Movies Like A Garden of Joy in a World of Sorrow

If you liked A Garden of Joy in a World of Sorrow (2011), a history and music movie directed by Andrey Torstensen, 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
Adele One Night Only (2021)
★ 7.7/10Also music and tv movie
A primetime special with performances from the superstar including Adele’s first new material in six years plus her chart-topping hits. The special will also feature an exclusive interview with Adele by Oprah Winfrey…
2
Cadillac Records (2008)
★ 7.1/10Also history and music
The story of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in 1950s Chicago, and the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's musical legends, including Muddy Waters, Leonard Chess, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Etta…
3
Playing for Time (1980)
★ 6.9/10Also music and history
When a Jewish songstress is plucked from the stage and sent to Auschwitz, she and other musicians find themselves assigned to a terrible task—using their talents to soothe fellow prisoners who are sentenced to die in…
4
Spin (2021)
★ 6.9/10Also tv movie and music
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…
5
Oslo (2021)
★ 6.6/10Also tv movie and history
The true story of negotiations between implacable enemies — the secret back-channel talks, unlikely friendships and quiet heroics of a small but committed group of Israelis, Palestinians and one Norwegian couple that…
6
David Bowie: Five Years (2013)
★ 7.5/10Also music and tv movie
Featuring a wealth of previously unseen archive, this film looks at how Bowie continually evolved: from Ziggy Stardust to the Soul Star of Young Americans, to the ‘Thin White Duke’. It explores his regeneration in…
7
iParty with Victorious (2011)
★ 7.3/10Also music and tv movie
Carly discovers her boyfriend Steven Carson has been cheating on her with Tori Vega, so the gang flies out to Los Angeles where they meet Tori and the gang from Hollywood Arts. They attend a party hosted by Kenan…
8
Respect (2021)
★ 6.8/10Also music and history
The rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom.
9
Notorious (2009)
★ 7/10Also music and history
"Notorious" is the story of Christopher Wallace. Through raw talent and sheer determination, Wallace transforms himself from Brooklyn street hustler (once selling crack to pregnant women) to one of the greatest rappers…
10
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2017)
★ 6.3/10Also history and tv movie
An African-American woman becomes an unwitting pioneer for medical breakthroughs when her cells are used to create the first immortal human cell line in the early 1950s.
11
Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B (2014)
★ 6.5/10Also music and tv movie
The story of R&B singer and actress Aaliyah; namely, the highs and lows of her career, her romantic pursuits, and the events leading up to her death in 2001 at the age of 22.
12
Back to Black (2024)
★ 6.7/10Also music and history
The extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame from her early days in Camden through the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black that catapulted Winehouse to global fame. Told through Amy’s…
13
All Eyez on Me (2017)
★ 6.7/10Also history and music
All Eyez on Me chronicles the life and legacy of Tupac Shakur, including his rise to superstardom as a hip-hop artist, actor, poet and activist, as well as his imprisonment and prolific, controversial time at Death Row…
14
Stuck in the Suburbs (2004)
★ 6/10Also music and tv movie
Brittany Aarons is one of the many girls who has a crush on popular singer and boy-toy Jordan Cahill. However, she is bored of living a suburban existence and seeks a little something more.
15
Confirmation (2016)
★ 6.9/10Also history and tv movie
Judge Clarence Thomas' nomination to the United States' Supreme Court is called into question when former colleague, Anita Hill, testifies that he had sexually harassed her.
16
Judy (2019)
★ 6.7/10Also history and music
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…
17
Get On Up (2014)
★ 6.8/10Also music and history
A chronicle of James Brown's rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians in history.
18
The Man in the Iron Mask (1977)
★ 6.4/10Also history and tv movie
Years have passed since the Three Musketeers, Aramis, Athos and Porthos, have fought together with their friend, D'Artagnan. But with the tyrannical King Louis using his power to wreak havoc in the kingdom while his…
19
Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 4: Dawn of the Vampires (2025)
★ 7.1/10Also music and tv movie
A new adventure dawns for Zed and Addison when their summer road trip takes an unexpected detour, landing them in the middle of yet another monster rivalry: Daywalkers vs. Vampires. Tensions flare when Zed and Addison…
20
Lemonade Mouth (2011)
★ 7.4/10Also music and tv movie
When five ragtag freshman first meet in detention, it seems they have nothing in common. But, through music, they form an unbreakable bond and discover they have the makings of the greatest high school garage band in…