feelsalike.com

Movies that feel like The Whales of August (1987)

If you loved The Whales of August, the closest films we have are Rocky III (1982), Philadelphia (1993) and You Can Count on Me (2000). All three share The Whales of August's contemplative feel, which is what we rank on before quality. 6 of the 12 picks below are included with a subscription right now on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads and Amazon Prime Video and others, checked against today's data.

Two aged sisters reflect on life and the past during a late summer day in Maine.

πŸ… 64% Rotten Tomatoesβ˜… 7.1 IMDb β†—TMDB β†—dir. Lindsay Andersoncontemplative

When is The Whales of August streaming? β†’

If The Whales of August hit the spot, these will too

Rocky III poster
Rocky III
1982 Β· dir. Sylvester Stallone
πŸ… 66%β˜… 6.9drama

Contemplative drama in both cases

Following Rocky Balboa's intense battle with his most powerful adversary yet – the ferocious Clubber Lang – Rocky joins forces with former rival Apollo Creed in an effort to get back his fighting spirit.

Feels alike?
Philadelphia poster
Philadelphia
1993 Β· dir. Jonathan Demme
πŸ… 81%β˜… 7.7drama

Both trade on stillness more than on being drama

Two competing lawyers join forces to sue a prestigious law firm for AIDS discrimination. As their unlikely friendship develops, their courage overcomes the prejudice and corruption of their powerful adversaries.

Feels alike?
You Can Count on Me poster
You Can Count on Me
2000 Β· dir. Kenneth Lonergan
πŸ… 95%β˜… 7.5drama

Brothers and sisters is the engine of both

The difference: Critics rated this one higher still

A single mother's life is thrown into turmoil after her struggling, rarely-seen younger brother returns to town.

Feels alike?
Ulee's Gold poster
Ulee's Gold
1997 Β· dir. Victor NuΓ±ez
πŸ… 94%β˜… 7drama

Drama built on stillness, twice over

Third-generation Florida beekeeper Ulee Jackson may have gotten out of Vietnam alive, but he left a part of himself behind. Now he methodically tends his bees, carefully provides for his two grandchildren and keeps his emotions at bay. But when a long-buried secret threatens Ulee's business and family, he is forced to break through his emotional walls and confront the terror of his wounded spirit.

Feels alike?
Scent of a Woman poster
Scent of a Woman
1992 Β· dir. Martin Brest
πŸ… 82%β˜… 8drama

Drama approached the same way

Charlie Simms is a student at a private preparatory school who comes from a poor family. To earn the money for his flight home to Gresham, Oregon for Christmas, Charlie takes a job over Thanksgiving looking after retired U.S. Army officer Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, a cantankerous middle-aged man who lives with his niece and her family.

Feels alike?
American History X poster
American History X
1998 Β· dir. Tony Kaye
πŸ… 84%β˜… 8.5drama

Both built around brothers and sisters

Derek Vineyard is paroled after serving 3 years in prison for killing two African-American men. Through his brother, Danny Vineyard's narration, we learn that before going to prison, Derek was a skinhead and the leader of a violent white supremacist gang that committed acts of racial crime throughout L.A. and his actions greatly influenced Danny. Reformed and fresh out of prison, Derek severs contact with the gang and becomes determined to keep Danny from going down the same violent path as he did.

Feels alike?
The Passion of the Christ poster
The Passion of the Christ
2004 Β· dir. Mel Gibson
πŸ… 50%β˜… 7.3drama

The same drama instincts

A graphic portrayal of the last twelve hours of Jesus of Nazareth's life.

Feels alike?
The Aviator poster
The Aviator
2004 Β· dir. Martin Scorsese
πŸ… 86%β˜… 7.5drama

Cut from the same drama cloth

A biopic depicting the life of filmmaker and aviation pioneer Howard Hughes from 1927 to 1947, during which time he became a successful film producer and an aviation magnate, while simultaneously growing more unstable due to severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Feels alike?
Million Dollar Baby poster
Million Dollar Baby
2004 Β· dir. Clint Eastwood
πŸ… 90%β˜… 8.1drama

Both are drama through and through

Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. But Maggie's determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her.

Feels alike?
Crash poster
Crash
2005 Β· dir. Paul Haggis
πŸ… 73%β˜… 7.7drama

Both are drama through and through

In post-Sept. 11 Los Angeles, tensions erupt when the lives of a Brentwood housewife, her district attorney husband, a Persian shopkeeper, two cops, a pair of carjackers and a Korean couple converge during a 36-hour period.

Feels alike?
The Pursuit of Happyness poster
The Pursuit of Happyness
2006 Β· dir. Gabriele Muccino
πŸ… 67%β˜… 8drama

Both are drama through and through

A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional career.

Feels alike?
Seven Pounds poster
Seven Pounds
2008 Β· dir. Gabriele Muccino
πŸ… 26%β˜… 7.6drama

Drama approached the same way

The difference: A 2000s film, from a different era of filmmaking

An IRS agent with a fateful secret embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.

Feels alike?

In the mood for more contemplative?

all contemplative movies β†’

The best-reviewed films that share The Whales of August's defining feeling.