Movies like Free Willy

If you like "Free Willy" you are looking for sentimental, touching and uplifting movies about / with human animal relationship, freedom, animal, killer whale, friendship, animal life and animal training themes of Adventure, Drama and Family genre shot in USA or Mexico.
Find your next favorite and similar movies in two steps: 1. Identify all themes of interest from this film (block below). 2. Look for them in the presented list.
Free Willy (1993)
 6.0
 82K
Free Willy (1993)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA, Mexico
Duration: 112 min.
Story: When maladjusted orphan Jesse vandalizes a theme park, he is placed with foster parents and must work at the park to make amends. There he meets Willy, a young Orca whale who has been separated from his family. Sensing kinship, they form a bond and, with the help of kindly whale trainer Rae Lindley, develop a routine of tricks. However, greedy park owner Dial soon catches wind of the duo and makes plans to profit from them.
Style: sentimental, touching, uplifting, feel good, sweet, light, inspirational, retro, sexy, epic ...
Audience: kids, family outing, teens, family friendly, chick flick, girls' night, pre-teens ...
Plot: human animal relationship, freedom, animal, killer whale, friendship, animal life, animal training, whale, kids and family, happy ending, ocean, childhood, rescue, unlikely friendships, water, child, adoption, environmental, heartwarming, boy, best friend, orca, youth, fish, amusement park ...
Time: 90s, year 1993, 20th century, 1990s
Place: astoria oregon, oregon, portland oregon, usa, united states of america
Keyword: ocean or sea, reboot, oldies

Movie in categories

Most similar movies to Free Willy

The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out touching, sentimental, feel good and realistic films with plots about friendship, animal, friends, family relations, pets, animal life and youth mostly in Family, Drama and Adventure genres. Some movies like Free Willy: Fly Away Home (1996), Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009), Dolphin Tale (2011), Flipper (1996), Dolphin Tale 2 (2014). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
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 5.1
 19K
Free Willy 2 (1995)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: France, USA
Duration: 95 min.
Story: Jesse becomes reunited with Willy three years after the whale's jump to freedom as the teenager tries to rescue the killer whale and other orcas from an oil spill.
Style: sentimental, touching, feel good, sweet, retro ...
Audience: kids, girls' night, family friendly, family outing, pre-teens ...
Plot: killer whale, whale, friendship, childhood, animal, human animal relationship, rescue, daring rescue, kids and family, greed, ecology, water ...
Time: 90s, 20th century
Place: astoria oregon, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove (2010)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min.
Story: After young Kirra (Bindi Irwin) leaves her Australian home to summer with her grandfather (Beau Bridges) in South Africa, she soon discovers a baby orca stranded in the lagoon near her grandfather’s rundown seaside amusement park. She names the ...
Style: serious, realistic, sentimental, touching, uplifting
Audience: kids, family friendly, girls' night, pre-teens, family outing
Plot: animal rescue, killer whale, family relations, friendship, confined, captivity, heroes, mischievous children, young heroes, ocean, orca, youth ...
Time: 21st century
Place: africa, south africa, cape town south africa, australia
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 6.9
 27K
Fly Away Home (1996)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 107 min.
Story: Amy is only 13 years old when her mother is killed. She goes to Canada to live with her father, an eccentric inventor whom she barely knows. Amy is miserable in her new life... until she discovers a nest of goose eggs that were abandoned when a ...
Style: uplifting, touching, serious, inspirational, sentimental ...
Audience: kids, family outing, teens, family friendly, pre-teens ...
Plot: goose, rescue, aviation, bird, father daughter relationship, single father, environmental, animal, childhood, heartwarming, tragedy, against the odds ...
Time: 90s, year 1996, 20th century
Place: canada, new zealand, north carolina, new york, ontario canada
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Free Willy 3: The Rescue (1997)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 86 min.
Story: Willy the whale is back, this time threatened by illegal whalers making money off sushi. Jesse, now 16, has taken a job on an orca-researching ship, along with old friend Randolph and a sarcastic scientist, Drew. On the whaler's ship is captain ...
Style: realistic, touching, humorous, epic, retro ...
Audience: kids, girls' night, family friendly, family outing, pre-teens ...
Plot: killer whale, friendship, friends, hunting, animal, rescue, danger, black market, kids and family, childhood, orca, youth ...
Time: year 1997, 90s
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Movie in collections
Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Family
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story: A drama based on the true story of a college professor's bond with the abandoned dog he takes into his home.
Style: touching, emotional, sad, heartbreaking, sentimental ...
Audience: family outing, chick flick, kids, girls' night, teens ...
Plot: dog, friendship, loyalty, pets, human animal relationship, life & death, animal, loss of friend, loneliness, loss, friends, death ...
Time: year 2009, 2000s
Place: japan, rhode island, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 84 min.
Story: Remake of the popular Disney classic, this time featuring some well known voices as two dogs and a cat trek across America encountering all sorts of adventures in the quest to be reunited with their owners.
Style: touching, sweet, feel good, exciting, epic ...
Audience: family outing, kids, girls' night, family friendly, pre-teens ...
Plot: dog, cat, wilderness, pets, beautiful scenery, animal, friendship, unlikely friendships, childhood, fish out of water, talking animal, journey ...
Time: 90s, 20th century
Place: california, nevada, usa, san francisco
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 6.8
 26K
Dolphin Tale (2011)
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 113 min.
Story: A story centered on the friendship between a boy and a dolphin whose tail was lost in a crab trap.
Style: uplifting, sentimental, realistic, touching, serious ...
Audience: family outing, kids, girls' night, pre-teens, preschool
Plot: summer, young heroes, hopes, water, friendship, animal life, human spirit, animal, youth, fish, destiny, child ...
Time: 20th century, 21st century
Place: florida, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 5.3
 12K
Flipper (1996)
Genre: Adventure, Crime, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min.
Story: Sandy Ricks is sent by his mom to Coral Key, a rustic island in the Florida keys, to spend the summer with his uncle Porter Ricks. Sandy dislikes everything about his new environment until a new friend comes into his life, a dolphin named Flipper, ...
Style: exciting, cult classic, realistic, serious, touching ...
Audience: teens, family outing, kids, family friendly, girls' night ...
Plot: childhood, animal, coming of age, summer, fish, water, heartwarming, friendship, youth, dolphins, boat, batman ...
Time: 90s, year 1996, 20th century
Place: florida, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Movie in collections
 6.4
 10K
Dolphin Tale 2 (2014)
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 107 min.
Story: The team of people who saved Winter's life reassemble in the wake of her surrogate mother's passing in order to find her a companion so she can remain at the Clearwater Marine Hospital.
Style: uplifting, sentimental, touching, semi serious, realistic ...
Audience: kids, family outing, pre-teens
Plot: dolphins, veterinarian, animal life, friendship, rescue, youth, family relations, hopes, human spirit, friends, animal, sea turtle ...
Time: 21st century
Place: florida, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 6.7
 22K
White Fang (1991)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 107 min.
Story: Jack London's classic adventure story about the friendship developed between a Yukon gold hunter and the mixed dog-wolf he rescues from the hands of a man who mistreats him.
Style: touching, sentimental, sincere, captivating, epic ...
Audience: kids, family outing, pre-teens, teen drama
Plot: dog, survival, human animal relationship, wilderness, treasure, pets, friendship, animal, dog sled, unlikely friendships, daring rescue, winter ...
Time: 19th century, 1800s, year 1991, 1890s
Place: alaska, yukon, america, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
A Dog's Purpose (2017)
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA, India
Duration: 100 min.
Story: A dog goes on quest to discover his purpose in life over the course of several lifetimes with multiple owners.
Style: touching, sentimental, sad, sweet, melancholic ...
Audience: chick flick, teens, family outing, kids, adult
Plot: dog, human animal relationship, life & death, happy ending, reincarnation, animal, police dog, transformation, talking animal, death, love, life philosophy ...
Time: 2010s, year 2017, 90s, 60s, 70s ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 6.3
 834
Big Red (1962)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 89 min.
Story: Wealthy sportsman James Haggin (Walter Pidgeon) lives on a Quebec estate called Wintapi. Émile Fornet (Émile Genest), handler of Haggin's hunting dogs, and Émile's wife Therese (Janette Bertrand), Haggin's cook and housekeeper, ...
Style: serious, touching, sentimental, feel good
Audience: family outing
Plot: dog, animal, animal life, youth, camping, camping trip, canine, nature, puppy love, countryside, camp, orphan ...
Time: 60s
Place: canada, quebec
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 7.6
 1K
Pollyanna (2003)
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: UK
Duration: 99 min.
Story: Pollyanna Whittier goes to live with her wealthy but bitter aunt after the tragic death of her father. Pollyanna shares a game her father taught her -- the 'Glad Game' -- in which everyone can find a silver lining in even the darkest ...
Style: touching, feel good, uplifting, sentimental, semi serious ...
Audience: kids, family outing, pre-teens
Plot: friendship, optimism, teaching the ways of the world, small town life, countryside, young heroes, small town, hopes, orphan, friends, change of heart, family relations ...
Time: 20th century, victorian era, edwardian era, 1900s, 1910s
Place: england, europe
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 7.3
 68K
Eight Below (2006)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min.
Story: In the Antarctic, after an expedition with Dr. Davis McClaren, the sled dog trainer Jerry Shepherd has to leave the polar base with his colleagues due to the proximity of a heavy snow storm. He ties his dogs to be rescued after, but the mission is ...
Style: touching, sentimental, inspirational, breathtaking, captivating ...
Audience: family outing, kids, chick flick, family friendly, teens ...
Plot: survival, dog, wilderness, expedition, rescue, dog sled, pets, snow, husky dog, animal, winter, storytelling ...
Time: year 2006, 20th century, 90s
Place: antarctica, astoria oregon, antarctic, new zealand, oregon ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 6.2
 613
Silver Wolf (1999)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 99 min.
Story: A ranger (Michael Biehn) and his 16 year old nephew (Shane Meier) struggle to save a wolf from a rancher (Roy Scheider), who is out to kill it.
Style: uplifting, sentimental, touching, feel good, independent film ...
Audience: family outing, kids, pre-teens, teen drama
Plot: wolf, snowboarding, survival, death of father, uncle nephew relationship, teenage life, human spirit, friendship, wilderness, pets, danger, daring rescue ...
Time: 90s
Place: british columbia
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 6.6
 28K
Max (2015)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family, War
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min.
Story: A dog that helped soldiers in Afghanistan returns to the U.S. and is adopted by his handler's family after suffering a traumatic experience.
Style: touching, emotional, suspense, serious, realistic ...
Audience: family outing, chick flick, teens, kids
Plot: dog, teenage life, youth, pets, military, twists and turns, family bonds, war, friendship, family drama, vengeance, runaway ...
Time: year 2015, 2010s, 21st century
Place: usa, afghanistan, texas
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 6.1
 2K
Flipper (1963)
Genre: Adventure, Family, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min.
Story: Many kids might say their best friend is a puppy or a pony. But for 12-year-old Sandy, the most special pet of all is the exuberant dolphin he rescues and who returns the favor by rescuing Sandy from sharks.The dolphin named Flipper first swam into ...
Style: melancholic, touching, exciting, feel good, semi serious ...
Audience: kids, family outing, pre-teens
Plot: dolphins, youth, ocean, coming of age, healing power, animal, young heroes, friendship, danger, teenage life, boy, father son relationship ...
Time: year 1963, 60s
Place: florida, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 6.6
 9K
Iron Will (1994)
Genre: Adventure, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story: When Will Stoneman's father dies, he is left alone to take care of his mother and their land. Needing money to maintain it, he decides to join a cross country dogsled race. This race will require days of racing for long hours, through harsh ...
Style: inspirational, feel good, uplifting, captivating, realistic ...
Audience: kids, family outing, pre-teens
Plot: dog sled, dog, survival, treasure hunt, animal, racing, underdog, winter, world war one, human animal relationship, canine, nature ...
Time: year 1994, 1910s, 20th century
Place: alaska, minnesota, canada, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Movie in collections
ocean movies
1299
childhood movies
4966
rescue movies
6063
sweet movies
3236
 6.7
 5K
Candleshoe (1977)
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 101 min.
Story: Candleshoe is a 1977 Walt Disney Productions live action movie based on the Michael Innes novel Christmas at Candleshoe and starring Jodie Foster, Helen Hayes in her last screen appearance, David Niven and Leo McKern.
Style: entertaining, melancholic, light, sentimental, sweet ...
Audience: kids, family outing, pre-teens
Plot: country estate, hidden treasure, orphan, teenage girl, treasure hunt, friendship, butler, heiress, unlikely friendships, happy ending, inheritance, parents and children ...
Time: 20th century, 70s
Place: england, los angeles
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 7.0
 151K
We Bought a Zoo (2011)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 124 min.
Story: Benjamin has lost his wife and, in a bid to start his life over, purchases a large house that has a zoo – welcome news for his daughter, but his son is not happy about it. The zoo is in need of renovation and Benjamin sets about the work with the ...
Style: feel good, inspirational, touching, sincere, romantic ...
Audience: kids, family outing, teens, date night, chick flick ...
Plot: single father, zoo, happy ending, animal, children, father son relationship, tiger, little girl, starting over, family life, countryside, beautiful scenery ...
Time: 2010s, year 2011, 21st century
Place: california, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 7.9
 177K
Wonder (2017)
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: USA, Hong Kong, Canada
Duration: 113 min.
Story: The story of August Pullman – a boy with facial differences – who enters fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.
Style: inspirational, uplifting, touching, sincere, thought provoking ...
Audience: kids, family outing, teens, family friendly
Plot: bullying, child, school, middle school, friendship, happy ending, father son relationship, deformity, family relations, fight, hospital, science teacher ...
Time: 2010s, year 2017, 21st century
Place: coney island brooklyn new york city, new york, manhattan new york city, pennsylvania
⇓ similarity ⇓
75%
 5.7
 7K
Andre (1994)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min.
Story: The true story of how a marine seal named Andre befriended a little girl and her family, circa 1962.
Style: sentimental, touching, sad, semi serious, feel good ...
Audience: kids, family outing, pre-teens
Plot: coming of age, childhood, animal, seal the animal, heartwarming, friendship, youth, small town, water, wildlife, magic, human animal friendship ...
Time: year 1994, year 1962, 90s, 60s
Place: maine, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
30%
The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min.
Story: Upon moving into the run-down Spiderwick Estate with their mother, twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate world full of faeries and other creatures.
Style: fairy tale, exciting, scary, semi serious, visual ...
Audience: kids, family outing, teens, family friendly, girls' night ...
Plot: magical creature, fantasy world, magical, fairy, children, imaginary, magic, siblings relations, family relations, estate, parent child relationship, supernatural ...
Time: year 2008, 21st century
Place: new england, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Movie in collections
 6.5
 20K
Big Miracle (2012)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 107 min.
Story: Based on an inspiring true story, a small-town news reporter (Krasinski) and a Greenpeace volunteer (Barrymore) enlist the help of rival superpowers to save three majestic gray whales trapped under the ice of the Arctic Circle. ‘Big Miracle’ is ...
Style: realistic, serious, uplifting, feel good, touching ...
Audience: girls' night, family outing, adult
Plot: animal rescue, journalism, rescue, volunteer, media, animal, ocean, whale, environmentalism, danger, ecology, sailing ...
Time: 20th century, year 2012, year 1988, 80s
Place: alaska, los angeles, new york
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 7.2
 9K
Duma (2005)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story: An orphaned cheetah becomes the best friend and pet of a young boy living in South Africa.
Style: sweet, touching, sentimental, captivating, inspirational ...
Audience: family outing, kids, teens, preschool
Plot: wild animal, lion, wilderness, rescue, adolescence, youth, boy, bully, animal, bullying, coming of age, desert ...
Time: year 2005
Place: africa, south africa, kenya
⇓ similarity ⇓
50%
 6.3
 4K
Shiloh (1996)
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story: An abused beagle runs away from his owner. On the road, he meets young Marty Preston and follows him home. The boy immediately forms a bond with the dog and names him Shiloh. His stern father won't let him keep the dog because it belongs to ...
Style: sweet, touching, emotional, semi serious, feel good ...
Audience: kids, pre-teens, family friendly, family outing, teen drama
Plot: dog, animal rescue, pets, youth, animal, greed, destiny, hopes, friendship, heroes, disorder, family relations ...
Time: 90s
⇓ similarity ⇓
26%
 5.8
 7K
Lassie (1994)
Genre: Family, Adventure
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min.
Story: An update of the Lassie legend stars Thomas Guiry as a troubled city kid whose family retreats to the country, where he befriends the famous collie and changes for the better. Conflict develops when a ruthless sheep rancher causes trouble for ...
Style: feel good, sentimental, touching, sweet, light ...
Audience: kids, girls' night, family outing, pre-teens, teen drama
Plot: dog, boy dog relationship, pets, coming of age, friendship, animal, childhood, mischievous children, family life, countryside, teenage life, lassie ...
Time: 90s, year 1994
Place: usa, virginia, baltimore
⇓ similarity ⇓
24%
 6.6
 11K
Black Beauty (1994)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family, Romance
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 88 min.
Story: The fates of horses, and the people who own and command them, are revealed as Black Beauty narrates the circle of his life.
Style: sad, touching, sentimental, inspirational, melancholic ...
Audience: kids, family outing, pre-teens
Plot: horse, friendship, animal, pets, animal rights, unlikely friendships, justice, happy ending, human animal relationship, getting home, hopes, farm ...
Time: 19th century, victorian era, 1870s
Place: england, europe
⇓ similarity ⇓
24%
Lassie Come Home (2020)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: Germany
Duration: 96 min.
Story: Remake of 1943 movie based on Eric Knight's book, "Lassie Come Home"
Style: captivating, sentimental, scenic, humorous, suspense ...
Audience: kids, family outing, pre-teens
Plot: dog, animal life, pets, best friend, pet dog, human animal relationship, north sea, journey, dog actor, fight, children, grief ...
Time: 1940s
⇓ similarity ⇓
24%
 7.0
 167K
Marley & Me (2008)
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min.
Story: A newly married couple who, in the process of starting a family, learn many of life's important lessons from their trouble-loving retriever, Marley. Packed with plenty of laughs to lighten the load, the film explores the highs and lows of ...
Style: touching, sad, feel good, funny, sentimental ...
Audience: family outing, date night, kids, teens, girls' night ...
Plot: dog, pets, animal, couple relations, life, parenthood, marriage, couples, friendship, family relations, children, family life ...
Time: year 2008, 21st century
Place: miami, ireland, usa, florida, pennsylvania
⇓ similarity ⇓
24%
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