Movies like The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
If you like "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" you are looking for medical drama, psychological and tense movies about / with biology, medical research, genetics, profanity, women, black and research 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 Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2017)
4K
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
An African-American woman becomes an unwitting pioneer for medical breakthroughs when her cells are used to create the first immortal human cell line in the early 1950s.
Style:
medical drama, psychological, tense, captivating, suspense, suspenseful, disturbing, retro, novela, crying
Audience:
chick flick
Plot:
biology, medical research, genetics, profanity, women, black, research, fight, death, medical, life is a bitch, escapades, danger, black history, experimental technology, genetic experiment, experiment, human experiment, destiny, society, secret experiment, adaptation, disorder, hopes, experimenting ...
Time:
50s, 90s, 1940s, 1950s, 2000s, 1990s
Place:
north carolina, baltimore
Movie in categories
Most similar movies to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out captivating, serious, thought provoking and suspense films with plots about biopic, real life, society, justice, storytelling, corruption and runaway mostly in Drama, Biography and History genres. Some movies like The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: Something the Lord Made (2004), Saving Zoë (2019), Parkland (2013), Rosewater (2014), The Stanford Prison Experiment (2015). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
A dramatization of the relationship between heart surgery pioneers Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas.
Style:
sincere, inspirational, serious, realistic, uplifting ...
Audience:
family outing
Plot:
surgery, medical, prejudice, racism, african american, biopic, interracial relations, blacks and whites, surgeon, following a dream, medical research, friendship between men ...
Time:
1930s, 1940s, 20th century, 60s, 70s ...
Place:
maryland, america, baltimore, usa, nashville tennessee ...
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min.
Story:
Echo must deal with the regular dramas of high school, in addition to grappling with the murder of her older sister, Zoë. But when Echo receives a diary from Zoë's boyfriend, she begins to untangle the secret life her sister lived.
Style:
suspense, psychological, suspenseful, disturbing, captivating ...
Audience:
teens, adult
Plot:
murder mystery, murder, high school, damsel in distress, secret life, life is a bitch, brutality, investigation, friendship, danger, disorder, youth ...
Place:
ohio
Similarity:
100%
19K
Genre: Drama, History, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
November 22nd, 1963 was a day that changed the world forever — when young American President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. This film follows, almost in real time, a handful of individuals forced to make split-second decisions ...
Style:
tense, serious, factual, light, suspense ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
secret service, assassination, hospital, fbi, president, kennedy assassination, conspiracy theory, investigation, state affairs, doctors and patients, society, power relations ...
Time:
year 1963, 60s, 20th century
Place:
dallas texas, usa, austin texas, texas, california
Similarity:
28%
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min.
Story:
The true story of Madalyn Murray O'Hair -- iconoclast, opportunist, and outspoken atheist -- from her controversial rise to her untimely demise.
Style:
suspense, psychological, sincere, tense, captivating ...
Audience:
chick flick, boys' night
Plot:
single mother, atheist, religion, activist, dysfunctional family, biopic, woman, investigation, reporter, women, life philosophy, lifestyle ...
Time:
year 1960, 70s, year 1991, year 1964, year 1969 ...
Place:
texas, baltimore, new zealand
Similarity:
27%
11K
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 103 min.
Story:
In 2009, Iranian Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari was covering Iran's volatile elections for Newsweek. One of the few reporters living in the country with access to US media, he made an appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, in a taped ...
Style:
suspenseful, brutal, suspense, surreal, captivating ...
Plot:
prison, journalism, brutality, macabre, reporter, violent, torture, propaganda, investigation, adaptation, captivity, twists and turns ...
Time:
2010s, future, 21st century
Place:
iran, middle east
Similarity:
24%
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
This film is based on the actual events that took place in 1971 when Stanford professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo created what became one of the most shocking and famous social experiments of all time.
Style:
disturbing, thought provoking, psychological, serious, realistic ...
Audience:
kids
Plot:
psychology, prison, social experiment, human experiment, human nature, university, prison life, experiment, teachers and students, prison escape, character study, student ...
Time:
20th century, 70s, 2010s
Place:
usa, california
Similarity:
23%
274K
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, History, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 141 min.
Story:
Christine Collins is overjoyed when her kidnapped son is brought back home. But when Christine suspects that the boy returned to her isn't her child, the police captain has her committed to an asylum.
Style:
psychological, heartbreaking, sentimental, tense, touching ...
Audience:
chick flick, adult
Plot:
kidnapping, investigation, fighting the system, serial killer, trial, missing child, disorder, missing person, police corruption, uncover truth, society, corruption ...
Time:
1920s, 2000s, 20th century, year 2008, year 1935 ...
Place:
los angeles, california, usa, canada, seattle
Similarity:
23%
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, History, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min.
Story:
A drama centered around the relationship between journalist Michael Finkel and Christian Longo, an FBI Most Wanted List murderer who for years lived outside the U.S. under Finkel's name.
Style:
psychological, surprise ending, captivating, suspense, serious ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
journalism, murder mystery, twists and turns, macabre, journalist, courtroom, prison, prisoner, writers, courtroom drama, justice, prison visit ...
Time:
year 2015, 21st century
Place:
new york, oregon, usa, montana, mexico
Similarity:
22%
Movie in collections
11K
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
An ambitious young FBI agent is assigned to investigate iconic actress Jean Seberg when she becomes embroiled in the tumultuous civil rights movement in late 1960s Los Angeles.
Style:
political thriller, captivating, realistic, tense, disturbing ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
fbi, civil rights movement, women, spy, danger, disorder, love, police, society, dishonesty, suicide attempt, black panthers ...
Time:
year 1969, 20th century, 60s
Place:
los angeles
Similarity:
22%
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: UK, Zimbabwe, USA
Duration: 157 min.
Story:
A dramatic story, based on actual events, about the friendship between two men struggling against apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s. Donald Woods is a white liberal journalist in South Africa who begins to follow the activities of Stephen Biko, ...
Style:
inspirational, political, cult classic, edutainment, political thriller ...
Plot:
racism, apartheid, politics, journalism, biopic, human rights, civil rights, social injustice, social commentary, black, african, friendship ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, year 1987, year 1975, year 1977
Place:
south africa, africa, cape town south africa, england
Similarity:
22%
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 147 min.
Story:
An equal rights crusader, journalist and activist: Gloria Steinem embodies these and more. From her role in the revolutionary women's rights movement to her travels throughout the U.S. and around the world, Steinem has made an everlasting mark ...
Style:
political, inspirational, factual, thought provoking, uplifting
Audience:
chick flick
Plot:
feminism, feminist, activism, journalism, women, biopic, abortion, civil rights, civil rights movement, introspection, injustice, justice ...
Time:
2020s
Similarity:
21%
175K
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 121 min.
Story:
Dr. Malcolm Sayer, a shy research physician, uses an experimental drug to "awaken" the catatonic victims of a rare disease. Leonard is the first patient to receive the controversial treatment. His awakening, filled with awe and enthusiasm, ...
Style:
inspirational, sentimental, cerebral, psychological, touching ...
Audience:
teens, girls' night, teen drama
Plot:
hospital, mental illness, mental institution, illness, doctors and patients, medical, fighting illness, doctor, medicine, catatonia, disability, patient ...
Time:
20th century, 90s, 1930s, 60s, year 1969
Place:
bronx new york city, new york, america, usa
Similarity:
21%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min.
Story:
Deep into Hell Week, a favored pledgee is torn between honoring his code of silence or standing up against the intensifying violence of underground hazing.
Style:
captivating, tense, psychological, disturbing, suspense ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
brotherhood, university, black, danger, murder, youth, society, friendship, disorder, death, greed, obsession ...
Time:
year 2017
Similarity:
21%
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA, Canada, Ireland
Duration: 88 min.
Story:
Susannah Cahalan, an up-and-coming journalist at the New York Post becomes plagued by voices in her head and seizures, causing a rapid descent into insanity.
Style:
medical drama, thought provoking, neurotic, realistic, suspenseful ...
Plot:
strong female lead, hospital, diagnosis, psychiatry, fighting illness, human brain, journalist, visual hallucination, doctor, female protagonist, newspaper reporter, catatonia ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
america, new york
Similarity:
20%
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 127 min.
Story:
The untold story of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson – brilliant African-American women working at NASA and serving as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history – the launch of astronaut John Glenn into ...
Style:
inspirational, exciting, touching, feel good, historical drama ...
Audience:
girls' night, family friendly, date night, chick flick, kids ...
Plot:
racism, mathematics, nasa, space program, stereotypes, african american, prejudice, sexism, genius, scientist, strong female character, racial segregation ...
Time:
60s, year 1961, 20th century, year 2016, 2010s ...
Place:
indiana, persia, usa, virginia, langley virginia
Similarity:
20%
110K
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Japan, USA
Duration: 202 min.
Story:
A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he became a Black Muslim and then a leader in the Nation of Islam. His assassination in 1965 left ...
Style:
political, factual, inspirational, thought provoking, intense ...
Plot:
civil rights, racism, politics, african american, black history, civil rights movement, assassination, islam, biopic, childhood, black, anti racism ...
Time:
20th century, 90s, 60s, 50s, 1940s ...
Place:
usa, africa, new york, saudi arabia, manhattan new york city ...
Similarity:
20%
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: South Africa, Canada
Duration: 104 min.
Story:
A drama that chronicles the life of Winnie Mandela from her childhood through her marriage and her husband's incarceration.
Style:
captivating, thought provoking, realistic, serious, political ...
Plot:
ambition, politics, state affairs, society, feminism, confined, hopes, political unrest, isolation, black, biopic, black cast ...
Time:
20th century, year 1953
Place:
africa, south africa
Similarity:
20%
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA, China, Canada
Duration: 120 min.
Story:
Young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg teams with her husband Marty to bring a groundbreaking case before the U.S. Court of Appeals and overturn a century of gender discrimination.
Style:
clever, inspirational, captivating, political, emotional ...
Audience:
girls' night, chick flick, boys' night, adult
Plot:
courtroom, women's rights, feminist, supreme court, female lawyer, human rights, lawyer, equality, husband wife relationship, teacher, feminism, marriage ...
Time:
1950s, 50s, year 1963, year 1956, 70s ...
Place:
usa, denver colorado, new york
Similarity:
20%
Movie in collections
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: UK, Malawi, USA, Kenya
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, disturbing, factual, bleak ...
Audience:
date night, family outing, family friendly, teens
Plot:
farming, hunger, childhood, teenage boy, destiny, school expulsion, bicycle, chief, teacher, school, desperation, life is a bitch ...
Time:
2010s, year 2019
Place:
africa
Similarity:
19%
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: France
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
In the hospital where she works in Brest, France, a lung specialist discovers a direct link between suspicious deaths and state-approved medicine. She fights single-handedly for the truth to come out.
Style:
captivating, suspenseful, tense, suspense
Plot:
doctor, health, whistleblower, female protagonist, television, blood, death, danger, illness, woman, economist, biopic ...
Time:
year 2016, 2000s, 2010s, year 2009, year 2011 ...
Place:
france, brittany
Similarity:
19%
23K
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Thriller
Country: Australia, USA
Duration: 125 min.
Story:
As a renowned producer and close associate of Dan Rather, Mary Mapes believes she’s broken the biggest story of the 2004 election: revelations of a sitting U.S. President’s military service. But when allegations come pouring in, sources change ...
Style:
suspense, factual, tense, suspenseful, intense ...
Plot:
journalism, politics, political scandal, election, justice, american politics, fired from the job, betrayal, conspiracy theory, tv reporter, presidential election, journalist ...
Time:
90s, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
texas, new york
Similarity:
19%
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, History, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA, Italy, UK, China
Duration: 132 min.
Story:
The story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty to pay the ransom.
Style:
rough, tense, serious, captivating, period piece ...
Plot:
kidnapping, ransom demand, billionaire, rich, mafia, escape attempt, money, wealth, ransom, rich man, cruelty, greed ...
Time:
year 2017, 2010s, 70s, year 1971, year 1973
Place:
rome italy, italy, saudi arabia
Similarity:
19%
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story:
In 1948, Johns served as the outspoken spiritual leader of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Incensed at the racial injustice that pervaded the South, he was determined to fight for equality for all African Americans.
Style:
thought provoking, captivating, realistic, serious, disturbing
Plot:
racism, civil rights, racial violence, american history, rebel, revolutionary, black, church, life is a bitch, military, hopes, rebellion ...
Time:
50s, 1950s
Place:
america
Similarity:
19%
Movie in collections
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
Yale University, 1961. Stanley Milgram designs a psychology experiment that still resonates to this day, in which people think they’re delivering painful electric shocks to an affable stranger strapped into a chair in another room. Despite his ...
Style:
political, philosophical, cerebral, disturbing, factual ...
Plot:
psychology, science, biopic, social experiment, electric shock, scientist, insanity, experiment, manipulation, couple relations, workplace, inventions and discoveries ...
Time:
60s, year 1961, year 2015, 20th century, 1930s
Place:
usa, yale university, connecticut
Similarity:
19%
104K
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
Country: UK, Australia, USA
Duration: 123 min.
Story:
A dramatic thriller based on the incredible true David vs. Goliath story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE, a football-related brain trauma, in a pro player and fought ...
Style:
inspirational, emotional, captivating, compassionate, serious ...
Audience:
girls' night
Plot:
american football, doctor, professional sports, autopsy, football, sports injury, research, nfl, brain damage, uncover truth, investigation, biopic ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
pittsburgh, washington d.c., usa, pennsylvania, california ...
Similarity:
19%
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:
heartbreaking, harsh, atmospheric, inspirational, motivational ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
slavery, racism, survival, civil rights, african american, black history, torture, slave trade, american history, freedom, racial discrimination, rape ...
Time:
19th century, 1850s, year 2013, victorian era, 2010s ...
Place:
louisiana, new orleans, america, africa, southern usa ...
Similarity:
19%
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
Judge Clarence Thomas' nomination to the United States' Supreme Court is called into question when former colleague, Anita Hill, testifies that he had sexually harassed her.
Style:
political, suspense, psychological, serious, thought provoking ...
Plot:
lawyer, supreme court, court, black history, black, sexual harassment, congressional hearing, secret past, uncover truth, investigation, court hearing, legal investigation ...
Time:
90s
Place:
usa
Similarity:
19%
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
A reporter becomes the target of a vicious smear campaign that drives him to the point of suicide after he exposes the CIA's role in arming Contra rebels in Nicaragua and importing cocaine into California. Based on the true story of journalist ...
Style:
political, clever, suspenseful, captivating, disturbing ...
Audience:
family friendly
Plot:
journalism, reporter, journalist, conspiracy, u.s. government, investigative journalism, politics, drug smuggling, investigative reporter, media manipulation, media, cia ...
Time:
80s, year 2014, 70s, 90s, 20th century ...
Place:
latin america, california, los angeles, nicaragua, usa ...
Similarity:
18%
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Mystery
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 113 min.
Story:
Gary Hart, former Senator of Colorado, becomes the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1987. Hart's intelligence, charisma and idealism makes him popular with young voters, leaving him with a seemingly clear path to the ...
Style:
political, psychological, captivating, thought provoking, sentimental ...
Plot:
politics, scandal, senator, presidential campaign, reputation, rivalry, society, president, american politics, journalism, election, campaign ...
Time:
20th century, 80s, year 1987
Place:
usa, new york, colorado
Similarity:
18%
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 132 min.
Story:
Jesus of Nazareth’s life and ministry were subject to seismic social and political events that led to his execution and changed the world forever.
Style:
realistic, serious, captivating, biblical, psychological ...
Plot:
religion, hopes, jesus christ, rebellion, society, rise and fall, idealism, bible, self sacrifice, life is a bitch, biopic, self discovery ...
Time:
1st century, biblical epic
Place:
holy land
Similarity:
18%
Related movie lists
