teenage rapper must use his musical talent to help a friend and win the girl of his dreams while overcoming self-doubt and the expectations of his strict religious parents.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEndless Journey of Love (2025)
In 1930s China, village girl Qian Xiao gains the power to control time, making her a target of powerful forces. As she uncovers the metropolis's hidden secrets, she faces peril and the cost of her gift.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisTom Thumb (1958)
A boy, no bigger than a thumb, manages to outwit two thieves determined to make a fortune from him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Royal Winter (2017)
While on a last-minute European holiday, a young woman finds herself in the middle of a real-life fairy tale when a chance meeting with a handsome local leads to something more. However, things get complicated when she learns that the "local" is actually a prince who is about to be crowned King, and whose mother is dead-set against her royal son's romance with the tourist.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance
Worth the HypeMovies like thisForever in My Heart (2019)
Jenna and Charlie found love in Ireland but their dreams drove them apart. Five years later, they reunite and Jenna has to decide where her heart belongs—back home or in the Emerald Isle.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSisters of the Groom (2017)
When Sarah needs to impress a corporate bigwig in order to help her sister's catering business, she finds herself agreeing to be his son’s pretend date to a family wedding
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAnima (2019)
In a short musical film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Thom Yorke of Radiohead stars in a mind-bending visual piece. Best played loud.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisOlivia Rodrigo: GUTS World Tour (2024)
At a sold-out concert in her hometown of LA, Olivia Rodrigo pours her heart into an electrifying night of chart-topping hits and pop-rock power ballads.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHow the Moon Fell from the Sky and No One Even Noticed (2018)
When best friends Benji (Peter Carroll) and Ruben (Nick Trivisonno) decide to make a film about the man on the moon, they don’t realize they’re signing up for the end of the world as they know it. But when a love triangle develops on set and the lines between reality and fantasy start to blur, the boys must reckon with their developing feelings for each other or face an uncertain future. Produced by and starring high school students from Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan, HOW THE MOON FELL FROM THE SKY AND NO ONE EVEN NOTICED is a testament to the power of young artists who work together to achieve what no one thought possible.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music & romance
Footloose (1984)
When teenager Ren and his family move from big-city Chicago to a small town in the West, he's in for a real case of culture shock after discovering he's living in a place where music and dancing are illegal.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)
In pre-revolution Cuba, Katey Miller is about to defy everyone's expectations. Instead of a parent-approved suitor, Katey is drawn to the sexy waiter, Javier, who spends his nights dancing in Havana's nightclubs. As she secretly learns to dance with Javier, she learns the meanings of love, sensuality and independence.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAmazon Music Live with Anitta (2022)
The Brazilian FunkStar, nominated for a Grammy for Best New Artist, took the stage at the live show in Los Angeles and performed, during a 45-minute set, songs from her latest album "Versions of Me" (2022), and more.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Burn the Floor (2000)
The ballroom dancing the world recognizes today is competitive ballroom dance, sometimes known as dancesport. It is comprised of ten dances, which can all be danced in “closed ballroom” hold. The style danced in BURN THE FLOOR is called “international style” and has been danced in competition since 1920. International style ballroom dance consists of ten dances, split into five Latin American dances and five ballroom dances (standard). Each BURN THE FLOOR dancer has spent a lifetime training to compete against other dance couples. This show allows the dancers to demonstrate their love and passion for their art.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Dancetime New Dance Group Gala (1993)
In this remarkable video, "The New Dance Group Gala Concert: Retrospective 1930s-1970s" viewers will enjoy viewing dances of some of the most influential Modern Dance pioneers including: Mary Anthony, Ronne Aul, Talley Beatty, Valerie Bettis, Irving Burton, Jane Dudley, Jean Erdman, Eve Gentry, Joseph Gifford, Hadassah, Sophie Maslow, Donald McKayle, Daniel Nagrin, Pearl Primus, Anna Sokolow, Joyce Trisler, Charles Weidman.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
The Red Shoes (1948)
A fledgling ballerina falls in love with a brilliant composer, but the jealous head of the ballet company plots to drive them apart.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both romance
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisHouse of Trés (1989)
A quickfire portrait of the New York City ballroom scene in the ‘80s.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Dance of the Dragon (2008)
The story of three people whose lives are pulled into review and assessment when their paths cross. The initial sparks of what could be a new romance plays off against a couple falling out of love, a student and teacher, a father and son, a mother's influence and competing suitors - all explored with sensitivity, delicacy and refined artistry.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both romance
Monique (2023)
A young woman, Abby, makes a deal with her younger brother Danny, allowing him to seek refuge at her apartment after an illegal job gone wrong. However, as days pass, she begins to question the faithfulness of his side of the deal, as well as the oddly intimate relationship he shares with his mannequin-shaped package.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both romance
Like Live For Real and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Live For Real?
The closest matches to Live For Real are Salsa (1988), Brigadoon (1954) and Make Your Move (2013). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Live For Real?
Start with Salsa (1988), the closest match to Live For Real.
What is the highest-rated movie like Live For Real?
The Red Shoes (1948), rated 8.0/10 by 787 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Live For Real?
Endless Journey of Love (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Chinese movies like Live For Real?
Yes: Finding Mr. Right 2 (2016) and Endless Journey of Love (2025).
How are movies similar to Live For Real chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Live For Real, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.