Movies Like Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad

If you liked Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad (1948), a comedy and drama movie directed by Reginald Le Borg, 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
Fun with Dick and Jane (1977)
★ 6.6/10Also comedy
When an upwardly mobile couple find themselves unemployed and in debt, they turn to armed robbery in desperation.
2
Kid Galahad (1962)
★ 6.2/10Also drama
After completing military service, Walter Gulick takes a job as a sparring partner at a gym, the owner of which sees potential in Walter as a professional fighter—and takes him under his wing.
3
Chloe and Theo (2015)
★ 5.9/10Also comedy and drama
A young woman, Chloe, living by her wits on the streets of New York City, has a chance meeting with a wise Inuit Eskimo, Theo, who was sent to New York by his elders to provide a message to the people of the world – We…
4
A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969)
★ 7/10Also comedy and drama
Poor Charlie Brown. He can't fly a kite, and he always loses in baseball. Having his faults projected onto a screen by Lucy doesn't help him much either. Against the sage advice and taunting of the girls in his class…
5
Hostile Takeover (2025)
★ 6.9/10Also comedy
Follows Pete, a professional hitman, as he faces a group of assassins after the boss of a crime syndicate suspects disloyalty due to his attendance at Workaholics Anonymous meetings.
6
Don't Think Twice (2016)
★ 6.4/10Also comedy and drama
An improv group deals with several crises, including the loss of their lease and one member hitting the big time.
7
Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 (2011)
★ 5.9/10Also comedy
Puppy mayhem turns the lives of newlywed Chihuahua parents Papi and Chloe upside down when their rambunctious, mischievous puppies present one challenge after another. But when their human owners end up in trouble, the…
8
It Runs in the Family (2003)
★ 6/10Also comedy and drama
This is the story of a dysfunctional New York family, and their attempts to reconcile
9
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.
10
Wild Oats (2016)
★ 6.1/10Also comedy and drama
Everything changes for Eva when she receives an insurance settlement check accidentally made out for $5,000,000 instead of the expected $50,000. She and her best friend take the money and head out for the adventure of…
11
Trailer Park Boys: Don't Legalize It (2014)
★ 6.4/10Also comedy
Out of jail and broke, Julian concocts an outrageously greasy scheme to get rich and, to make it even greasier, he will have to deliver his product to his arch-enemy, Cyrus, who’s waiting in Montreal to close the dirty…
12
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…
13
Dennis the Menace (1993)
★ 5.9/10Also comedy
Mr. Wilson's ever-present annoyance comes in the form of one mischievous kid named Dennis. But he'll need Dennis's tricks to uncover a collection of gold coins that go missing when a shady drifter named Switchblade Sam…
14
Madea Goes to Jail - The Play (2006)
★ 7.5/10Also comedy and drama
Madea returns in another hilarious story in which she gets sent to the big house. But regardless of the circumstances, she gives her trademark advice and wisdom to her friends and family as they learn the importance of…
15
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.
16
Roll Bounce (2005)
★ 6.9/10Also comedy and drama
In the summer of 1978, a teenager and his group of friends face new challenges when their neighborhood roller-skating rink closes, forcing them to visit a different rink.
17
Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)
★ 7/10Also comedy
While attending a major horse race with their young son, Nick Jr., Nick and Nora Charles witnesse a shocking murder from the crowded grandstand. What first appears to be an isolated killing soon leads to a maze of…
18
The Big Brawl (1980)
★ 5.9/10Also comedy
A young Asian American martial artist is forced to participate in a brutal formal street-fight competition.
19
Fast Girls (2012)
★ 6/10Also drama
A street smart runner develops an intense rivalry with an equally ambitious wealthy young athlete.
20
Adventures in Public School (2018)
★ 6.3/10Also comedy
A socially-awkward, home-schooled kid forces his way into public school against his suffocating, but loving, mother's wishes.