Movies Like Staring at the Sun

If you liked Staring at the Sun, a drama and comedy movie directed by Jillian Bokatzian and Charlotte Moretti, 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
Coyote Ugly (2000)
★ 6.3/10Also comedy and drama
Graced with a velvet voice, 21-year-old Violet Sanford heads to New York to pursue her dream of becoming a songwriter only to find her aspirations sidelined by the accolades and notoriety she receives at her "day" job…
2
Funny Ha Ha (2003)
★ 6.2/10Also drama and comedy
Unsure of what to do next, 23-year-old Marnie tries her best to navigate life after college. Still partying like there's no tomorrow, Marnie drags herself out of bed for her miserable temp job and can't decide whether…
3
(Untitled) (2009)
★ 6.3/10Also drama and comedy
A fashionable contemporary art gallerist in Chelsea, New York falls for a brooding new music composer in this comic satire of the state of contemporary art.
4
Father of the Bride (1950)
★ 7/10Also comedy and romance
Proud father Stanley Banks remembers the day his daughter, Kay, got married. Starting when she announces her engagement through to the wedding itself, we learn of all the surprises and disasters along the way.
5
XX/XY (2002)
★ 6/10Also drama and comedy
Three friends begin a dangerous three-way relationship that spirals out of control, leading to dire consequences that haunt them ten years later.
6
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.
7
Why Did I Get Married Again? (2026)
★ 6.8/10Also comedy and romance
The couples reunite for the destination wedding of Marcus and Angela's daughter, bringing drama old and new as they ask, "Why did we get married again?"
8
St. Elmo's Fire (1985)
★ 6.1/10Also drama and romance
Reluctant to let go of college life, a close-knit team of seven friends--irresponsible saxophone player Billy, young Republican Alec, his girlfriend Leslie, struggling journalist Kevin, drama queen Jules, lovesick…
9
Love Don't Co$t a Thing (2003)
★ 7.7/10Also comedy and drama
A high school outcast pays a cheerleader to pose as his girlfriend so he can be considered cool.
10
Cyrus (2010)
★ 5.9/10Also comedy and drama
With John's social life at a standstill and his ex-wife about to get remarried, a down on his luck divorcée finally meets the woman of his dreams, only to discover she has another man in her life - her son. Before…
11
Chéri (2009)
★ 6.1/10Also drama and comedy
The son of a courtesan retreats into a fantasy world after being forced to end his relationship with the older woman who educated him in the ways of love.
12
The Best You Can (2025)
★ 7/10Also comedy and romance
Cynthia Rand is a buttoned-up New Yorker married to a brilliant professor 25 years her senior. She begins feeling the effects of her husband’s advancing age on their relationship, just as her world is turned upside…
13
A California Christmas: City Lights (2021)
★ 6.6/10Also romance and comedy
Follows Callie and Joseph one year after they fell in love, now running a dairy farm and winery, but their romance is threatened when business and family obligations call Joseph back to the city.
14
Drive Me Crazy (1999)
★ 6.6/10Also romance and comedy
Nicole and Chase live next door to each other but are worlds apart. However, they plot a scheme to date each other in order to attract the interest and jealousy of their respective romantic prey. But in the mist of…
15
Not Easily Broken (2009)
★ 6.3/10Also drama and romance
A car accident and shifting affections test the bond between a married couple.
16
CQ (2001)
★ 5.9/10Also comedy and drama
A young filmmaker in 1960s Paris juggles directing a cheesy sci-fi debacle, directing his own personal art film, coping with his crumbling relationship with his girlfriend, and a new-found infatuation with the sci-fi…
17
The Longest Ride (2015)
★ 7.6/10Also drama and romance
The lives of a young couple intertwine with a much older man as he reflects back on a lost love while he's trapped in an automobile crash.
18
Winter Spring Summer or Fall (2024)
★ 7.3/10Also romance and drama
Remi and Barnes, two very different teenagers, meet by chance in the winter of their senior year, then spend four days together over the course of a year that will change their lives forever.
19
The Life List (2025)
★ 6.9/10Also romance and comedy
When her mother sends her on a quest to complete a teenage bucket list, a young woman uncovers family secrets, finds romance — and rediscovers herself.
20
Newness (2017)
★ 6.1/10Also romance and drama
In contemporary Los Angeles, two millennials navigating a social media–driven hookup culture begin a relationship that pushes both emotional and physical boundaries.