Movies like Short Term 12
If you like "Short Term 12" you are looking for compassionate, sad and sweet movies about / with child abuse, social worker, depression, troubled teen, teenager, foster child and adolescence themes of Drama genre shot in USA.
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Short Term 12 (2013)
95K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min.
Story:
Grace, a compassionate young supervisor at a foster care facility, works with her boyfriend and colleague, Mason, to help at-risk teens. But when a new charge dredges up memories of her own troubled past, Grace's tough exterior begins eroding.
Style:
compassionate, sad, sweet, touching, realistic, thought provoking, independent film, inspirational, cerebral, depressing ...
Audience:
teens, kids, teen drama, adult
Plot:
child abuse, social worker, depression, troubled teen, teenager, foster child, adolescence, suicide attempt, coming of age, mental illness, problem child, self harm, bittersweet, therapy, unplanned pregnancy, character study, self mutilation, trauma, haunted by the past, parent child relationship, teenage life, human relationship, sexual abuse, cathartic, illness ...
Time:
year 2013, y2k, 2010s, 21st century, contemporary
Place:
los angeles, usa
Movie in categories
Most similar movies to Short Term 12
The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out serious, realistic, independent film and melancholic films with plots about depression, relationships, coming of age, loneliness, teenager, friendship and storytelling mostly in Drama, Biography and Romance genres. Some movies like Short Term 12: Palo Alto (2013), About Alex (2014), Half Nelson (2006), Fish Tank (2009), Detachment (2011). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 103 min.
Story:
A coming-of-age story based on the best-selling novel by Stephen Chbosky, which follows 15-year-old freshman Charlie, an endearing and naive outsider who is taken under the wings of two seniors. A moving tale of love, loss, fear and hope - and the ...
Style:
touching, teen, sincere, melancholic, sad ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, girls' night, teen drama
Plot:
coming of age, high school, teenager, adolescence, first love, friendship, teenage love, youth, high school life, depression, suicide, teenage life ...
Time:
90s, 2010s, year 1991, year 2013, 20th century ...
Place:
pittsburgh, pennsylvania, usa
Similarity:
100%
33K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story:
Palo Alto weaves together three stories of teenage lust, boredom, and self-destruction: shy, sensitive April, torn between an illicit flirtation with her soccer coach and an unrequited crush on sweet stoner Teddy; Emily, who offers sexual favors to ...
Style:
atmospheric, melancholic, teen, realistic, serious ...
Audience:
teens, teen drama
Plot:
coming of age, adolescence, older man younger woman relationship, teenage life, youth, teenager, teenage girl, crush, loneliness, high school life, high school, unfulfillment ...
Time:
year 2013, 21st century
Place:
california, palo alto california, britain, usa, new jersey
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min.
Story:
A circle of twenty-something friends reunite for a weekend away to console a suicidal member of their group. Yet, despite their best efforts to enjoy themselves, a tinderbox of old jealousies, unrequited love, and widening political differences ...
Style:
independent film, atmospheric, surreal, serious, realistic ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
suicide attempt, depression, reunited friends, group of friends, friendship, relationships, friends, anxiety, writer's block, life philosophy, introspection, college graduate ...
Time:
2010s, 21st century
Place:
usa, new york state, new york
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
Despite his dedication to the junior-high students who fill his classroom, idealistic teacher Dan Dunne leads a secret life of addiction that the majority of his students will never know. But things change when a troubled student Drey makes a ...
Style:
depressing, independent film, emotional, talky, inspirational ...
Audience:
teens, teen drama
Plot:
teacher, drug addiction, teachers and students, drug, loneliness, addiction, drug abuse, friendship, student, ghetto, school, existentialism ...
Time:
year 2006, future, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
new york, usa, brooklyn new york city, california
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
68K
Genre: Drama
Country: UK, Netherlands
Duration: 123 min.
Story:
Everything changes for 15 year old Mia when her mum brings home a new boyfriend.
Style:
sexy, emotional, sincere, bleak, gloomy ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, pre-teens, teen drama
Plot:
adolescence, age difference, coming of age, teenage girl, rebelliousness, mother's boyfriend, hopes, dancing, youth, sexual content, older man younger woman relationship, fall in love ...
Time:
year 2009, near future, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
europe, england, california
Similarity:
100%
110K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
A chronicle of three weeks in the lives of several high school teachers, administrators and students through the eyes of substitute teacher, Henry Barthes. Henry roams from school to school, imparting modes of knowledge, but never staying long ...
Style:
psychological, depressing, bleak, thought provoking, independent film ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
teacher, depression, suicide, teachers and students, dedicated educator, school, unhappy, social problems, high school life, teen angst, human relationship, social decay ...
Time:
2010s, 21st century
Place:
usa
Similarity:
75%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 124 min.
Story:
Beth, Calvin, and their son Conrad are living in the aftermath of the death of the other son. Conrad is overcome by grief and misplaced guilt to the extent of a suicide attempt. He is in therapy. Beth had always preferred his brother and is having ...
Style:
depressing, realistic, crying, sentimental, compassionate ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
dysfunctional family, therapy, suicide attempt, suicide, grief, coming of age, depression, psychiatrist, alienation, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, loner ...
Time:
20th century, year 1980, 70s, 80s
Place:
chicago, usa, illinois, houston texas, middle east ...
Similarity:
83%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 137 min.
Story:
After his older brother passes away, Lee Chandler is forced to return home to care for his 16-year-old nephew. There he is compelled to deal with a tragic past that separated him from his family and the community where he was born and raised.
Style:
depressing, sad, heartbreaking, touching, independent film ...
Audience:
teens, family friendly, adult
Plot:
sadness, family drama, loneliness, suicide attempt, depression, loss, death, uncle nephew relationship, dysfunctional family, guardian, nephew, grief ...
Time:
2010s, year 2016
Place:
massachusetts, boston, nebraska, new england
Similarity:
70%
Movie in collections
40K
Genre: Drama
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
The story of a young ex-con Jack, newly released from serving a prison sentence for a murder he committed as a child.
Style:
psychological, touching, suspense, heartbreaking, compassionate ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
redemption, juvenile delinquency, childhood, haunted by the past, going straight, bullying, melancholy, released from prison, teen angst, rehabilitation, violent, starting over ...
Time:
year 2007, 21st century
Place:
nebraska, britain, united kingdom, england, europe ...
Similarity:
100%
107K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 100 min.
Story:
Tracy is a normal 13-year-old trying to make it in school. After befriending the most popular girl at school, Evie, Tracy's world is turned upside down when Evie introduces her to a world of sex, drugs and cash. But it isn't long before ...
Style:
tense, sincere, emotional, teen, independent film ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, girls' night, teen drama, adult
Plot:
coming of age, adolescence, friendship, drug addiction, addiction, peer pressure, teenage protagonist, dysfunctional family, underage drinking, teenage girl, teenager, self harm ...
Time:
year 2003, 20th century, y2k, near future, 2000s ...
Place:
california, usa, los angeles, venice beach california
Similarity:
75%
Genre: Drama
Country: Belgium, France, Italy
Duration: 95 min.
Story:
Sandra is a young woman who has only one weekend to convince her colleagues they must give up their bonuses in order for her to keep her job — not an easy task in this economy.
Style:
sincere, independent film, depressing, serious, cerebral ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
depression, injustice, unemployment, working class, female protagonist, solidarity, loss of job, workplace, employer employee relationship, guilt, poverty, moral dilemma ...
Time:
year 2014, 90s, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
france, belgium, ethiopia, europe
Similarity:
100%
11K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story:
Lyle is filled with rage. After badly beating a classmate during a schoolyard fight, Lyle is committed to a juvenile mental institution in lieu of criminal prosecution. Inside the hospital, Lyle encounters a group of adolescents struggling with a ...
Style:
psychological, disturbing, independent film, depressing, compassionate ...
Audience:
teens, teen drama
Plot:
mental institution, mental illness, coming of age, juvenile delinquency, depression, self harm, addiction, mental health, manic, psychology, therapy, dysfunctional family ...
Time:
year 2001
Place:
new jersey, california
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 127 min.
Story:
Set in the changing world of the late 1960s, Susanna Kaysen's prescribed "short rest" from a psychiatrist she had met only once becomes a strange, unknown journey into Alice's Wonderland, where she struggles with the thin line ...
Style:
psychological, crying, gothic, serious, heartbreaking ...
Audience:
girls' night, chick flick, teens, teen drama, adult
Plot:
mental illness, suicide, coming of age, psychiatric ward, suicide attempt, mental institution, teenage girl, psychiatrist, borderline personality disorder, insanity, female protagonist, mentally unstable ...
Time:
20th century, year 1999, 90s, year 1967, 60s
Place:
usa
Similarity:
60%
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 126 min.
Story:
Will Hunting has a genius-level IQ but chooses to work as a janitor at MIT. When he solves a difficult graduate-level math problem, his talents are discovered by Professor Gerald Lambeau, who decides to help the misguided youth reach his potential. ...
Style:
psychological, philosophical, emotional, sentimental, intellectual ...
Audience:
girls' night, teens, chick flick, family friendly, date night ...
Plot:
mathematics, genius, professor, prodigy, life, life philosophy, psychology, philosophy, mentor, psychotherapy, university, life lesson ...
Time:
year 1997, 20th century, 90s, 2010s
Place:
boston, harvard university, america, persia, massachusetts ...
Similarity:
100%
102K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 124 min.
Story:
A man who lost his family in the September 11 attack on New York City runs into his old college roommate. Rekindling the friendship is the one thing that appears able to help the man recover from his grief.
Style:
inspirational, touching, depressing, sincere, heartbreaking ...
Audience:
chick flick
Plot:
friendship, grief, 9/11, mental disorder, dealing with death, mental health, trauma, character study, therapy, mental illness, tragic event, friends ...
Time:
september 11 2001, year 2007, 21st century
Place:
usa, new york, manhattan new york city
Similarity:
67%
65K
Genre: Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 139 min.
Story:
A peculiar neighbor offers hope to a recent widow who is struggling to raise a teenager who is unpredictable and, sometimes, violent.
Style:
melancholic, psychological, touching, independent film, atmospheric ...
Audience:
teens, family friendly, teen drama
Plot:
oedipus complex, dysfunctional family, single mother, mentally unstable, juvenile delinquent, childhood, troubled teen, teenage boy, mother love, mother son relationship, teenager, adhd ...
Time:
2010s, year 2014, near future, year 2015, year 1982 ...
Place:
quebec, canada, montreal
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min.
Story:
Gifted 18-year-old Meg has been abandoned by her father and neglected by her hardworking mother. Left to care for her emotionally disturbed younger sister, her world begins to unravel. She finds an outlet in writing poetry and support from her ...
Style:
disturbing, poignant, depressing, heartbreaking, contemplative ...
Audience:
teens, girls' night, chick flick
Plot:
teenage girl, power relations, cheerleading, teachers and students, teacher student relationship, dysfunctional family, depression, innocence lost, family in crisis, character study, complex characters, bittersweet ...
Time:
year 2002
Place:
ohio, florida
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA, United Arab Emirates
Duration: 91 min.
Story:
Suffering from a severe case of depression, toy company CEO Walter Black (Mel Gibson) begins using a beaver hand puppet to help him open up to his family. With his father seemingly going insane, adolescent son Porter (Anton Yelchin) pushes for his ...
Style:
touching, depressing, emotional, sentimental, unusual plot structure ...
Plot:
depression, mental illness, happy ending, losing-it hero, midlife crisis, mental disorder, dysfunctional family, psychology, family drama, mental health, coping, cheerleader ...
Time:
2010s, year 2011, 21st century
Place:
usa, california, new jersey
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min.
Story:
A paedophile returns to his hometown after 12 years in prison and attempts to start a new life.
Style:
sexy, harsh, independent film, psychological, controversial ...
Plot:
pedophilia, pedophile, ex convict, friendship, parole officer, sexual perversion, temptation, starting over, psychology, factory worker, suspicion, anger ...
Time:
year 2004, 21st century
Place:
philadelphia, california
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama
Country: Denmark, Sweden
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
A grandiose party to celebrate a sixtieth birthday unleashes a family drama with all the lies that conceal horrendous secrets. The eldest son, Christian, stages a showdown with the popular pater familias; his provocative, moving after-dinner speech ...
Style:
black comedy, cerebral, dark comedy, disturbing, surreal ...
Plot:
dogme 95, family secret, incest, child abuse, hotel, haunted by the past, pedophile, suicide, birthday party, drunkenness, birthday, party ...
Time:
year 1998, 20th century, 90s
Place:
europe, denmark
Similarity:
100%
32K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min.
Story:
Freshman high-school student Melinda has refused to speak ever since she called the cops on a popular summer party. With her old friends snubbing her for being a rat, and her parents too busy to notice her troubles, she folds into herself, trying to ...
Style:
touching, psychological, independent film, sad, sincere ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, girls' night, teen drama
Plot:
high school, teenage girl, rape, bullying, youth, rape victim, school, teenage life, innocence lost, teenager, unsupportive friend, high school life ...
Time:
2000s, 21st century
Place:
columbus ohio, usa
Similarity:
100%
8K
Genre: Drama
Country: Australia
Duration: 91 min.
Story:
A contemporary, ensemble drama telling the complex tale of six high school students whose lives are interwoven with situations that so many of today's youth are faced with. The story takes place during a normal school day. At precisely 2:37 a ...
Style:
psychological, bleak, serious, sincere, depressing ...
Audience:
teens, teen drama
Plot:
high school, brother sister incest, incest, rape, youth, teenage life, suicide, homosexual, high school life, teenage love, incest rape, social relations ...
Place:
south australia, adelaide south australia, australia
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
A pair of teenage girls in rural Pennsylvania travel to New York City to seek out medical help after an unintended pregnancy.
Style:
meditative, sad, rough, serious, crying ...
Audience:
girls' night, teens, teen drama
Plot:
abortion, pregnancy, unwanted pregnancy, teenage girl, female protagonist, teenage pregnancy, abortion clinic, 17 year old, teenager, sexual abuse, adolescence, cousin cousin relationship ...
Time:
year 2019, 2020s, 2010s
Place:
pennsylvania, new york
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
477K
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: Ireland, Canada, UK, USA
Duration: 118 min.
Story:
Jack is a young boy of 5 years old who has lived all his life in one room. He believes everything within it are the only real things in the world. But what will happen when his Ma suddenly tells him that there are other things outside of Room?
Style:
sentimental, heartbreaking, emotional, sad, thought provoking ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, date night, adult
Plot:
kidnapping, isolation, kidnapped, captive, room, mother son relationship, child born of rape, female protagonist, child protagonist, rape, boy, childhood ...
Time:
year 2015, 2010s, near future, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
ireland, persia, canada
Similarity:
60%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA, Netherlands
Duration: 105 min.
Story:
A teenage hustler and a young man obsessed with alien abductions cross paths, together discovering a horrible, liberating truth.
Style:
disturbing, lgbt cinema, depressing, independent film, psychological ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, teen drama
Plot:
coming of age, child abuse, gay, sexual abuse, pedophilia, homosexuality, homosexual, child molestation, lgbtq, male rape, homosexual rape, youth ...
Time:
90s, year 2004, 2000s, near future, y2k ...
Place:
kansas, new york, usa
Similarity:
75%
Genre: Drama
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
After being abducted as children, and suffering years of abuse, a teenage boy and girl find themselves living on the street.
Style:
sexy, bleak, serious, sincere, depressing ...
Audience:
teens, teen drama
Plot:
abuse, kidnapping, child molester, child prostitution, pedophile, rape, pimp, child abduction, child molestation, sexual abuse, haunted by the past, kidnapped ...
Place:
california, usa, pennsylvania, san diego california, florida
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama
Country: France
Duration: 120 min.
Story:
The film tells the story of Malony and his education as he grows from a six-year-old into an 18-year-old. A minors’ judge and a caseworker work tirelessly to try to save the young offender.
Style:
disturbing, suspense, touching, suspenseful, serious ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
social worker, juvenile delinquent, teen angst, juvenile delinquency, teenage boy, judge, pregnant teenager, teenage pregnancy, juvenile detention, mother's boyfriend, truancy, nervousness ...
Time:
year 2015, 90s, year 1997
Place:
france
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
Lester Burnham, a depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis, decides to turn his hectic life around after developing an infatuation with his daughter's attractive friend.
Style:
melancholic, thought provoking, sexual, dark comedy, sexy ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, kids, girls' night, teen drama ...
Plot:
midlife crisis, dysfunctional family, existentialism, age difference, obsession, loneliness, coming of age, older man younger woman relationship, dysfunctional marriage, youth, adultery, suburbs ...
Time:
90s, 20th century, year 1999, year 2013
Place:
usa, america, los angeles, iran
Similarity:
100%
40K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
After having visions of a member of her support group who killed herself, a woman who also suffers with chronic pain seeks out the widower of the suicide.
Style:
depressing, heartbreaking, sentimental, psychological, touching ...
Audience:
chick flick, girls' night
Plot:
loneliness, sex, drug addiction, obsession, depression, mental health, suicide, friendship, mental disorder, dead child, loss of wife, suicide attempt ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
usa, los angeles, california, mexico, tijuana mexico
Similarity:
100%
91K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min.
Story:
A controversial portrayal of teens in New York City which exposes a deeply disturbing world of sex and substance abuse. The film focuses on a sexually reckless, freckle-faced boy named Telly, whose goal is to have sex with as many different girls as ...
Style:
disturbing, independent film, controversial, bleak, teen ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, kids, teen drama
Plot:
coming of age, aids, innocence lost, youth, drug abuse, virginity, underage sex, teenage boy, street kid, puberty, sex, teenager ...
Time:
90s
Place:
new york, seattle, los angeles, usa, new jersey
Similarity:
100%
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