Movies Like The Things of Life
If you liked The Things of Life (1970), a drama and romance movie directed by Claude Sautet, 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
Jules and Jim (1962)
★ 7.5/10Also drama and romanceIn the carefree days before World War I, introverted Austrian author Jules strikes up a friendship with the exuberant Frenchman Jim and both men fall for the impulsive and beautiful Catherine.
- 2
The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954)
★ 6.1/10Also drama and romanceReporter Charles Wills, in Paris to cover the end of World War II, falls for the beautiful Helen Ellswirth following a brief flirtation with her sister, Marion. After he and Helen marry, Charles pursues his novelistic…
- 3
Henry & June (1990)
★ 6/10Also romanceWhile traveling in Paris, author Henry Miller and his wife, June, meet Anais Nin, and sexual sparks fly as Nin starts an affair with the openly bisexual June. When June is forced to return to the U.S., she gives Nin…
- 4
The Swimming Pool (1969)
★ 7/10Also dramaSet in a magnificent villa near a sun-drenched St. Tropez, lovers Jean-Paul and Marianne are spending a happy, lazy summer holiday. Their only concern is to gratify their mutual passion - until the day when Marianne…
- 5
The Woman Next Door (1981)
★ 7.1/10Also drama and romanceTwo ex-lovers wind up living next door to each other with their respective spouses. Forbidden passions ensue.
- 6
The Secret (2000)
★ 7.3/10Also romance and dramaMarie, who works as a successful door-to-door encyclopedia salesperson, has been married to her husband Francois for 12 years and has a two-year-old son. Though she is relatively content with her life, she feels…
- 7
Valmont (1989)
★ 6.7/10Also drama and romanceSet in Baroque France, a scheming widow and her lover make a bet regarding the corruption of a recently married woman. The lover, Valmont, bets that he can seduce her, even though she is an honorable woman. If he wins…
- 8
The Married Woman (1964)
★ 6.9/10Also drama and romanceA superficial woman finds conflict choosing between her abusive husband and her vain lover.
- 9
Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
★ 7.2/10Also drama and romanceIn 18th century France, Marquise de Merteuil asks her ex-lover Vicomte de Valmont to seduce the future wife of another ex-lover of hers in return for one last night with her. Yet things don’t go as planned.
- 10
Paris, 13th District (2021)
★ 6.8/10Also drama and romanceÉmilie meets Camille who is attracted to Nora, who crosses paths with Amber. Three girls and a boy – They're friends, sometimes lovers and often both.
- 11
The Young Lovers (2022)
★ 6.4/10Also romance and dramaElegant, retired architect Shauna (70) crosses paths with Pierre, a happily married doctor in his 40s, who first made an impression on her in a brief meeting 15 years previously. Both are quite troubled to meet again…
- 12
The Little Thief (1988)
★ 6.3/10Also romance and dramaIn a small town in post-WWII France, 16-year-old Janine tries to improve her conditions by any means necessary. Three people—Michel, a married lover; Raoul, a fellow thief; Mauricette, a photographer she meets in…
- 13
Polisse (2011)
★ 7.7/10Also dramaParis, France. Fred and his colleagues, members of the BPM, the Police Child Protection Unit, dedicated to pursuing all sorts of offenses committed against the weakest, must endure the scrutiny of Melissa, a…
- 14
My Fault: London (2025)
★ 7.4/10Also drama and romance18-year-old Noah moves from America to London, with her mother who's recently fallen in love with William, a wealthy British businessman. Noah meets William’s son, bad-boy Nick, and soon discovers there is an…
- 15
Passages (2023)
★ 6.4/10Also romance and dramaTomas and Martin are a gay couple living in Paris whose marriage is thrown into crisis when Tomas impulsively begins a passionate affair with young schoolteacher Agathe. But when Martin begins an affair of his own…
- 16
Madame Bovary (1991)
★ 6.2/10Also dramaIn 19th-century France, doctor's wife Emma Bovary seeks to escape her dull provincial life through various extramarital affairs and extravagant spending, leading to tragic consequences.
- 17
The Dreamers (2003)
★ 7.2/10Also drama and romanceWhen Isabelle and Theo invite Matthew to stay with them, what begins as a casual friendship ripens into a sensual voyage of discovery and desire in which nothing is off limits and everything is possible.
- 18
Blind (2017)
★ 6.1/10Also drama and romanceA novelist is blinded in a car crash that killed his wife and several years later rediscovers his passion for life and writing when he embarks on an affair with the neglected wife of an indicted businessman.
- 19
Dream Lover (1994)
★ 6.8/10Also dramaNot long after they cross paths at an art gallery, architect Ray Reardon and hypnotically sensual Lena are married with children. But as strange incidents occur, Ray begins to realize he may not really know the woman…
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