Movies Like The Sun Shines Bright

If you liked The Sun Shines Bright (1953), a comedy and drama movie directed by John Ford, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Feel the Beat (2020)
★ 7.5/10Also comedy and drama
After failing to make it on Broadway, April returns to her hometown and reluctantly begins training a misfit group of young dancers for a competition.
2
No Retreat, No Surrender (1986)
★ 6.3/10Also comedy and drama
The mob is trying to strongarm local martial arts schools, forcing young Jason Stillwell and his family to move after his father is injured defending their dojo. With his father now rejecting violence, Jason is forced…
3
My Own Love Song (2010)
★ 6.2/10Also comedy and drama
A wheelchair-bound singer and her best friend embark on a roadtrip to Memphis.
4
Take the Lead (2006)
★ 6.9/10Also drama
A former professional dancer volunteers to teach dance in the New York public school system and, while his background first clashes with his students' tastes, together they create a completely new style of dance. Based…
5
The House on Carroll Street (1988)
★ 5.9/10Also drama
A reporter, fired after refusing to give names to a 1951 House Un-American Activities Committee, takes a part-time job as companion to an old lady. While working she overhears a noisy argument in the neighboring house…
6
My Cousin Vinny (1992)
★ 7.5/10Also comedy and drama
Two carefree pals traveling through rural Alabama on their way back to college are mistakenly arrested and charged with murder. Fortunately, one of them has a cousin who's a lawyer - Vincent Gambini, a former auto…
7
Primary Colors (1998)
★ 6.2/10Also drama and comedy
In this adaptation of the best-selling roman à clef about Bill Clinton's 1992 run for the White House, the young and gifted Henry Burton is tapped to oversee the presidential campaign of Governor Jack Stanton. Burton…
8
SubUrbia (1997)
★ 6.2/10Also comedy and drama
A group of suburban teenagers try to support each other through the difficult task of becoming adults.
9
Nobody's Fool (1994)
★ 6.9/10Also drama and comedy
A rascally man nearing retirement juggles a workers' compensation suit while secretly working for his nemesis and flirting with his nemesis' young wife. As his estranged son returns, he faces new family…
10
How to Rob a Bank (2007)
★ 5.8/10Also comedy
Caught in the middle of a bank robbery, a slacker and a bank employee become the ones who arbitrate the intense situation.
11
Chang Can Dunk (2023)
★ 6.7/10Also comedy and drama
Chang, a 16-year-old, Asian American, bets the high school basketball star that he can dunk by Homecoming. The bet leads 5' 8" Chang on a quest to learn to dunk—not only to impress his crush, Kristy, but to gain the…
12
The Good Half (2024)
★ 6.2/10Also comedy and drama
Renn Wheeland returns home to Cleveland for his mother's funeral. Once there, he forges new relationships while healing old ones, before confronting his problems and trying to face his grief.
13
Class Act (1992)
★ 6.3/10Also comedy and drama
Duncan is a genius straight A student, Blade is ajuvenile delinquent. But because of a mix up with their school records, everyone thinks each is the other one. Now, Duncan kind of likes the attention from being thought…
14
Winged Creatures (2009)
★ 5.9/10Also drama
A psychotic man opens fire in a diner, murdering numerous people before killing himself. The survivors struggle in different ways following this horrendous event: a doctor doubts his own instincts and elects to use an…
15
Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)
★ 7.3/10Also comedy
A middle-aged couple suspects foul play when their neighbor's wife suddenly drops dead.
16
For the Boys (1991)
★ 6.4/10Also drama and comedy
Talented USO entertainer Dixie Leonard and comedian Eddie Sparks deal with their relationship over the course of 5 decades from World War II to the Vietnam War era to their twilight era in the 90's.
17
Black Sheep (1996)
★ 6.1/10Also comedy
When dignified Albert Donnelly runs for Governor, his team moves to keep his slow-witted and klutzy younger brother, Mike, out of the eye of the media. To baby-sit Mike, the campaign assigns sarcastic Steve, who gets…
18
Young Adult (2011)
★ 5.8/10Also comedy and drama
A divorced writer from the Midwest returns to her hometown to reconnect with an old flame, who's now married with a family.
19
Sing (2016)
★ 7.1/10Also comedy
A koala named Buster recruits his best friend to help him drum up business for his theater by hosting a singing competition.
20
The Paper Tigers (2020)
★ 6.7/10Also comedy
Three middle aged men polish their martial arts skills to avenge their fallen master.