Movies Like Second Best

Ranked by shared directors, cast, themes, genre, and era — not just generic recommendations.

Despicable Me

2010·1h 35m·★ 7.6·Pierre Coffin

Themes: orphanage, orphan

The Cider House Rules

1999·2h 6m·★ 7.4·Lasse Hallström

Themes: orphanage, orphan

Platoon

1986·2h·★ 8.0·Oliver Stone

TMDB recommends

The Tenant

1976·2h 6m·★ 7.5·Roman Polanski

TMDB recommends

El Inca

2016·1h 40m·★ 6.6·Ignacio Castillo Cottin

TMDB recommends

His Girl Friday

1940·1h 32m·★ 7.8·Howard Hawks

TMDB recommends

Battle Royale

2000·1h 53m·★ 7.5·Kinji Fukasaku

TMDB recommends

Short Cuts

1993·3h 8m·★ 7.6·Robert Altman

TMDB recommends

The Tin Drum

1979·2h 42m·★ 7.4·Volker Schlöndorff

TMDB recommends

Flicka

2006·1h 35m·★ 6.0·Michael Mayer

Fans also likedFamily & Drama

City of Angels

1998·1h 54m·★ 6.7·Brad Silberling

TMDB recommends

Whale Valley

2013·15m·★ 7.1·Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson

TMDB recommends

The Great Gilly Hopkins

2015·1h 39m·★ 6.5·Stephen Herek

Fans also likedDrama & Family

Christmas Cottage

2008·1h 36m·★ 6.3·Michael Campus

Fans also likedDrama & Family

The Residence

2025·1h 50m·★ 5.8·Yann Gozlan

TMDB recommends

The Stray

2017·1h 32m·★ 5.5·Mitch Davis

Fans also likedDrama & Family

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

2003·1h 37m·★ 5.8·Mike Hodges

TMDB recommends

A Diary of a Murderess

1975·1h 35m·★ 5.7·Manuel Mur Oti

TMDB recommends

Family Plan

1997·1h 35m·★ 4.9·Fred Gerber

TMDB recommends

How Good Is Second Best?

Ratings across IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and TMDB, plus our verdict.