Movies like Once Upon a Time in America
If you like "Once Upon a Time in America" you are looking for ambiguous ending, melancholic and epic movies about / with gangster, organized crime, mafia, friendship, prohibition, rape and betrayal themes of Crime and Drama genre shot in Italy or USA.
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.
Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
406K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: Italy, USA
Duration: 229 min.
Story:
A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan over thirty years later, where he once again must confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.
Style:
ambiguous ending, melancholic, epic, breathtaking, atmospheric, visually appealing, rough, realistic, visually stunning, talky ...
Audience:
boys' night, kids, adult
Plot:
gangster, organized crime, mafia, friendship, prohibition, rape, betrayal, gunfight, childhood friend, murder, corruption, flashback, nude girl, pig, mob hit, memory, criminal heroes, money, misogynist, misogyny, criminal syndicate, sex, dishonor among criminals, nudity, sexual favor ...
Time:
1930s, 60s, 1920s, 20th century, year 1984, near future, year 1968 ...
Place:
new york, usa, italy, america, china, israel, bronx new york city ...
Movie in categories
Most similar movies to Once Upon a Time in America
The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out realistic, rough, serious and tense films with plots about corruption, violence, gangster, brutality, murder, mafia and gang mostly in Crime, Drama and Thriller genres. Some movies like Once Upon a Time in America: Goodfellas (1990), The Untouchables (1987), The Irishman (2019), The Godfather (1972), Casino (1995). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
1.4M
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 145 min.
Story:
The true story of Henry Hill, a half-Irish, half-Sicilian Brooklyn kid who is adopted by neighbourhood gangsters at an early age and climbs the ranks of a Mafia family under the guidance of Jimmy Conway.
Style:
rough, homoerotic, realistic, epic, inspirational ...
Audience:
boys' night, adult
Plot:
organized crime, mafia, gangster, rise and fall, violence, mentor, mobster, drug traffic, cosa nostra, italian mafia, murder, psychopath ...
Time:
50s, 70s, 90s, year 1990, year 1980 ...
Place:
brooklyn new york city, new york, florida, italy, usa ...
Similarity:
86%
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 119 min.
Story:
Young Treasury Agent Elliot Ness arrives in Chicago and is determined to take down Al Capone, but it's not going to be easy because Capone has the police in his pocket. Ness meets Jimmy Malone, a veteran patrolman and probably the most ...
Style:
clever, suspenseful, period piece, inspirational, exciting ...
Audience:
boys' night, manly, adult
Plot:
mafia, gangster, organized crime, corruption, prohibition era, mentor, shootout, smuggling, prohibition, police, tax evasion, gunfight ...
Time:
1930s, 1920s, 20th century, year 1987
Place:
chicago, america, usa
Similarity:
100%
468K
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 209 min.
Story:
A mob hit man recalls his possible involvement with the slaying of Jimmy Hoffa.
Style:
captivating, inspirational, tense, exciting, crime drama ...
Audience:
chick flick, adult
Plot:
mafia, organized crime, labor union, italian mafia, gangster, killer as protagonist, high society, old man, mob hit, arrest, prison, hitman ...
Time:
year 2019, 20th century, 1940s, year 1960, 70s ...
Place:
philadelphia, pennsylvania, chicago, ireland, washington d.c. ...
Similarity:
100%
2.2M
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 175 min.
Story:
Spanning the years 1945 to 1955, a chronicle of the fictional Italian-American Corleone crime family. When organized crime family patriarch, Vito Corleone barely survives an attempt on his life, his youngest son, Michael steps in to take care of the ...
Style:
serious, captivating, atmospheric, epic, dramatic ...
Audience:
boys' night, manly, chick flick, adult
Plot:
mafia, organized crime, gangster, revenge, crime family, betrayal, mob boss, wedding, greed, pride and honor, cosa nostra, violence ...
Time:
1950s, 1940s, 20th century, 50s, year 1972 ...
Place:
italy, new york, bronx new york city, manhattan new york city, sicily ...
Similarity:
83%
Movie in collections
613K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA, France
Duration: 178 min.
Story:
The life of the gambling paradise – Las Vegas – and its dark mafia underbelly.
Style:
realistic, clever, rough, neo noir, stylized ...
Audience:
boys' night, adult
Plot:
organized crime, mafia, casino, rise and fall, gangster, betrayal, money, gambling, greed, criminal heroes, mobster, cosa nostra ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, 90s, 80s, year 1973 ...
Place:
las vegas, chicago, missouri, israel, usa ...
Similarity:
70%
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min.
TV show
Story:
Boardwalk Empire is a period drama focusing on Enoch "Nucky" Thompson (based on the historical Enoch L. Johnson), a political figure who rose to prominence and controlled Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition period of the ...
Style:
costume drama, serious, period piece, erotic, captivating ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
mafia, smuggling, mob boss, businessman, prohibition, criminal heroes, organized crime, gangster, federal agent, female nudity, corruption, crime boss ...
Time:
1920s, 20th century, 2000s, 2010s, year 2010 ...
Place:
new jersey, atlantic city new jersey, cuba, atlantic city, chicago ...
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 202 min.
Story:
In the continuing saga of the Corleone crime family, a young Vito Corleone grows up in Sicily and in 1910s New York. In the 1950s, Michael Corleone attempts to expand the family business into Las Vegas, Hollywood and Cuba.
Style:
epic, captivating, neo noir, saga, retro ...
Audience:
boys' night, manly, adult
Plot:
mafia, organized crime, revenge, murder, gangster, cosa nostra, sicilian mafia, literary, immigration, crime boss, assassination, melancholy ...
Time:
1950s, 50s, 1940s, 20th century, 1920s ...
Place:
cuba, sicily, new york, las vegas, italy ...
Similarity:
100%
127K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
A small-time hood must choose from among love, friendship and the chance to rise within the mob.
Style:
tense, atmospheric, neo noir, sexy, realistic ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
mafia, organized crime, friendship, gangster, epilepsy, urban ghetto life, money, strip club, street gang, stripper, character study, life philosophy ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, year 1973
Place:
new york, manhattan new york city, usa, north america, new jersey
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA, Italy
Duration: 167 min.
Story:
It's 1863. America was born in the streets. Amsterdam Vallon returns to the Five Points of America to seek vengeance against the psychotic gangland kingpin, Bill the Butcher, who murdered his father years earlier. With an eager pickpocket by ...
Style:
tense, rough, bloody, epic, atmospheric ...
Audience:
boys' night, adult
Plot:
revenge, gang, vengeance, gangster, organized crime, street gang, violence, betrayal, racism, courage, violent, gang war ...
Time:
19th century, victorian era, 1800s, 1860s, 50s ...
Place:
new york, usa, manhattan new york city
Similarity:
67%
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
Set in 1929, a political boss and his advisor have a parting of the ways when they both fall for the same woman.
Style:
neo noir, atmospheric, tense, stylized, cynical ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
organized crime, betrayal, mafia, corruption, gangster, shootout, irish mob, loyalty, love triangle, blackmail, mobster, prohibition era ...
Time:
90s, 20th century, 1930s, year 1990, 1920s
Place:
usa, new orleans, new york
Similarity:
75%
1.0M
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 170 min.
Story:
After getting a green card in exchange for assassinating a Cuban government official, Tony Montana stakes a claim on the drug trade in Miami. Viciously murdering anyone who stands in his way, Tony eventually becomes the biggest drug lord in the ...
Style:
exciting, serious, cult classic, breathtaking, rough ...
Audience:
date night, boys' night, manly, adult
Plot:
gangster, mafia, organized crime, drug lord, gunfight, mob boss, drug cartel, drug dealing, cocaine, drug abuse, violence, badass ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, year 1983, year 1980
Place:
miami, miami beach, bolivia, cuba, florida ...
Similarity:
33%
53K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: Italy, Belgium
Duration: 137 min.
Story:
An inside look at Italy's modern-day crime families, the Camorra in Naples and Caserta. Based on a book by Roberto Saviano. Power, money and blood: these are the "values" that the residents of the Province of Naples and Caserta have ...
Style:
tense, harsh, realistic, serious, depressing ...
Plot:
juvenile delinquency, gang war, mafia, camorra, gangster, death, danger, organized crime, italian mafia, gang, power, character study ...
Time:
year 2008, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
italy, napoli italy, europe, venice, miami ...
Similarity:
100%
864K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: Brazil, France
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
Cidade de Deus is a shantytown that started during the 1960s and became one of Rio de Janeiro’s most dangerous places in the beginning of the 1980s. To tell the story of this place, the movie describes the life of various characters, all seen by ...
Style:
rough, bleak, hood, sexy, stylized ...
Audience:
teen drama, adult
Plot:
gang, violence, ghetto, favela, coming of age, storytelling, gang war, gangster, society, juvenile delinquency, organized crime, journalism ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, year 2003, 2000s, future ...
Place:
latin america, rio de janeiro, south america, brazil, africa
Similarity:
50%
Genre: Action, Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
Over the summer of 1976, thirty-six bombs detonate in the heart of Cleveland while a turf war raged between Irish mobster Danny Greene and the Italian mafia. Based on a true story, kill the Irishman chronicles Greene's heroic rise from a tough ...
Style:
brutal, suspense, talky, intense, rough ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
mafia, organized crime, gangster, mob boss, irish mob, gang war, corruption, hitman, gang, criminal, brutality, tough heroes ...
Time:
70s, year 2011, 60s, 20th century, year 1960 ...
Place:
usa, ireland, ohio, new york, brooklyn new york city ...
Similarity:
100%
565K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 55 min.
TV show
Story:
The Sopranos is an American television drama created by David Chase. The series revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the conflicting requirements of his home ...
Style:
serious, dramatic, clever, cynical, captivating ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
organized crime, mafia, gangster, dark humor, family life, criminal heroes, mob boss, parents and children, criminal, dysfunctional family, family relations, introspection ...
Time:
90s, 2000s, year 1999, 20th century, 21st century
Place:
new jersey, new york, usa, north america
Similarity:
80%
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, France, USA
Duration: 89 min.
Story:
A traumatised veteran, unafraid of violence, tracks down missing girls for a living. When a job spins out of control, Joe's nightmares overtake him as a conspiracy is uncovered leading to what may be his death trip or his awakening.
Style:
psychological, suspense, cerebral, neo noir, breathtaking ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
violence, childhood trauma, hotel, suicide, trauma, murder, child prostitution, suicidal thoughts, traumatized man, teenage girl, perversion, corruption ...
Time:
year 2017, 2010s
Place:
new york, iraq, afghanistan
Similarity:
100%
250K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 147 min.
Story:
Two gangsters seek revenge on the state jail worker who during their stay at a youth prison sexually abused them. A sensational court hearing takes place to charge him for the crimes.
Style:
disturbing, sadistic, harsh, suspense, suspenseful ...
Audience:
family friendly, teens, teen drama
Plot:
courtroom drama, child abuse, vengeance, childhood, rape, pedophile, lawyer, pedophilia, murder trial, friendship, sexual abuse, sexualized violence ...
Time:
90s, 20th century, 80s, 60s
Place:
new york, manhattan new york city, madison square garden manhattan new york city, usa
Similarity:
40%
10K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 104 min.
Story:
The story of a group of friends in turn of the century New York, from their early days as street hoods to their rise in the world of organized crime...
Style:
suspense, intense, talky, suspenseful, realistic ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
gangster, mobster, organized crime, friendship, vengeance, tough heroes, greed, murder, criminal heroes, dishonesty, blind ambition, mafia ...
Time:
1920s, year 1991, year 1917, 1910s, 1930s
Place:
new york, israel, usa, coney island brooklyn new york city, brooklyn new york city ...
Similarity:
67%
Movie in collections
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 157 min.
Story:
Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he ...
Style:
tense, realistic, clever, serious, suspense ...
Audience:
manly, boys' night, adult
Plot:
mafia, organized crime, gangster, drug lord, mob boss, drug traffic, heroin, violence, smuggling, crime boss, ghetto, police ...
Time:
60s, 70s, year 1968, year 1970, year 2007 ...
Place:
new jersey, new york, vietnam, brooklyn new york city, cuba ...
Similarity:
67%
14K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
In 1934, the second most lucrative business in New York City was running "the numbers". When, Madam Queen, the powerful woman who runs the scam in Harlem, is arrested. Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson takes over the business and must ...
Style:
period piece, hood, stylized, neo noir, black and white ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
gangster, mafia, organized crime, african american, skinny dipping, black, gangsta, urban, black history, crime family, prison, violence ...
Time:
1930s, 90s, 20th century, 70s
Place:
harlem, new york, israel, illinois, usa ...
Similarity:
50%
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 119 min.
Story:
Derek Vineyard is paroled after serving 3 years in prison for killing two thugs who tried to break into/steal his truck. Through his brother, Danny Vineyard's narration, we learn that before going to prison, Derek was a skinhead and the leader ...
Style:
cerebral, rough, serious, clever, disturbing ...
Audience:
boys' night, date night, teens, teen drama
Plot:
gang, skinhead, racism, prison, neo nazism, neo nazi, character change, nazism, juvenile delinquency, murder, politics, african american ...
Time:
20th century, year 1998, 90s
Place:
los angeles, usa, california, america, north america ...
Similarity:
67%
2.4M
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 154 min.
Story:
A burger-loving hit man, his philosophical partner, a drug-addled gangster's moll and a washed-up boxer converge in this sprawling, comedic crime caper. Their adventures unfurl in three stories that ingeniously trip back and forth in time.
Style:
neo noir, cult classic, witty, exciting, clever ...
Audience:
boys' night, manly, adult
Plot:
dark humor, gunfight, violence, hitman, gangster, organized crime, overdose, storytelling, violent, professional killer, multiple storylines, foul language ...
Time:
90s, 20th century, year 1994, 70s
Place:
los angeles, california, southern california, america, britain ...
Similarity:
50%
22K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 85 min.
Story:
A wealthy Los Angeles teen and her superficial friends wants to break out of suburbia and experience Southern California's "gangsta" lifestyle. But problems arise when the preppies get in over their heads and provoke the wrath of a ...
Style:
sexy, sexual, erotic, disturbing, independent film ...
Audience:
teens, kids, girls' night
Plot:
youth, nudity, sex scene, hip hop culture, sex with a stranger, society, teenager, juvenile delinquency, hip hop, female nudity, making love, brutality ...
Time:
year 2005, 21st century
Place:
los angeles, california, usa
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 167 min.
Story:
New York City detective Daniel Ciello agrees to help the United States Department of Justice help eliminate corruption in the police department, as long as he will not have to turn in any close friends. In doing so, Ciello uncovers a conspiracy ...
Style:
tense, neo noir, realistic, bleak, political ...
Audience:
manly
Plot:
police, corruption, drug addiction, drug, lawyer, addiction, police corruption, whistleblower, police investigation, betrayal, redemption, fighting the system ...
Time:
70s, 80s, 20th century, year 1981
Place:
new york, america, usa, washington d.c., virginia ...
Similarity:
28%
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 162 min.
Story:
In the midst of trying to legitimize his business dealings in 1979 New York and Italy, aging mafia don, Michael Corleone seeks forgiveness for his sins while taking a young protege under his wing.
Style:
saga, epic, neo noir, visually appealing, bad ending ...
Audience:
manly, boys' night, adult
Plot:
mafia, organized crime, revenge, gangster, violence, cosa nostra, italian mafia, murder, guilt, sicilian mafia, assassination, catholic church ...
Time:
20th century, 70s, 80s, year 1990, year 1980 ...
Place:
italy, sicily, palermo italy, new york, atlantic city new jersey ...
Similarity:
33%
1.0M
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
A mentally unstable Vietnam War veteran works as a night-time taxi driver in New York City where the perceived decadence and sleaze feeds his urge for violent action, attempting to save a preadolescent prostitute in the process.
Style:
psychological, neo noir, bleak, atmospheric, cult classic ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
loner, vigilante, character study, alienation, vigilantism, violence, obsession, loneliness, psychology, lone wolves, taxi, social decay ...
Time:
70s, year 1976, 20th century, year 1975
Place:
new york, manhattan new york city, usa, america, harlem ...
Similarity:
13%
201K
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 123 min.
Story:
The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf.
Style:
factual, suspense, brutal, intense, captivating ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
mafia, violence, corruption, irish mob, organized crime, gangster, fbi, fbi agent, true crime, murder, illness, violent ...
Time:
year 2015, 70s, 80s, 2010s, year 2016 ...
Place:
boston, peru, usa, massachusetts, miami ...
Similarity:
26%
114K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 105 min.
Story:
Freddy Heflin is the sheriff of a place everyone calls “Cop Land” — a small and seemingly peaceful town populated by the big city police officers he’s long admired. Yet something ugly is taking place behind the town’s peaceful facade. And ...
Style:
suspenseful, neo noir, sexy, intense, talky ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
mafia, corruption, nypd, dirty cop, police, police corruption, internal affairs, sheriff, organized crime, justice, investigation, corrupt cop ...
Time:
90s, 20th century
Place:
new jersey, new york, usa, manhattan new york city, california ...
Similarity:
26%
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
Boyz n the Hood is the popular and successful film and social criticism from John Singleton about the conditions in South Central Los Angeles where teenagers are involved in gun fights and drug dealing on a daily basis.
Style:
cult classic, brutal, independent film, suspenseful, rough ...
Audience:
teens, teen drama
Plot:
hip hop, gang, ghetto, african american, poverty, coming of age, urban ghetto life, street gang, juvenile delinquency, rapper, gangster, teenager ...
Time:
90s, 20th century, 80s, year 1991, year 1984
Place:
los angeles, south central los angeles, california, america, usa ...
Similarity:
26%
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 134 min.
Story:
Terry Noonan returns home to New York's Hells Kitchen after a ten year absence. He soon hooks up with childhood pal Jackie who is involved in the Irish mob run by his brother Frankie. Terry also rekindles an old flame with Jackie's sister ...
Style:
neo noir, intense, atmospheric, psychological, captivating ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
gangster, gang, mafia, organized crime, st. patrick's day, undercover, irish gangster, homecoming, friendship, working undercover, irish mob, gunfight ...
Time:
80s, 90s, 20th century
Place:
new york, ireland, manhattan new york city, bronx new york city, usa ...
Similarity:
25%
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