Movies like Ella McCay
If you like "Ella McCay" you are looking for dramatic, inspirational and crying movies about / with female protagonist, personal growth, ambition, public service, female politician, female empowerment and coming of age themes of Comedy and Drama genre shot in USA.
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1. Identify all themes of interest from this film (block below).
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Ella McCay (2025)
3K
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
An idealistic young politician juggles familial issues and a challenging work life while preparing to take over the job of her mentor, the state’s longtime incumbent governor.
Style:
dramatic, inspirational, crying, political drama
Audience:
adult
Plot:
female protagonist, personal growth, ambition, public service, female politician, female empowerment, coming of age, office politics, family secret, politics, dysfunctional family, woman, aunt, political scandal, high school sweetheart, police officer, wedding, police, map, restaurant, family relations, old man, father daughter relationship, mother daughter relationship, rain ...
Time:
year 1986, year 2008, year 1995
Most similar movies to Ella McCay
The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out humorous, feel good, emotional and realistic films with plots about coming of age, female protagonist, family relations, relationships, family drama, father daughter relationship and self discovery mostly in Comedy, Drama and Romance genres. Some movies like Ella McCay: Terms of Endearment (1983), I'll Do Anything (1994), Anywhere But Here (1999), Late Night (2019), Space Cadet (2024). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 132 min.
Story:
Aurora and Emma are mother and daughter who march to different drummers. Beginning with Emma's marriage, Aurora shows how difficult and loving she can be. The movie covers several years of their lives as each finds different reasons to go on ...
Style:
sentimental, sad, heartbreaking, tear jerker, compassionate ...
Audience:
chick flick, girls' night
Plot:
cancer, love, dysfunctional family, friendship, death, adultery, husband wife relationship, single mother, mother daughter relationship, grief, hospital, death of daughter ...
Time:
1950s, 1940s, 20th century, year 1983, 70s ...
Place:
nebraska, houston texas, texas, new york, louisiana ...
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
Matt Hobbs is a talented but unsuccessful actor. When estranged (and strange) ex-wife Beth dumps their daughter Jeannie on Matt, father and daughter have a lot of adjusting to do. His budding relationship with attractive production assistant Cathy ...
Style:
humorous, witty, satirical, sad, semi serious ...
Audience:
kids
Plot:
satire, unsuccessful, filmmaking, female nudity, father daughter relationship, slice of life, nude women, bare breasts, parent child relationship, family relations, young heroes, single parent ...
Time:
year 1994, 20th century, 90s
Place:
usa, australia
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
In this adaptation of the Mona Simpson novel, single mother Adele August is bad with money, and even worse when it comes to making decisions. Her straight-laced daughter, Ann, is a successful high school student with Ivy League aspirations. When ...
Style:
touching, realistic, semi serious, humorous, sentimental ...
Audience:
chick flick, teens, girls' night, teen drama
Plot:
coming of age, mother daughter relationship, teenager, teen angst, teenage girl, high school, women, mother, single mother, family drama, love, woman woman relationship ...
Time:
year 1999, 90s, 20th century, year 1995
Place:
los angeles, beverly hills, california, usa, wisconsin
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
A legendary late-night talk show host's world is turned upside down when she hires her only female staff writer. Originally intended to smooth over diversity concerns, her decision has unexpectedly hilarious consequences as the two women ...
Style:
humorous, sincere, entertaining, light, unpredictable ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
cheating wife, workplace romance, infidelity, talk show host, feminism, adultery, talk show, female friendship, journalism, writers, co worker co worker relationship, female protagonist ...
Time:
year 2019
Place:
new york
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
Genre: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
Tiffany "Rex" Simpson has always dreamed of going to space, and her "doctored" application lands her in NASA's ultra-competitive astronaut training program. In over her head, can this Florida girl rely on her quick wits, ...
Style:
inspirational, feel good, lighthearted, humorous, sentimental ...
Plot:
nasa, space program, female protagonist, underdog, resilience, personal growth, female empowerment, fish out of water, self discovery, coming of age, rivalry, space ...
Place:
florida
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: Ireland, UK, USA, Zambia
Duration: 99 min.
Story:
On an empty road in the middle of the night, Shula stumbles across the body of her uncle. As funeral proceedings begin around them, she and her cousins bring to light the buried secrets of their middle-class Zambian family.
Style:
bleak, realistic, poignant, tense, independent film ...
Plot:
family drama, secrets, family secret, grief, funeral, female protagonist, social realism, memory, social commentary, identity, coming of age, reconciliation ...
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min.
Story:
A joyous family reunion becomes a hilarious nightmare as Madea and the crew travel to backwoods Georgia, where they find themselves unexpectedly planning a funeral that might unveil unpleasant family secrets.
Style:
humorous, light, emotional, captivating, black cinema
Audience:
boys' night, chick flick, adult
Plot:
dark humor, funeral, family secret, family reunited, black, secret, relationships, secrets, meeting, medea, madea, family relations ...
Time:
2010s
Place:
georgia
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 121 min.
Story:
After being cut from the USA softball team and feeling a bit past her prime, Lisa finds herself evaluating her life and in the middle of a love triangle, as a corporate guy in crisis competes with her current, baseball-playing beau.
Style:
romantic, light, romantic comedy, witty, sweet ...
Audience:
date night, teens, girls' night, chick flick, teen drama
Plot:
fall in love, destiny, baseball, baseball player, love story, sarcasm, twists and turns, life philosophy, love triangle, writers, shopping, ambition ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
usa, washington d.c., new jersey
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
92K
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 131 min.
Story:
Mexican immigrant and single mother Flor Moreno finds housekeeping work with Deborah and John Clasky, a well-off couple with two children of their own. When Flor admits she can't handle the schedule because of her daughter, Cristina, Deborah ...
Style:
feel good, sentimental, sincere, touching, romantic ...
Audience:
chick flick, girls' night, date night
Plot:
single parent, food, life, immigrant, housewife, relationships, infidelity, dysfunctional family, mother, parent child relationship, relationship problems, love and romance ...
Time:
year 2004, 21st century
Place:
los angeles, california, usa, malibu california, mexico ...
Similarity:
100%
40K
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
A girl with the nickname "Dumplin'" enters a beauty pageant in order to win over the boy she likes and stick it to the other girls at school.
Style:
feel good, inspirational, light, uplifting, anamorphic ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick
Plot:
beauty pageant, teenage girl, fat girl, protest, mother daughter relationship, strong female character, female protagonist, beauty queen, reconciliation, bravery, grief, small town ...
Time:
future, 2010s
Place:
texas, austin texas
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
A college freshman confronts her parents’ values in order to understand her own evolving identity.
Style:
psychological, entertaining, captivating
Audience:
teen drama, adult
Plot:
family secret, female protagonist, kids and family, self discovery, coming of age, parent child relationship, identity, personal growth, family drama, mother daughter relationship, family life, father daughter relationship ...
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 80 min.
Story:
Set in the 1970's, MIGHTY FINE is the story of Joe Fine (Chazz Palminteri) a charismatic, high-spirited man, who relocates his family--wife Stella (Andie MacDowell), a Holocaust survivor, daughters Nathalie (Jodelle Ferland) and Maddie (Rainey ...
Style:
humorous, captivating, sincere, light, heartfelt ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
family relations, family life, starting over, parents and children, couples, couple relations, hopes, family drama, father daughter relationship, character study, intimate, holocaust survivor ...
Time:
70s, 20th century
Place:
new orleans, usa, brooklyn new york city
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 123 min.
Story:
Desperate for a breakthrough as she nears the big 4-0, struggling New York City playwright Radha finds inspiration by reinventing herself as a rapper.
Style:
inspirational, realistic, stylized, feel good, black and white ...
Plot:
rap, hip hop, female protagonist, follow your dream, best friend, second chance, ambition, career, dream, musician's life, life philosophy, music business ...
Time:
2020s
Similarity:
100%
4K
Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama, Sport
Country: China
Duration: 129 min.
Story:
Le Ying has stayed at home for many years doing nothing. After graduating from college and working for a period of time, Le Ying chose to withdraw from society and not held contact with her social circle. This was the best way she believed to ...
Style:
psychological, thrilling, captivating, realistic, inspirational
Plot:
boxing, female protagonist, self discovery, boxing match, boxer, coach, gym, empowerment, female empowerment, introspection, antisocial behavior, athlete's life ...
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: France
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
Ils sont amis depuis l'enfance et se sont juré de toujours s'entraider. Ensemble, Kathy, Tara et Yann ont quitté leur île bretonne pour s'installer à Paris. Alors que Yann est heureux avec Alfredo, son compagnon, les deux filles ...
Style:
humorous, captivating, psychological, disturbing, romantic comedy ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
friendship, friends, relationships, relationship problems, romantic friendship, family problems, last wish, romantic relationship, love affair, lifestyle, self discovery, personal growth ...
Time:
2000s
Place:
paris france
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Germany
Duration: 107 min.
Story:
When German-raised Mavi learns she belongs to a superrich Turkish dynasty, new family expectations quickly turn her world and love life upside down.
Style:
family saga, emotional, dramatic
Audience:
adult
Plot:
identity crisis, family drama, female protagonist, inheritance, identity, self discovery, culture clash, transformation, revelation, social status, dynasty, empowerment ...
Place:
turkey, istanbul turkey
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 84 min.
Story:
A wedding guide creator must convince an uninspired artist and owner of a special wedding cottage to renovate the rundown cottage to host a contest-winning couple for their dream wedding.
Style:
uplifting, romantic comedy, feel good, inspirational, light hearted ...
Audience:
family friendly
Plot:
wedding planning, cottage, love story, small town, female protagonist, second chance, personal growth, makeover, friendship, teamwork, coastal town
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: Poland, Ireland
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
Ola sets off to Ireland to bring her father's body back to Poland after he dies in a building site accident. But never mind her dad, Ola wants to know if he had saved money for the car he had promised her. Dealing with foreign bureaucracy in ...
Style:
captivating, thrilling, psychological, satirical, emotional ...
Plot:
personal growth, father daughter relationship, self discovery, coming of age, loss, family relations, lifestyle, relationships, family reunited, female protagonist, satire, intimate ...
Time:
2020s
Place:
poland, ireland
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
Genre: Drama
Country: Spain
Duration: 119 min.
Story:
Kamila Hamilton had everything under control... or so she thought: she had no plans for the Di Bianco brothers to turn her world upside down again. Seven years ago, Thiago was the one who gave her her first kiss. And Taylor was the one who always ...
Style:
romantic drama, heartfelt, sensual
Audience:
adult
Plot:
love triangle, female protagonist, second chance, passion, longing, jealousy, small town, bittersweet, personal growth, coming of age, reunion
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 146 min.
Story:
A young girl from a conservative family aspires to become the best cook in India.
Style:
culinary, emotional, inspirational
Plot:
cooking competition, ambition, female protagonist, family drama, perseverance, aspiration, female empowerment, personal growth, domestic drama, hardship, self discovery, triumph ...
Time:
2020s
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
Lily Trevino unexpectedly befriends an online stranger who shares her self-centered father’s name. This new Bob Trevino’s support could transform her life.
Style:
psychological, thrilling, captivating, depressing, uplifting ...
Plot:
female protagonist, facebook, social problems, love story, couple relations, male female relationship, love affair, relationships, love interest, social issues, search for father, father daughter relationship ...
Place:
kentucky, indiana
Similarity:
31%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: Japan, USA
Duration: 109 min.
Story:
An American actor in Tokyo struggles to find purpose until he lands an unusual gig: working for a Japanese "rental family" agency, playing stand-in roles for strangers. As he immerses himself in his clients' worlds, he begins to form ...
Style:
intercultural, contemplative, crying, detective, comedy drama ...
Plot:
self discovery, identity, personal growth, character study, fish out of water, loneliness, empathy, bittersweet, urban, slice of life, identity crisis, role playing ...
Place:
tokyo, japan, asia, mount fuji
Similarity:
26%
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 133 min.
Story:
Basket-case network news producer Jane Craig falls for new reporter Tom Grunnick, a pretty boy who represents the trend towards entertainment news she despises. Aaron Altman, a talented but plain correspondent, carries an unrequited torch for Jane. ...
Style:
talky, realistic, funny, romantic, melancholic ...
Audience:
date night
Plot:
journalism, workplace romance, satire, media, workaholic, friendship, slutty attitude, workplace, love triangle, unlikely friendships, reporter, couples ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, year 1987, 60s
Place:
washington d.c., usa, boston, atlanta georgia
Similarity:
20%
Movie in collections
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min.
Story:
Dora Welles is an imaginative college grad ready to experience all the excitement of life. Instead she finds herself in snowy upstate New York caring for her reclusive great aunt (who has lived a much more exciting life than anyone realizes).
Style:
poignant, semi serious, psychological, captivating, thrilling ...
Audience:
girls' night
Plot:
aunt niece relationship, self discovery, coming of age, personal growth, family drama, family life, romantic relationship, relationships, family relations, female protagonist, adolescence vs adulthood, kids and family ...
Time:
2010s
Similarity:
20%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: Lithuania, USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story:
It is highly probable that before their own death, everyone has to organise someone else’s funeral. This is by far not an easy task. In addition to the searing grief, dying also brings a number of tasks that are at once utterly alien and intensely ...
Style:
reflective, emotional, inspirational, thought provoking, dark comedy ...
Plot:
death of father, mourning, funeral, female protagonist, grief, death, parents and children, teenage dreams, life & death, life lesson, mental health, character change ...
Time:
21st century
Similarity:
20%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
An elderly, yet young-at-heart man, moves in with his grandson, and both their lives turn upside-down.
Style:
touching, realistic, semi serious, humorous, feel good ...
Audience:
kids
Plot:
hospital, insomnia, orphan, funeral, social worker, doctor, roommate, boy, father daughter relationship, old man, single father, widower ...
Time:
90s, 20th century, 60s
Place:
columbus ohio, pittsburgh, usa
Similarity:
20%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 104 min.
Story:
A unique friendship develops when a little girl and her dying mother inherit a cook - Mr. Church. What begins as an arrangement that should only last six months, instead spans fifteen years.
Style:
sentimental, sad, emotional, compassionate, reflective ...
Plot:
african american, life philosophy, food, relationships, family bonds, friendship, interracial friendship, love story, childhood, life, cooking, cancer ...
Time:
70s, year 1971, 80s, year 1977, year 1980 ...
Place:
usa, boston, los angeles
Similarity:
19%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
When a struggling comedian reluctantly returns home for the holidays, not only must she deal with her eccentric family, but she ultimately faces a life-changing decision about her special-needs brother.
Style:
independent film, family comedy, semi serious, captivating, thrilling ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
special needs, christmas, dysfunctional family, holiday, sibling relationship, relationships, family relations, family life, christmas spirit, changing lives, relationship problems, christmas season ...
Similarity:
19%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
When a family of raccoons discover worms living underneath the sod in Jeff and Nealy's backyard, this pest problem begins a darkly comic and wild chain reaction of domestic tension, infidelity and murder.
Style:
cynical, semi serious, humorous, dark comedy, entertaining ...
Plot:
dark humor, infidelity, murder, lifestyle, life turned upside down, family problems, crumbling marriage, dishonesty, society, couples, under the surface, disorder ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
seattle, usa
Similarity:
19%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
As single mom Grace juggles work, bills, and her affair with a married doctor, her daughter, Ansiedad, plots a shortcut to adulthood after finding inspiration in the coming-of-age stories she's reading for school.
Style:
touching, semi serious, sentimental, humorous, independent film ...
Audience:
girls' night, teens, teen drama
Plot:
mother daughter relationship, couple relations, teenage girl, teenage life, married man, coming of age, single parent, adolescence vs adulthood, couples, family relations, youth, parents and children ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
indiana, usa, seattle
Similarity:
19%
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