Best Movies like The Professional (2016)

Irma Vep delves into the filmmaking process by following the interactions and tensions on a film set, paralleling The Professional’s exploration of the director’s role and the dynamics between creator and observer as part of the creative act.

A has-been French filmmaker wants a Hong Kong actress to be the heroine in a rendering of Les Vampires. Irma Vep is a movie from France in French, with a total 1h 39m runtime, released in 1996 with an average rating of 6.7 by 251 people.

Living in Oblivion scrutinizes the makings of an independent film, offering insight into the challenges and personal intricacies behind the camera, which aligns with The Professional’s focus on the behind-the-scenes realities of filmmaking and the human side of creative labor.

Low-budget independent filmmaker Nick Reve tries to keep everything together as his production is plagued with an insecure actress, a megalomaniac star, a pretentious beret-wearing director of photography, and lousy catering. Living in Oblivion is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 30m runtime, released in 1995 with an average rating of 7.2 by 333 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,148,752 in the box office.

Day for Night provides an in-depth look at the filmmaking process, examining how personal lives and creative work intertwine on set, closely mirroring the intimate and meta-cinematic themes found in The Professional.

A committed filmmaker struggles to complete his latest project while coping with a myriad of crises, personal and professional, among the cast and crew. Day for Night is a movie from France in French, with a total 1h 56m runtime, released in 1973 with an average rating of 7.8 by 666 people. The movie made an estimated total of $850,000 in the box office.

8½ is notable for its self-reflective narrative centered on a director grappling with filmmaking and personal challenges, akin to The Professional’s observation of a director’s creative journey and exposure of both professional practice and private self.

Guido Anselmi, a film director, finds himself creatively barren at the peak of his career. Urged by his doctors to rest, Anselmi heads for a luxurious resort, but a sorry group gathers—his producer, staff, actors, wife, mistress, and relatives—each one begging him to get on with the show. In retreat from their dependency, he fantasizes about past women and dreams of his childhood. 8½ is a movie from Italy in Italian, with a total 2h 19m runtime, released in 1963 with an average rating of 8.1 by 2,554 people.

Close-Up blurs the line between documentary and fiction by observing real-life human experience through cinema, much like The Professional offers an intimate, documentary-style view of a filmmaker’s artistry and vulnerability.

This fiction-documentary hybrid uses a sensational real-life event—the arrest of a young man on charges that he fraudulently impersonated the well-known filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf—as the basis for a stunning, multilayered investigation into movies, identity, artistic creation, and existence, in which the real people from the case play themselves. Close-Up is a movie from Iran in Persian, with a total 1h 38m runtime, released in 1990 with an average rating of 8.0 by 454 people.

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One experiments with documenting filmmakers at work, providing a layered view of creation and observation, resonating with The Professional’s approach to capturing the intimate process of filmmaking from an insider’s perspective.

In Manhattan's Central Park, a film crew directed by William Greaves is shooting a screen test with various pairs of actors. It's a confrontation between a couple: he demands to know what's wrong, she challenges his sexual orientation. Cameras shoot the exchange, and another camera records Greaves and his crew. Sometimes we watch the crew discussing this scene, its language, and the process of making a movie. Is there such a thing as natural language? Are all things related to sex? The camera records distractions - a woman rides horseback past them; a garrulous homeless vet who sleeps in the park chats them up. What's the nature of making a movie? Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 15m runtime, released in 1968 with an average rating of 6.8 by 60 people.

F for Fake intertwines fact and fabrication while exploring creative authorship, echoing The Professional’s documentary approach to revealing the complexities and ambiguities inherent in the process of film direction.

Documents the lives of infamous fakers Elmyr de Hory and Clifford Irving. De Hory, who later committed suicide to avoid more prison time, made his name by selling forged works of art by painters like Picasso and Matisse. Irving was infamous for writing a fake autobiography of Howard Hughes. Welles moves between documentary and fiction as he examines the fundamental elements of fraud and the people who commit fraud at the expense of others. F for Fake is a movie from France in French, with a total 1h 29m runtime, released in 1973 with an average rating of 7.4 by 366 people.

The State of Things chronicles the uncertainties and human struggles within a film crew’s journey, reflecting The Professional’s interest in the personal and professional realities of life behind the camera.

On location in Portugal, a film crew runs out of film while making their own version of Roger Corman's The Day the World Ended (1956). The producer is nowhere to be found and director Munro attempts to find him in hopes of being able to finish the film. The State of Things is a movie from United States of America in German, with a total 2h 1m runtime, released in 1982 with an average rating of 6.4 by 83 people.

Adaptation. features a self-aware narrative about the challenges of writing and creating a film, offering a close investigation of the creative process and personal introspection similar to the themes documented in The Professional.

Charlie Kaufman is a confused L.A. screenwriter overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, sexual frustration, self-loathing, and by the screenwriting ambitions of his freeloading twin brother Donald. While struggling to adapt "The Orchid Thief," by Susan Orlean, Kaufman's life spins from pathetic to bizarre. The lives of Kaufman and Orlean's book become strangely intertwined as each one's search for passion collides with the other's. Adaptation. is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 55m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 7.3 by 2,820 people. The movie made an estimated total of $32,800,000 in the box office.

Barton Fink’s focus on the mental and emotional experiences of a creative individual in the film industry parallels The Professional’s detailed look at the director’s role, shedding light on the inner struggles of artistic pursuit.

A renowned New York playwright is enticed to California to write for the movies and discovers the hellish truth of Hollywood. Barton Fink is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 57m runtime, released in 1991 with an average rating of 7.5 by 1,909 people. The movie made an estimated total of $6,153,939 in the box office.

Pain and Glory deals with a filmmaker reflecting on his life and work, engaging with themes of memory, artistic expression, and vulnerability, akin to how The Professional intimately portrays a director’s personal and professional experience.

Salvador Mallo, a filmmaker in the twilight of his career, remembers his life: his mother, his lovers, the actors he worked with. The sixties in a small village in Valencia, the eighties in Madrid, the present, when he feels an immeasurable emptiness, facing his mortality, the incapability of continuing filming, the impossibility of separating creation from his own life. The need of narrating his past can be his salvation. Pain and Glory is a movie from Spain in Spanish, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 2019 with an average rating of 7.4 by 1,932 people. The movie made an estimated total of $37,359,689 in the box office.

Opening Night captures the tension and emotional complexity behind a theatrical production, sharing an interest with The Professional in documenting the intersection of artistry, performance, and behind-the-scenes intimacy.

Actress Myrtle Gordon is a functioning alcoholic who is a few days from the opening night of her latest play, concerning a woman distraught about aging. One night a car kills one of Myrtle's fans who is chasing her limousine in an attempt to get the star's attention. Myrtle internalizes the accident and goes on a spiritual quest, but fails to finds the answers she is after. As opening night inches closer and closer, fragile Myrtle must find a way to make the show go on. Opening Night is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 24m runtime, released in 1977 with an average rating of 7.6 by 261 people.

The Last Movie explores the environment and challenges of a film crew on location, drawing attention to filmmaking as both craft and lived experience, much like The Professional’s observational focus on the artistry and frailties of its subject.

After a film production wraps in Peru, an American wrangler decides to stay behind, witnessing how filmmaking affects the locals. The Last Movie is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 48m runtime, released in 1971 with an average rating of 5.7 by 68 people.

The Stunt Man examines the working environment and psychological dynamics on a film set, providing insight into the multifaceted process of moviemaking, which relates to The Professional’s documentary approach to a director’s creative life.

A fugitive stumbles onto a movie set just when they need a new stunt man, takes the job as a way to hide out and falls for the leading lady while facing off with his manipulative director. The Stunt Man is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 11m runtime, released in 1980 with an average rating of 6.6 by 170 people.

The Bad and the Beautiful scrutinizes the interwoven personal and professional lives of those behind the screen, matching The Professional’s effort to reveal both the director’s artistic choices and the individual’s personal nuances.

Told in flashback form, the film traces the rise and fall of a tough, ambitious Hollywood producer, Jonathan Shields, as seen through the eyes of various acquaintances, including a writer, James Lee Bartlow; a star, Georgia Lorrison; and a director, Fred Amiel. He is a hard-driving, ambitious man who ruthlessly uses everyone on the way to becoming one of Hollywood's top movie makers. The Bad and the Beautiful is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 1952 with an average rating of 7.3 by 305 people. The movie made an estimated total of $3,373,000 in the box office.

The Player explores Hollywood’s inner workings from an insider’s point of view, directly engaging with the creative process and industry relationships, which complements The Professional’s intimate depiction of filmmaking and director-subject dynamics.

A Hollywood studio executive is being sent death threats by a writer whose script he rejected - but which one? The Player is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 4m runtime, released in 1992 with an average rating of 7.2 by 964 people. The movie made an estimated total of $21,706,101 in the box office.

Beware of a Holy Whore presents the chaotic process of a film production, focusing on the emotional and interpersonal challenges experienced by cast and crew, a theme that aligns with The Professional’s behind-the-scenes and observational approach.

Film director Jeff and his lead actor are taking their time getting to set. In their absence, the crew lack a purposeful way to spend their time waiting, so they drink heavily. However, as booze is downed and frustration sets in, morale hits rock bottom. Beware of a Holy Whore is a movie from Germany in German, with a total 1h 43m runtime, released in 1971 with an average rating of 6.2 by 61 people.

Synecdoche, New York follows a director as he immerses himself in a creative project, blurring boundaries between life and art, much like The Professional’s meditation on the intimate, often personal process of filmmaking.

A theater director struggles with his work, and the women in his life, as he attempts to create a life-size replica of New York inside a warehouse as part of his new play. Synecdoche, New York is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 4m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 7.5 by 1,637 people. The movie made an estimated total of $4,383,538 in the box office.

All That Jazz presents the intertwining of creative drive and personal burden in the life of a showman, reflecting The Professional’s attention to the director’s dual reality as both artist and flawed individual.

Joe Gideon is at the top of the heap, one of the most successful directors and choreographers in musical theater. But he can feel his world slowly collapsing around him - his obsession with work has almost destroyed his personal life, and only his bottles of pills keep him going. All That Jazz is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 3m runtime, released in 1979 with an average rating of 7.5 by 613 people. The movie made an estimated total of $37,823,676 in the box office.

Inland Empire explores the psychological and structural complexities involved in filmmaking, paralleling The Professional’s fascination with creative process and the blurred lines between creator, work, and observer.

When actress Nikki Grace gets the lead role in a cursed film, her world becomes more and more surreal, blending realities and ideas of infidelity, reincarnation, and supernatural forces. Inland Empire is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 3h 0m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 7.0 by 1,275 people. The movie made an estimated total of $4,304,157 in the box office.

Lost in La Mancha documents the unpredictable and often tumultuous reality of a film production, mirroring The Professional’s close-up examination of a director’s challenges and dedication during the creative journey.

Fulton and Pepe's 2000 documentary captures Terry Gilliam's attempt to get The Man Who Killed Don Quixote off the ground. Back injuries, freakish storms, and more zoom in to sabotage the project. Lost in La Mancha is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 33m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 7.1 by 235 people.

The Five Obstructions centers on a director grappling with creative limitations and self-examination, aligning with The Professional’s exploration of the artistic process and its revelations about character and craft.

In 1967, experimental filmmaker Jorgen Leth created a striking short film, The Perfect Human, starring a man and women sitting in a box while a narrator poses questions about their relationship and humanity. Years later, Danish director Lars von Trier made a deal with Leth to remake his film five times, each under a different set of circumstances and with von Trier's strictly prescribed rules. As Leth completes each challenge, von Trier creates increasingly further elaborate stipulations. The Five Obstructions is a movie from Denmark in Danish, with a total 1h 28m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 7.0 by 179 people. The movie made an estimated total of $279,032 in the box office.

The Other Side of the Wind investigates the efforts and personal motivations behind making a movie, revealing the vulnerabilities and ambitions of a director much like The Professional does in its documentary narrative.

At a media-swamped party to celebrate his seventieth birthday and screen his avant-garde film-in-progress, a legendary but jaded Hollywood director is faced both with voracious fans and unsettling questions about what became of his lead actor. The Other Side of the Wind is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 2m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 6.7 by 234 people.

I'm Still Here documents the blurred boundary between performance and reality in the life of an artist, echoing The Professional’s focus on the interplay between a filmmaker’s personal identity and creative persona.

I'm Still Here is a portrayal of a tumultuous year in the life of actor Joaquin Phoenix. With remarkable access, the film follows the Oscar-nominee as he announces his retirement from a successful film career in the fall of 2008 and sets off to reinvent himself as a hip-hop musician. The film is a portrait of an artist at a crossroads and explores notions of courage and creative reinvention, as well as the ramifications of a life spent in the public eye. I'm Still Here is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 47m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 6.0 by 406 people. The movie made an estimated total of $626,396 in the box office.

The Disaster Artist chronicles the unconventional path and interpersonal dynamics during the making of a notorious film, paralleling The Professional’s behind-the-scenes perspective and its interest in the human complexities of artistic creation.

An aspiring actor in Hollywood meets an enigmatic stranger by the name of Tommy Wiseau, the meeting leads the actor down a path nobody could have predicted; creating the worst movie ever made. The Disaster Artist is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 7.1 by 3,795 people. The movie made an estimated total of $29,820,616 in the box office.

Man with a Movie Camera pioneers the documentation of everyday life and filmmaking as subject matter, resonating with The Professional’s documentary focus on the creative process and the act of capturing reality on film.

A cameraman wanders around with a camera slung over his shoulder, documenting urban life with dazzling inventiveness. Man with a Movie Camera is a movie from Soviet Union in Russian, with a total 1h 8m runtime, released in 1929 with an average rating of 7.8 by 813 people.

Sullivan's Travels follows a filmmaker seeking to immerse himself in authentic experiences, paralleling The Professional in its depiction of the creative journey and exploration of a director’s life through direct observation.

Successful movie director John L. Sullivan, convinced he won't be able to film his ambitious masterpiece until he has suffered, dons a hobo disguise and sets off on a journey, aiming to "know trouble" first-hand. When all he finds is a train ride back to Hollywood and a beautiful blonde companion, he redoubles his efforts, managing to land himself in more trouble than he bargained for when he loses his memory and ends up a prisoner on a chain gang. Sullivan's Travels is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 31m runtime, released in 1941 with an average rating of 7.4 by 519 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,200,000 in the box office.