Best Movies like A Star Is Born (2018)

Once centers on a romance between aspiring musicians, emphasizing the collaborative process of songwriting and the transformative power of music within personal relationships, mirroring the artistic and emotional journey depicted in A Star Is Born.

A vacuum repairman moonlights as a street musician and hopes for his big break. One day a Czech immigrant, who earns a living selling flowers, approaches him with the news that she is also an aspiring singer-songwriter. The pair decide to collaborate, and the songs that they compose reflect the story of their blossoming love. Once is a movie from Ireland in English, with a total 1h 25m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 7.4 by 1,478 people. The movie made an estimated total of $20,710,513 in the box office.

Crazy Heart follows a seasoned musician confronting personal struggles while mentoring a rising artist. This dynamic closely reflects the relationship, music industry backdrop, and themes of personal demons present in A Star Is Born.

When reporter Jean Craddock interviews Bad Blake—an alcoholic, seen-better-days country music legend—they connect, and the hard-living crooner sees a possible saving grace in a life with Jean and her young son. Crazy Heart is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 52m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 6.9 by 1,209 people. The movie made an estimated total of $47,405,566 in the box office.

Begin Again explores the bond between a musician and a producer striving to find new beginnings through music. The film shares themes of artistic growth, the intersection of romance and career, and emotional vulnerability found in A Star Is Born.

Gretta, a budding songwriter, finds herself alone after her boyfriend Dave ditches her. Her life gains purpose when Dan, a record label executive, notices her talent. Begin Again is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 7.2 by 4,038 people. The movie made an estimated total of $63,500,000 in the box office.

Walk the Line depicts a musician's turbulent personal life alongside career milestones, focusing on love, addiction, and the trials of fame — elements central to the narrative arc and emotional depth of A Star Is Born.

A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. Walk the Line is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 16m runtime, released in 2005 with an average rating of 7.5 by 3,177 people. The movie made an estimated total of $186,800,000 in the box office.

Inside Llewyn Davis, like A Star Is Born, navigates the challenges faced by a struggling musician, revealing both the creative process and the costs of pursuing fame within the context of intimate, character-driven storytelling.

In Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, gifted but volatile folk musician Llewyn Davis struggles with money, relationships, and his uncertain future. Inside Llewyn Davis is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 45m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 7.2 by 2,961 people. The movie made an estimated total of $32,935,319 in the box office.

The Rose follows a passionate singer’s rise and emotional breakdown, exploring fame, addiction, and romantic entanglements, creating a parallel to A Star Is Born’s portrait of intertwined love and the pressures of a musical career.

Rock-and-roll singer Mary Rose Foster's romantic relationships and mental health are continuously imperilled by the demands of life on the road. The Rose is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 5m runtime, released in 1979 with an average rating of 6.7 by 136 people. The movie made an estimated total of $29,174,648 in the box office.

La La Land features artists striving for recognition while balancing romance and ambition, much like the core conflicts in A Star Is Born, as both films navigate the sacrifices made for art and love against the backdrop of performance.

Mia, an aspiring actress, serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions and Sebastian, a jazz musician, scrapes by playing cocktail party gigs in dingy bars, but as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart. La La Land is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 9m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 7.9 by 18,300 people. The movie made an estimated total of $509,183,536 in the box office.

Country Strong tells of musicians dealing with the pressures of the spotlight, mentorship, and personal crises. Its depiction of intertwined personal and professional struggles relates strongly to the narrative threads in A Star Is Born.

Soon after the rising young singer-songwriter Beau Williams gets involved with a fallen, emotionally unstable country star Kelly Canter, the pair embark on a career resurrection tour helmed by her husband/manager James and featuring a beauty queen-turned-singer Chiles Stanton. Between concerts, romantic entanglements and old demons threaten to derail them all. Country Strong is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 57m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 6.1 by 265 people. The movie made an estimated total of $20,601,987 in the box office.

Nashville provides a multifaceted look inside the world of music, focusing on the lives, careers, and relationships of its performers. This ensemble drama offers a setting and thematic exploration reminiscent of the environment depicted in A Star Is Born.

The intersecting stories of twenty-four characters—from country star to wannabe to reporter to waitress—connect to the music business in Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 40m runtime, released in 1975 with an average rating of 7.3 by 468 people. The movie made an estimated total of $9,995,555 in the box office.

Wild Rose explores the dreams and hardships of an aspiring singer aiming for success while juggling personal responsibilities, echoing the conflicts between ambition, self-discovery, and relationships present in A Star Is Born.

A young Scottish singer, Rose-Lynn Harlan, dreams of making it as a country artist in Nashville after being released from prison. Wild Rose is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 41m runtime, released in 2019 with an average rating of 6.8 by 366 people.

The Broken Circle Breakdown delves into the intense relationship between musicians and the toll their personal lives and careers take on one another, creating narrative and thematic connections to the romantic and musical journey in A Star Is Born.

The loss of their young daughter threatens to destroy the love and faith of two married musicians. The Broken Circle Breakdown is a movie from Belgium in Dutch, with a total 1h 52m runtime, released in 2012 with an average rating of 7.7 by 1,139 people. The movie made an estimated total of $5,500,000 in the box office.

Coyote Ugly follows a young woman chasing her aspirations in music, highlighting the challenges of performance, love, and pursuing one's dreams. These themes align closely with the struggles for stardom depicted in A Star Is Born.

Graced with a velvet voice, 21-year-old Violet Sanford heads to New York to pursue her dream of becoming a songwriter only to find her aspirations sidelined by the accolades and notoriety she receives at her "day" job as a barmaid at Coyote Ugly. The "Coyotes" as they are affectionately called tantalize customers and the media alike with their outrageous antics, making Coyote Ugly the watering hole for guys on the prowl. Coyote Ugly is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 40m runtime, released in 2000 with an average rating of 6.3 by 2,300 people. The movie made an estimated total of $113,900,000 in the box office.

Dreamgirls addresses the ascent of performers in the music industry, emphasizing the interplay between group dynamics, stardom, and personal sacrifice—foundational elements of the dramatic and romantic tension present in A Star Is Born.

A trio of female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960s, facing their own personal struggles along the way. Dreamgirls is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 10m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 6.7 by 1,098 people. The movie made an estimated total of $154,937,680 in the box office.

The Idol charts the journey of a singer striving for recognition and navigating familial and societal challenges. Its story of perseverance through music shares structural and thematic similarities with A Star Is Born.

Mohammed Assaf, an aspiring musician living in Gaza, sets a seemingly impossible goal: to compete on the program "Arab Idol." The Idol is a movie from United Arab Emirates in Arabic, with a total 1h 40m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 7.0 by 76 people. The movie made an estimated total of $343,059 in the box office.

8 Mile foregrounds the journey of a struggling artist facing inner turmoil and external obstacles on his path to musical breakthrough, echoing the themes of self-doubt, mentorship, and creative expression integral to A Star Is Born.

For Jimmy Smith, Jr., life is a daily fight just to keep hope alive. Feeding his dreams in Detroit's vibrant music scene, Jimmy wages an extraordinary personal struggle to find his own voice - and earn a place in a world where rhymes rule, legends are born and every moment… is another chance. 8 Mile is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 51m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 7.1 by 7,904 people. The movie made an estimated total of $242,875,078 in the box office.

Garry Winogrand: All Things Are Photographable, while a documentary about photography, offers insight into the creative process and personal battles faced by an artist, drawing a parallel to the internal and artistic struggles confronted in A Star Is Born.

Freyer Artist. Iconoclast. Man of his time. All Things are Photographable is a revealing documentary portrait of the life and work of acclaimed photographer Garry Winogrand – the epic storyteller in pictures of America across three turbulent decades. Garry Winogrand: All Things Are Photographable is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 31m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 6.3 by 7 people.

Love & Mercy focuses on the life of a musician grappling with fame and personal demons, utilizing a character-driven approach to portray the intersection of mental health and musical creation, much like in A Star Is Born.

In the late 1960s, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson stops touring, produces "Pet Sounds" and begins to lose his grip on reality. By the 1980s, under the sway of a controlling therapist, he finds a savior in Melinda Ledbetter. Love & Mercy is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 0m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 7.1 by 774 people. The movie made an estimated total of $28,600,000 in the box office.

The Runaways depicts the rise of young musicians breaking into the industry and contending with personal and professional upheavals. It resonates with A Star Is Born’s themes of transformation, ambition, and complicated relationships.

Joan Jett and Cherie Currie, two rebellious teenagers from Southern California, become the frontwomen for The Runaways -- the now-legendary group that paved the way for future generations of female rockers. Under the Svengali-like influence of impresario Kim Fowley, the band becomes a huge success. The Runaways is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 47m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 6.5 by 854 people. The movie made an estimated total of $2,995,811 in the box office.

Get On Up chronicles a singer's journey through the highs and lows of stardom, highlighting the personal costs of fame and creative ambition — paralleling the interplay between music, success, and romantic difficulties seen in A Star Is Born.

A chronicle of James Brown's rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians in history. Get On Up is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 19m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 6.8 by 574 people. The movie made an estimated total of $33,448,971 in the box office.

Glitter portrays the ascent of a young vocalist as she navigates love and loss amid her climb to fame, offering a narrative of self-discovery and the music industry akin to the dramatic arc in A Star Is Born.

A young woman is catapulted into pop stardom, with her already-famous DJ boyfriend calling the shots. Glitter is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2001 with an average rating of 4.3 by 171 people. The movie made an estimated total of $5,271,666 in the box office.

Rocketman traces the turbulent career and relationships of a musician, focusing on personal challenges and the pressure of creative genius. Its exploration of fame’s costs connects with the journey undertaken by characters in A Star Is Born.

The story of Elton John's life, from his years as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his influential and enduring musical partnership with Bernie Taupin. Rocketman is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 1m runtime, released in 2019 with an average rating of 7.3 by 5,038 people. The movie made an estimated total of $167,300,000 in the box office.

August Rush centers on a young musical prodigy trying to connect with family through his art, weaving together personal longing and musical achievement that complement A Star Is Born’s elements of emotional healing through song.

Evan, a musically gifted orphan, runs away from his orphanage and searches New York City for his birth parents. On his journey, he's taken under the wing of the Wizard, a homeless man who lives in an abandoned theater. After discovering his talent, the Wizard gives Evan the name "August Rush" and devises a plan to profit from his talent. Little does Evan know that his parents, Lyla and Louis, are searching for him too. August Rush is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 7.4 by 2,855 people. The movie made an estimated total of $66,122,026 in the box office.

Frank revolves around an unconventional band’s journey and the complexities of creativity and identity in the music world. The film explores the personal and relational dimensions of artistry, echoing themes found in A Star Is Born.

A young wannabe musician discovers he has bitten off more than he can chew when he joins an eccentric pop band led by the mysterious and enigmatic Frank. Frank is a movie from Ireland in English, with a total 1h 35m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 6.8 by 1,737 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,897,363 in the box office.

A Late Quartet delves into the relationships and hardships within a musical ensemble, examining the balance between personal turmoil and artistic commitment, resonating with similar interpersonal struggles in A Star Is Born.

When the beloved cellist of a world-renowned string quartet is diagnosed with a life threatening illness, the group's future suddenly hangs in the balance as suppressed emotions, competing egos and uncontrollable passions threaten to derail years of friendship and collaboration. As they are about to play their 25th anniversary concert — quite possibly their last — only their intimate bond and the power of music can preserve their legacy. A Late Quartet is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 46m runtime, released in 2012 with an average rating of 6.7 by 255 people. The movie made an estimated total of $6,303,709 in the box office.

The Commitments portrays a group striving for success in the music scene, tackling themes of ambition, teamwork, and the hardships of forging a musical identity, which tie in with aspects of the path to stardom depicted in A Star Is Born.

Jimmy Rabbitte, just a thick-ya out of school, gets a brilliant idea: to put a soul band together in Barrytown, his slum home in north Dublin. First he needs musicians and singers: things slowly start to click when he finds three fine-voiced females virtually in his back yard, a lead singer (Deco) at a wedding, and, responding to his ad, an aging trumpet player, Joey "The Lips" Fagan. The Commitments is a movie from Ireland in English, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 1991 with an average rating of 7.3 by 615 people. The movie made an estimated total of $14,919,570 in the box office.

Inside Out, though animated and more allegorical, thematically explores inner emotional struggles and personal growth — concepts mirrored in the character arcs and emotional conflicts faced by the artists in A Star Is Born.

When 11-year-old Riley moves to a new city, her Emotions team up to help her through the transition. Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness work together, but when Joy and Sadness get lost, they must journey through unfamiliar places to get back home. Inside Out is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 35m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 7.9 by 23,701 people. The movie made an estimated total of $857,611,174 in the box office.

Song to Song is set in the music scene and traces intersecting relationships, creative ambition, and the impact of the industry on personal lives, offering a moody exploration of similar conflicts and settings as seen in A Star Is Born.

In this modern love story set against the Austin, Texas music scene, two entangled couples — struggling songwriters Faye and BV, and music mogul Cook and the waitress whom he ensnares — chase success through a rock ‘n’ roll landscape of seduction and betrayal. Song to Song is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 9m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 5.5 by 926 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,710,528 in the box office.

Ray intricately details a musician’s personal and professional trials, from addiction to love, paralleling the character-driven exploration of struggle and talent at the core of A Star Is Born.

Born on a sharecropping plantation in Northern Florida, Ray Charles went blind at seven. Inspired by a fiercely independent mom who insisted he make his own way, He found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard. Touring across the Southern musical circuit, the soulful singer gained a reputation and then exploded with worldwide fame when he pioneered coupling gospel and country together. Ray is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 32m runtime, released in 2004 with an average rating of 7.5 by 2,260 people. The movie made an estimated total of $124,700,000 in the box office.

I'm Not There uses multiple actors to portray facets of a musician’s life and artistic evolution, creatively dealing with identity, ambition, and reinvention — all reminiscent of the complex character journey in A Star Is Born.

Six actors portray six personas of music legend Bob Dylan in scenes depicting various stages of his life, chronicling his rise from unknown folksinger to international icon and revealing how Dylan constantly reinvented himself. I'm Not There is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 15m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 6.5 by 787 people. The movie made an estimated total of $4,001,121 in the box office.

Hearts Beat Loud highlights a father-daughter duo channeling their relationship through music, exploring how the creative process fosters connection and growth, themes that echo the intertwining of personal and artistic transformation in A Star Is Born.

In the hip Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook, single dad and record store owner Frank is preparing to send his hard-working daughter Sam off to college while being forced to close his vintage shop. Hoping to stay connected through their shared musical passions, Frank urges Sam to turn their weekly jam sessions into a father-daughter live act. After their first song becomes an internet breakout, the two embark on a journey of love, growing up and musical discovery. Hearts Beat Loud is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 37m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 6.8 by 288 people. The movie made an estimated total of $2,115,765 in the box office.

Moulin Rouge! depicts a romance pressured by artistic aspirations and the demands of performance, intertwining personal sacrifice and creativity in a dramatic musical context similar to A Star Is Born.

A celebration of love and creative inspiration takes place in the infamous, gaudy and glamorous Parisian nightclub, at the cusp of the 20th century. A young poet, who is plunged into the heady world of Moulin Rouge, begins a passionate affair with the club's most notorious and beautiful star. Moulin Rouge! is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 8m runtime, released in 2001 with an average rating of 7.5 by 4,898 people. The movie made an estimated total of $179,213,434 in the box office.

Her Smell presents a raw look at a musician’s tumultuous life, focusing on relationships, self-destruction, and the pressure of maintaining success, closely reflecting the darker personal themes woven into A Star Is Born.

A self-destructive punk rocker struggles with sobriety while trying to recapture the creative inspiration that led her band to success. Her Smell is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 16m runtime, released in 2019 with an average rating of 5.8 by 144 people.

Vox Lux tracks the rise and endurance of a pop star, examining fame’s rewards and costs alongside its effect on personal identity, much like the intersection of public triumph and private pain found in A Star Is Born.

In 1999, teenage sisters Celeste and Eleanor survive a seismic, violent tragedy. The sisters compose and perform a song about their experience, making something lovely and cathartic out of catastrophe — while also catapulting Celeste to stardom. By 2017, the now 31-year-old Celeste is mother to a teenage daughter of her own and struggling to navigate a career fraught with scandals when another act of terrifying violence demands her attention. Vox Lux is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 5.8 by 534 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,300,000 in the box office.