Movies like The Better Angels

If you like "The Better Angels" you are looking for captivating, serious and realistic movies about / with education, illness, boy, society, poverty, father son relationship and husband wife relationship themes of Biography, Drama and History genre shot in 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.
The Better Angels (2014)
 6.0
 1K
The Better Angels (2014)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min.
Story: At an isolated log cabin in the harsh wilderness of Indiana circa 1817, the rhythms of love, tragedy, and the daily hardships of life on the developing frontier shaped one of our nation’s greatest heroes: Abraham Lincoln. Abe is a thoughtful and quiet boy who spends his days at the side of his beloved mother while learning to work the land from his stern father. When illness takes his mother, Abe's new guardian angel comes in the form of his new stepmother, who sees the potential in the boy and pushes for his further education.
Style: captivating, serious, realistic, black and white, independent film, postmodern, cult classic, teen
Audience: teens
Plot: education, illness, boy, society, poverty, father son relationship, husband wife relationship, dying, tragic event, biopic, medicine, youth, courage, american history, art history, abraham lincoln, raccoon, stepmother, dog, race, dancing, horse, native american, school, ghost ...
Time: 19th century, year 1865, georgian era, regency period
Place: indiana, usa, illinois, kentucky
Keyword: americana

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Most similar movies to The Better Angels

The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out serious, realistic, captivating and touching films with plots about husband wife relationship, father son relationship, family relations, flashback, biopic, death and boy mostly in Drama, Biography and History genres. Some movies like The Better Angels: Bless Me, Ultima (2012), Chappaquiddick (2017), Emperor (2020), The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978), First Man (2018). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
Watch Trailers From This List to Choose a Movie
Bless Me, Ultima (2012)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story: In a village in New Mexico, the life of young farm boy Antonio is dramatically changed when an old medicine woman joins his household. This affecting coming-of-age tale recounts Antonio's experiences to reveal the spiritual conflict in his ...
Style: spiritual, realistic, captivating, serious, disturbing ...
Plot: healer, youth, coming of age, friendship, child's point of view, introspection, war, social relations, village life, elderly, human nature, good versus evil ...
Time: 20th century, 1940s, year 2013, year 1944
Place: new mexico, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
95%
 6.4
 15K
Chappaquiddick (2017)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA, Sweden
Duration: 106 min.
Story: Ted Kennedy's life and political career become derailed in the aftermath of a fatal car accident in 1969 that claims the life of a young campaign strategist, Mary Jo Kopechne.
Style: tense, captivating, rough, historical drama, political ...
Audience: adult
Plot: politics, investigation, doctor, promise, husband wife relationship, lie, interview, lawyer, trust, public service, tragic event, president ...
Time: 60s, year 2017, year 1960, year 1972, year 1980 ...
Place: boston, massachusetts
⇓ similarity ⇓
81%
 5.9
 2K
Emperor (2020)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min.
Story: An escaped slave travels north and has chance encounters with Frederick Douglass and John Brown. Based on the life story of Shields Green.
Style: disturbing, realistic, touching, serious, captivating ...
Plot: slavery, plantation, american civil war, rebellion, african american, battles, freedom, equality, chase, militia, family relations, fight ...
Place: maryland, new york, charleston south carolina
⇓ similarity ⇓
81%
The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978)
Genre: Drama, History
Country: Italy
Duration: 186 min.
Story: The life inside a farm in Italy at the beginning of the century. Many poor country families live there, and the owner pays them by their productivity. One of the families has a very clever child. They decide to send him to school instead of make him ...
Style: realistic, touching, serious, contemplative, spiritual ...
Plot: peasant, farm, countryside, village, family relations, clergy, life is a bitch, family life, parents and children, hide and seek, parent child relationship, family problems ...
Time: 1900s, year 1978, 19th century, 20th century, 1890s ...
Place: italy, europe, milan italy
⇓ similarity ⇓
79%
 7.3
 201K
First Man (2018)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA, Japan, China
Duration: 141 min.
Story: A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong, and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969.
Style: factual, inspirational, disturbing, exciting, historical drama ...
Audience: family friendly, teens, date night, adult
Plot: astronaut, space travel, nasa, space exploration, moon, moon landing, loss of child, grief, outer space, apollo program, male camaraderie, rocket ...
Time: 60s, 2010s, year 1963, 20th century, year 1965 ...
Place: usa, california, mojave desert, florida, houston texas
⇓ similarity ⇓
76%
12 Years a Slave (2013)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 134 min.
Story: In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty as well as unexpected kindnesses Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In ...
Style: motivational, heartbreaking, disturbing, harsh, bleak ...
Audience: teens
Plot: slavery, racism, survival, civil rights, torture, african american, freedom, american history, life is a bitch, black history, interracial relations, kidnapping ...
Time: 19th century, year 2013, 2010s, victorian era, ancient times ...
Place: louisiana, new orleans, america, africa, usa ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
76%
 7.3
 23K
Angela's Ashes (1999)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA, UK, Ireland
Duration: 145 min.
Story: Based on the best selling autobiography by Irish expat Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes follows the experiences of young Frankie and his family as they try against all odds to escape the poverty endemic in the slums of pre-war Limerick. The film ...
Style: touching, depressing, sad, compassionate, serious ...
Audience: toddlers, teen drama
Plot: poverty, life is a bitch, ira, injustice, family relations, youth, parents and children, depression, children, society, human nature, childhood ...
Time: 1940s, 1930s, 90s, year 1999, 20th century ...
Place: ireland, new york, brooklyn new york city, usa, europe ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
74%
 6.7
 4K
Burden (2018)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min.
Story: Burden, an orphan raised within the Ku Klux Klan, attempts to break away when the girl he falls in love with urges him to leave for a better life together. When the Klan seeks Mike out for vengeance, a black congregation led by the benevolent, ...
Style: suspenseful, rough, emotional, political
Plot: love, african american, reverend, vengeance, ku klux klan, hate, racism, prejudice, neo nazi, civil rights, black history, deep south ...
Time: year 1996, year 2017
Place: south carolina, pearl harbor, africa
⇓ similarity ⇓
73%
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The Current War (2017)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA, Russia, UK
Duration: 108 min.
Story: Electricity titans Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse compete to create a sustainable system and market it to the American people.
Style: inspirational, realistic, clever, intense, suspense ...
Plot: inventor, science and technology, electricity, genius, science, invention, technology, storytelling, discovery, electrician, scientist, rivalry ...
Time: 19th century, victorian era, year 2019, 1890s, 1880s
Place: brighton, chicago, manhattan new york city, massachusetts, north dakota ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
73%
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: UK, Malawi
Duration: 113 min.
Story: Against all the odds, a thirteen year old boy in Malawi invents an unconventional way to save his family and village from famine.
Style: motivational, rough, inspirational, disturbing, factual ...
Audience: family outing, family friendly, date night, teens
Plot: farming, hunger, childhood, teenage boy, teacher, school, bicycle, chief, school expulsion, desperation, hopes, life is a bitch ...
Time: year 2019, 2010s
Place: africa
⇓ similarity ⇓
71%
We of the Never Never (1982)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: Australia
Duration: 134 min.
Story: Based on the well-loved Australian classic by Mrs. Aeneas Gunn, this is the remarkable true story of Jeannie Gunn, a woman who fought to overcome sexual and racial prejudice amid the harsh beauties of the outback. Leaving her Melbourne existence for ...
Style: independent film, realistic, serious, uplifting, sincere ...
Plot: australian aboriginal, aborigine, countryside, strong female lead, sexism, bride and groom, australian outback, killing an animal, feminist, animal cruelty, racism, strong female presence ...
Time: year 1982, 20th century, 1900s
Place: australia, melbourne
⇓ similarity ⇓
71%
 5.1
 10K
Tesla (2020)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min.
Story: The story of the Promethean struggles of Nikola Tesla, as he attempts to transcend entrenched technology—including his own previous work—by pioneering a system of wireless energy that would change the world.
Style: serious, factual, stylized, inspirational, freeze frame ...
Plot: inventor, scientific experiment, invention, inventions and discoveries, electrician, rivalry, electricity, progress, genius, scientist, storytelling, science ...
Time: 19th century, 2020s, future, year 1943
Place: chicago, pittsburgh, colorado, new york
⇓ similarity ⇓
71%
The Glass Castle (2017)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 127 min.
Story: A young girl is raised in a dysfunctional family constantly on the run from the FBI. Living in poverty, she comes of age guided by her drunkard, ingenious father who distracts her with magical stories to keep her mind off the family's dire ...
Style: sentimental, sad, emotional, thought provoking, captivating ...
Plot: dysfunctional family, father daughter relationship, painting, funeral, restaurant, hospital, alcoholic, pride, family conflict, biopic, writers, female protagonist ...
Time: year 2017, year 1989, year 1964
Place: nebraska, new york, lower east side manhattan new york city, manhattan new york city, west virginia ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
71%
End of the Spear (2005)
Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story: "End of the Spear" is the story of Mincayani, a Waodani tribesman from the jungles of Ecuador. When five young missionaries, among them Jim Elliot and Nate Saint, are speared to death by the Waodani in 1956, a series of events unfold to ...
Style: inspirational, christian film, tense, serious, realistic ...
Plot: christian, christianity, culture clash, murder, life philosophy, battles, family relations, coming of age, courage, self discovery, introspection, dealing with death ...
Time: 1940s, 1950s
Place: ecuador
⇓ similarity ⇓
71%
 7.7
 13K
Machuca (2004)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Chile, Spain, UK, France
Duration: 116 min.
Story: Santiago, capital of Chile during the Marxist government of elected, highly controversial president Salvador Allende. Father McEnroe supports his leftist views by introducing a program at the prestigious "collegio" (Catholic prep school) ...
Style: political, touching, sincere, emotional, serious ...
Plot: childhood, coming of age, sexual initiation, politics, friendship, poverty, youth, dictatorship, communism, demonstration, boy, children ...
Time: 70s, 20th century, year 1973
Place: chile, latin america, santiago chile
⇓ similarity ⇓
71%
Vision – From the Life of Hildegard von Bingen (2009)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Germany, France
Duration: 110 min.
Story: Hildegard von Bingen was truly a woman ahead of her time. A visionary in every sense of the word, this famed 12th-century Benedictine nun was a Christian mystic, composer, philosopher, playwright, poet, naturalist, scientist, physician, herbalist ...
Style: atmospheric, sincere, contemplative, captivating, serious ...
Plot: nun, gender, convent, medieval, saint, healing power, composer, visionary, monk, seer, prodigy, catholic church ...
Time: medieval times, middle ages, ancient times, 12th century
Place: germany, europe, rome italy
⇓ similarity ⇓
71%
When Did You Last See Your Father? (2007)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: UK, Ireland
Duration: 92 min.
Story: The story of a son's conflicting memories of his dying father.
Style: sentimental, emotional, sincere, realistic, touching ...
Plot: father son relationship, memory, coming of age, teenager, loneliness, reconciliation, family relations, character study, parenthood, life, death, writers ...
Time: year 2007, 80s, 60s, year 1962, year 1989
Place: brighton, london
⇓ similarity ⇓
70%
Robert the Bruce (2019)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA, Australia, UK
Duration: 124 min.
Story: In 1306, Scottish King Robert the Bruce turns a defeated outlaw when his country is invaded. But before to free his sacred land, he must manage to regain his will to fight back and survive the persecution of those who want take his head and the ...
Style: captivating, suspense, suspenseful
Plot: king, medieval, rebellion, mother son relationship, family secret, freedom, soldier, deception, betrayal, revenge, dream, sword fight ...
Time: 14th century, middle ages
Place: scotland, england
⇓ similarity ⇓
70%
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 6.3
 520
Haven (2001)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 180 min.
Story: This is the true story of a woman named Ruth Gruber who travels to Europe to help escort 1000 Jewish War victims to the United States. She comes to love and feel sorry for them all, and fights for their rights to live in America.
Style: emotional, disturbing, sincere, realistic, serious ...
Plot: holocaust, world war two, wartime life, survival, rescue, deportation, anti semitism, immigrant, fighting the system, human spirit, idealism, heroic mission ...
Time: 1940s, 1930s
Place: europe, chicago, harvard university, vienna, belgrade ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
70%
 7.5
 4K
Priest Daens (1992)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Belgium, France, Netherlands
Duration: 138 min.
Story: In the 1890s, Father Adolf Daens goes to Aalst, a textile town where child labor is rife, pay and working conditions are horrible, the poor have no vote, and the Catholic church backs the petite bourgeoisie in oppressing workers. He writes a few ...
Style: bleak, sincere, disturbing, gloomy, realistic ...
Plot: religion, revolution, politics, fighting the system, biopic, liberation theology, belgian history, justice, strike, labor, unemployment, corruption ...
Time: 19th century, 20th century, 1890s, 1900s, turn of the century
Place: belgium, europe, flanders
⇓ similarity ⇓
70%
 7.4
 26K
Amazing Grace (2006)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Romance
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 118 min.
Story: The true story of William Wilberforce's courageous quest to end the British slave trade. Although meeting intense opposition, his minister, John Newton, urges him to see the cause through.
Style: inspirational, emotional, period piece, talky, political ...
Audience: teens, family outing
Plot: slavery, politics, politician, slave, christian, biopic, friendship, freedom, corruption, civil rights, british history, slave trade ...
Time: 18th century, 19th century, 1800s, year 2006, ancient times ...
Place: england, london, britain, paris france, france ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
70%
 7.4
 3K
Warm Springs (2005)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 121 min.
Story: Franklin Roosevelt, left a paraplegic from polio at 39 years of age, seeks out a miracle cure in the backwoods of Georgia.
Style: uplifting, realistic, sincere, sentimental, political ...
Plot: president, politics, disability, politician, ambition, rise and fall, society, fighting the system, human spirit, rebellion, life is a bitch, hopes ...
Time: 1930s, 1920s, 20th century, 1940s
Place: georgia, usa, new york state, southern usa, washington d.c. ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
70%
Same Kind of Different as Me (2017)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 119 min.
Story: International art dealer Ron Hall must befriend a dangerous homeless man in order to save his struggling marriage to his wife, a woman whose dreams will lead all three of them on the journey of their lives.
Style: touching, inspirational, sincere, captivating, spiritual ...
Plot: friendship, marriage, ku klux klan, christian, homeless, forgiveness, family relations, homelessness, black, faith, love story, dysfunctional marriage ...
Time: year 2017
Place: texas
⇓ similarity ⇓
70%
Movie in collections
 6.7
 30K
Harriet (2019)
Genre: Action, Biography, Drama, History
Country: China, USA
Duration: 125 min.
Story: The story of Harriet Tubman, who helped free hundreds of slaves from the South after escaping from slavery herself in 1849.
Style: thought provoking, costume drama, tense, historical drama, political ...
Audience: adult
Plot: african american, slavery, black history, american civil war, female protagonist, freedom, female warrior, black, black woman, biopic, civil war, resistance fighter ...
Time: 19th century, victorian era, 2010s, year 2019
Place: southern usa, philadelphia, baltimore, south carolina, new york ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
70%
Wisconsin Death Trip (1999)
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, History
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 76 min.
Story: Wisconsin Death Trip is an intimate, shocking and sometimes hilarious account of the disasters that befell one small town in Wisconsin during the final decade of the 19th century. The film is inspired by Michael Lesy's book of the same name ...
Style: disturbing, black and white, sad, controversial, social ...
Plot: american football, cheerleader, found footage, witchcraft, mental disorder, magic, infection, hostage, unemployment, murder, arson, bride and groom ...
Time: 19th century, 1880s, 1890s, 90s
Place: wisconsin, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
69%
 8.1
 57K
Andrei Rublev (1966)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Soviet Union
Duration: 205 min.
Story: An expansive Russian drama, this film focuses on the life of revered religious icon painter Andrei Rublev. Drifting from place to place in a tumultuous era, the peace-seeking monk eventually gains a reputation for his art. But after Rublev witnesses ...
Style: atmospheric, breathtaking, art house, black and white, philosophical ...
Audience: family friendly
Plot: artist, painter, religion, art, biopic, monk, human spirit, medieval, painting, christianity, hunger, art history ...
Time: middle ages, 15th century, medieval times, year 1966, ancient times ...
Place: russia, soviet union, ussr, moscow russia
⇓ similarity ⇓
69%
As I Lay Dying (2013)
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story: Based on the 1930 classic by Faulkner, it is the story of the death of Addie Bundren and her family's quest to honor her wish to be buried in the nearby town of Jefferson.
Style: touching, realistic, serious, captivating, gothic ...
Audience: teens
Plot: family relations, last wish, death in the family, family problems, husband wife relationship, dying, dead mother, american history, rural area, dealing with death, dark humor, broken leg ...
Time: 20th century, 1930s
Place: mississippi, southern usa, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
69%
 5.6
 451
Saving Lincoln (2013)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min.
Story: The almost entirely true story of Abraham Lincoln and his self-appointed bodyguard, U.S. Marshal Ward Hill Lamon - a banjo-playing Southerner who foiled repeated attempts on the President's life, and kept him functioning during the darkest ...
Style: realistic, serious, captivating, stylized
Plot: american civil war, civil war, head of state, state affairs, danger, friendship, historical event, abraham lincoln, death of son, assassination plot, storytelling, biopic ...
Time: 19th century, 1860s, year 1958
Place: usa, washington d.c.
⇓ similarity ⇓
68%
 6.9
 32K
Goya's Ghosts (2006)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Spain, USA
Duration: 113 min.
Story: Painter Francisco Goya faces a scandal involving his muse, who is labeled a heretic by a monk.
Style: period piece, intense, factual, realistic, costume drama ...
Plot: rape, artist, art, spanish history, prison, prostitute, painter, biopic, spanish inquisition, life is a bitch, lifestyle, painting ...
Time: 18th century, georgian era, regency period, 19th century, year 2006 ...
Place: spain, persia, madrid
⇓ similarity ⇓
68%
Copying Beethoven (2006)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: Germany, UK, Hungary
Duration: 104 min.
Story: A fictionalised exploration of Beethoven's life in his final days working on his Ninth Symphony. It is 1824. Beethoven is racing to finish his new symphony. However, it has been years since his last success and he is plagued by deafness, ...
Style: realistic, captivating, touching, serious, stylized ...
Audience: date night
Plot: composer, classical music, musician, horse, artist, mute or deaf, biopic, music, pianist, musician's life, contests and competitions, love and romance ...
Time: 19th century, 1820s, 1800s, ancient times, year 2006 ...
Place: germany, europe, austria, vienna
⇓ similarity ⇓
67%
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