Movies like Better Things 2008

If you like "Better Things" you are looking for sentimental, touching and serious movies about / with isolation, addiction, drug abuse, countryside, social decay, life is a bitch and mental illness themes of Drama genre shot in UK.
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Better Things (2008)
 5.2
 742
Better Things (2008)
Genre: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 93 min.
Story: Gails agoraphobia keeps her inside where she escapes into romance novels. She shares a house with her Nan, recently back from the hospital. Gradually, they both try to reach out to each other to break their isolation. Rob plunges further into his addiction as a way of numbing his heartbreak over the death of his girlfriend. In his stupor, he dreams of embracing her again. Mr & Mrs Gladwin are going through a shift in their 60 year relationship. Years of resentment and unspoken truths have built a barrier between them that Mrs Gladwin, in her abiding love, tries to erode in little gestures.
Style: sentimental, touching, serious, realistic, bleak, contemplative
Plot: isolation, addiction, drug abuse, countryside, social decay, life is a bitch, mental illness, society, family problems, confined, small town, crumbling marriage, overdose, mental disorder, agoraphobia, solace, bittersweet, life, death, teenage girl, heroin, drug addiction, old age, drug use, country ...
Time: 21st century, contemporary
Place: england, europe, britain
Keyword: withdrawal

Movie in categories

Most similar movies to Better Things

The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out realistic, serious, touching and gloomy films with plots about life is a bitch, family relations, society, family problems, parents and children, drug abuse and youth mostly in Drama and Thriller genres. Some movies like Better Things: The Unloved (2009), I Am from Titov Veles (2007), Bluebird (2013), Dealer (2004), The Salesman (2011). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
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 6.8
 1K
The Unloved (2009)
Genre: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 106 min.
Story: The Unloved is film that gives a child's eye view of the U.K.'s government-run care system for orphans and children in danger. Lucy is eleven years old. Having been neglected by her estranged mother and father, she is placed in a ...
Style: realistic, serious, touching, sentimental, bleak ...
Plot: social worker, child care, abandonment, orphanage, isolation, life is a bitch, youth, hopes, estranged mother, child abuse, human spirit, faith ...
Time: 21st century
Place: england, europe
⇓ similarity ⇓
95%
I Am from Titov Veles (2007)
Genre: Drama
Country: Belgium, France, Slovenia
Duration: 102 min.
Story: Burdened by memories of their late father, three sisters struggle to escape the suffocating environment of the dying town of Veles. A contemporary story of urban decay, „Jas sum od Titov Veles“ employs a stark realism to depict the vivid ...
Style: serious, realistic, touching, sincere, contemplative ...
Plot: adult virgin, social decay, introspection, family problems, dysfunctional family, society, family relations, daydreamer, life is a bitch, small town, economist, nudity ...
Time: 21st century
Place: macedonia
⇓ similarity ⇓
81%
 5.8
 980
Bluebird (2013)
Genre: Drama
Country: Sweden, USA
Duration: 90 min.
Story: On a freezing January evening, school bus driver Lesley completes her route, but her final inspection abruptly ends when a bluebird comes into view. What happens next shakes her small Maine logging town, proving that even the slightest actions have ...
Style: sincere, touching, serious, realistic, bleak ...
Plot: isolation, winter, family problems, family in crisis, youth, single parent, teenage life, working class, dysfunctional family, parents and children, drug abuse, small town ...
Time: 21st century
Place: maine
⇓ similarity ⇓
78%
 6.9
 1K
Dealer (2004)
Genre: Drama
Country: Hungary
Duration: 130 min.
Story: In an impressive follow up to his debut film Forest, Benedek Fliegauf tells the uncompromising story of a day in the life of a drug dealer. His clients include the leader of a religious sect, a friend who needs a final fix, a former lover who has ...
Style: psychological, atmospheric, stylized, serious, contemplative ...
Plot: drug abuse, addiction, life is a bitch, misfit, estrangement, social misfits, drug dealing, society, overdose, nihilism, underground, criminal heroes ...
Time: 21st century
Place: europe, hungary
⇓ similarity ⇓
72%
Movie in collections
 6.9
 667
The Salesman (2011)
Genre: Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 107 min.
Story: With an enthralling central performance by Gilbert Sicotte, this masterful debut feature examines the life of the top car salesman in a fading Quebec town as events challenge the 67-year-old’s sense of identity and the meaning of life at the most ...
Style: sentimental, emotional, sincere, contemplative, realistic ...
Plot: obsession, aging, working class, bittersweet, retiring, workplace situations, small town, society, elderly, social relations, countryside, small town life ...
Time: 21st century
Place: canada
⇓ similarity ⇓
72%
In Vanda's Room (2000)
Genre: Drama
Country: Portugal, Germany, Switzerland
Duration: 171 min.
Story: With the intimate feel of a documentary and the texture of a Vermeer painting, In Vanda’s Room takes an unflinching, fragmentary look at a handful of self-destructive, marginalized people, but is centered around the heroin-addicted Vanda Duarte.
Style: realistic, touching, emotional, semi documentary, contemplative ...
Plot: addiction, drug abuse, life is a bitch, misfit, social misfits, heroin addict, society, down on your luck, city life, urban ghetto life, poverty, painter ...
Time: 90s
Place: portugal, lisbon portugal
⇓ similarity ⇓
62%
 7.0
 302
Belonging (2004)
Genre: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 96 min.
Story: Jess (Brenda Blethyn) and town handyman Jacob (Kevin Whately) have been happily married 20 years, recently taking in a trio of Jacob's elderly relatives, including his mother (Rosemary Harris). Though the relations are demanding, kindhearted ...
Style: serious, psychological, realistic, touching
Plot: family relations, love affair, family problems, betrayal, dysfunctional family, family in crisis, society, life is a bitch, crumbling marriage, infidelity, working class, couples ...
Place: england, europe
⇓ similarity ⇓
58%
 5.9
 334
Love Come Down (2000)
Genre: Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 99 min.
Story: Two brothers in their early 20s, one black, one white, each the other's keeper since their family was torn apart by a decade old tragedy. Neville is a comedian struggling with his comedy, and his brother, Matthew, is a boxer consumed with the ...
Style: serious, touching, sentimental, emotional, independent film ...
Audience: adult
Plot: family relations, self discovery, interracial relations, drug abuse, addiction, haunted by the past, family problems, couples, life is a bitch, love and romance, couple relations, hopes ...
Time: 90s
⇓ similarity ⇓
56%
Movie in collections
 6.7
 564
Cook County (2008)
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story: After a stint in prison, Sonny returns to his home in East Texas, determined to repair his relationship with his son. Standing in his way is his brother, who has turned the home into a crumbling meth lab (IMDb.com)
Style: realistic, captivating, serious, psychological, atmospheric ...
Plot: meth lab, family relations, redemption, estrangement, family problems, addiction, parents and children, homecoming, drug abuse, methamphetamine, adolescence vs adulthood, small town ...
Time: year 2009, 21st century
Place: texas, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
56%
Goodbye Gary Cooper (2009)
Genre: Drama
Country: France
Duration: 75 min.
Story: Au milieu de nulle part, une cité ouvrière vidée de sa population depuis quelques années déjà. Pourtant, certains habitants ont décidé d'y rester, plus par choix que par nécessité, parce que c'est là qu'ils sont nés et ...
Style: touching, serious, realistic, captivating, emotional
Plot: factory, single parent, unemployment, life is a bitch, workplace, family relations, family problems, isolation, working class, parents and children, hopes, society ...
Place: france, europe, maghreb, south of france
⇓ similarity ⇓
55%
All Is Forgiven (2007)
Genre: Drama
Country: France
Duration: 105 min.
Story: Victor lives in Vienna with Annette, his beautiful Austrian wife and their daughter Pamela. It’s spring. Fleeing his work, Victor spends his days outside: he plays with Pamela, pays a visit to Annette’s parents, loiters in the park with the drug ...
Style: realistic, touching, psychological, sentimental, captivating ...
Plot: drug addiction, father daughter reunion, family relations, redemption, teenager, parents and children, addiction, crumbling marriage, family problems, life is a bitch, hopes, unfulfillment ...
Time: 90s, 20th century, 21st century
Place: france, paris france, austria, europe
⇓ similarity ⇓
55%
The Bed You Sleep In (1993)
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min.
Story: Times are hard for Northwestern lumber-mill operators like Ray and his wife Jean. Ray and Jean's lives are thrown into chaos when their daughter writes home from college
Style: independent film, contemplative, experimental, realistic, serious ...
Plot: mental disorder, alienation, family relations, small town, domestic disturbance, crumbling marriage, life is a bitch, introspection, society, human nature, family problems, working class ...
Time: 20th century, 90s
Place: oregon, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
53%
The Town Is Quiet (2000)
Genre: Drama
Country: France
Duration: 133 min.
Story: A dark tale of working-class life in Marseilles, a city in crisis. Interesting characters include a hard-bitten but compassionate fish market worker with a drug addicted daughter and a moody bartender with a shocking secret life.
Style: contemplative, serious, captivating, realistic, disturbing ...
Plot: family relations, drug abuse, assassination, life is a bitch, couple relations, unemployment, working class, parents and children, immigrant, society, love and romance, factory ...
Time: 90s
Place: marseille, provence, europe, france
⇓ similarity ⇓
52%
 6.2
 841
Everyday (2012)
Genre: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 106 min.
Story: This film charts the relationship between a man imprisoned for drug smuggling and his wife and is being shot over the course of five years, a few weeks at a time.
Style: realistic, serious, psychological, captivating, independent film ...
Plot: prison, parents and children, life is a bitch, hopes, family relations, couples, husband wife relationship, drug smuggling, society, youth, couple relations, prison life ...
Time: 21st century
Place: england, europe
⇓ similarity ⇓
46%
 6.7
 871
The Angel (2009)
Genre: Drama
Country: Norway, Sweden, Finland
Duration: 97 min.
Story: A drug addict becomes a mother and has to deal with responsibility and self-respect.
Style: disturbing, realistic, serious, rough, independent film ...
Plot: dysfunctional family, haunted by the past, solitude, family problems, youth, life is a bitch, human nature, destructive relationship, downfall, coping, addiction, parents and children ...
Time: 21st century
Place: europe
⇓ similarity ⇓
44%
The Cruel Embrace (1987)
Genre: Drama
Country: Belgium, France
Duration: 99 min.
Story: Nicole (Marianne Basler) gives birth to a mentally challenged boy after she is gang-raped by American soldiers at the close of World War II in this grim dramatic tragedy. Young Ludo is hidden in the attic of the family home and continues to yearn ...
Style: serious, psychological, realistic, gloomy, touching ...
Plot: mental disorder, parents and children, haunted by the past, dysfunctional family, isolation, kids in trouble, family relations, estrangement, family problems, single parent, misfit, mentally challenged ...
Time: 1940s, 20th century
Place: europe, belgium
⇓ similarity ⇓
44%
 6.1
 586
Sweet Nothing (1995)
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min.
Story: Angel celebrates the birth of his daughter by taking his first hit of crack cocaine. With the hesitant support of his wife, Monika, he joins a friend of his to deal drugs for a short time--enough time to get out of debt and buy some nice things for ...
Style: melancholic, realistic, serious, independent film, crying ...
Plot: drug addiction, drug abuse, loneliness, family problems, family relations, downfall, introspection, crumbling marriage, life is a bitch, misfit, money, addiction ...
Time: 90s
Place: new york, usa, bronx new york city
⇓ similarity ⇓
43%
 5.9
 766
Putty Hill (2010)
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min.
Story: Friends and family of Cory, a young man who has died of an overdose, gather at a Baltimore-area karaoke bar for his wake and compare stories about him. Gradually, as it becomes clear that there are many holes in their recollections about Cory, they ...
Style: sincere, emotional, contemplative, realistic, serious ...
Plot: family problems, dysfunctional family, death in the family, drug abuse, life is a bitch, hopes, introspection, social relations, estrangement, family in crisis, father daughter relationship, overdose ...
Time: 21st century
Place: usa, maryland, baltimore
⇓ similarity ⇓
43%
Movie in collections
 6.7
 127
Shirley Adams (2009)
Genre: Drama
Country: South Africa, USA, UK
Duration: 92 min.
Story: Shirley Adams spends her days caring for her disabled son, Donovan - he was shot in the back of the neck on his way home from school one afternoon over a year ago. Since then the Adams family has lost all their worldly possessions to medical bills. ...
Style: serious, realistic, uplifting, emotional, sincere ...
Plot: disability, hopes, human spirit, life is a bitch, single parent, introspection, family relations, family problems, parents and children, misfit, society, small town ...
Time: 21st century
Place: south africa, africa, cape town south africa
⇓ similarity ⇓
42%
The End of Innocence (1990)
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min.
Story: Seemingly autobiographical story of a woman overwhelmed with trying to please everyone except herself, and not finding any answers until she's admitted to a rehab center by her parents. Eventually here is where she finds her answers.
Style: realistic, touching, serious, psychological, emotional ...
Plot: nervous breakdown, rehabilitation, drug abuse, mental institution, parents and children, family problems, doctors and patients, life is a bitch, rehabilitation center, addiction, power relations, family relations ...
Time: 20th century, 80s
Place: usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
42%
 6.8
 3K
Pure (2002)
Genre: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 96 min.
Story: A young boy trying to deal with his mother's heroin addiction befriends a waitress who helps him cope with the tough situation.
Style: sincere, touching, emotional, serious, gloomy ...
Audience: chick flick
Plot: rehabilitation, addiction, youth, drug abuse, prostitute, life is a bitch, dysfunctional family, parents and children, teenage life, going straight, drug addiction, friendship ...
Place: london, england, europe
⇓ similarity ⇓
41%
 6.1
 464
Mouth to Mouth (2005)
Genre: Drama
Country: Sweden
Duration: 94 min.
Story: The teenage girl Vera left her family after an incident at home, and is now living with a middle-aged drug addict, Morgan, who is using her as a prostitute to get money for drugs and debts. Meanwhile, the rest of her family is falling apart, and her ...
Style: realistic, serious, touching, emotional
Plot: dysfunctional family, youth, rescue, life is a bitch, life turned upside down, parents and children, drug abuse, family problems, estrangement, society, teenage prostitution, first sex ...
Time: 21st century
Place: eastern europe
⇓ similarity ⇓
41%
 5.7
 341
Bypass (2014)
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, Sweden
Duration: 105 min.
Story: Tim has no job, but Tim ‘works’, selling stolen goods...In the face of mounting internal and external pressure, how far will he go to keep his head above water and protect those he loves?
Style: touching, serious, suspenseful, gloomy, realistic ...
Plot: life is a bitch, juvenile delinquency, society, parents and children, family relations, youth, down on your luck, terminal illness, urban, working class, criminal
Time: 21st century
Place: england
⇓ similarity ⇓
40%
Movie in collections
solace movies
118
life movies
3005
Something Like Happiness (2005)
Genre: Drama
Country: Czech Republic, Germany
Duration: 102 min.
Story: Over the course of a year, in a small town scarred and beaten down by industrialization, Tonda and Monika, friends since childhood, come to experience what life might be like if they could be with one another – which they seemingly can't. Or ...
Style: sincere, emotional, serious, sentimental, touching ...
Plot: mental illness, family problems, dysfunctional family, family relations, couples, friendship, life is a bitch, eccentric family, love and romance, single parent, working class, psychopath ...
Time: 21st century
⇓ similarity ⇓
39%
The Neon Bible (1995)
Genre: Drama
Country: UK, Spain
Duration: 91 min.
Story: While on a train, a teenage boy thinks about his life and the flamboyant aunt whose friendship acted as an emotional shield from his troubled family. This film evokes the haunting quality of memory while creating a heartfelt portrait of a boy's ...
Style: stylized, inspirational, serious, emotional, erotic ...
Plot: childhood, loneliness, working class, dialogue, small town, family problems, society, religion, world war two, child's point of view, youth, melancholy ...
Time: 1940s
Place: georgia, southern usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
39%
 6.9
 787
Yasmin (2004)
Genre: Drama
Country: Germany, UK
Duration: 87 min.
Story: In England, the Pakistanis Yasmin lives two lives in two different worlds: in her community, she wears Muslin clothes, cooks for her father and brother and has the traditional behavior of a Muslin woman. Further, she has a non-consumed marriage with ...
Style: serious, realistic, sincere, touching
Plot: immigrant, family relations, social differences, culture clash, false accusation, terrorism, life is a bitch, society, injustice, religions or cults, parents and children, family in crisis ...
Time: september 11 2001, 21st century
Place: britain, pakistan, england
⇓ similarity ⇓
38%
Blame It on Mum (2009)
Genre: Drama
Country: France
Duration: 100 min.
Story: Mady Celliers, an attractive housewife of 60, he spends his life speaking ill of her two daughters and her husband, a man who shows a strange behavior since has retired. Antoine, the eldest son, company director, is unable to make a success of a ...
Style: realistic, serious, sincere, touching
Plot: dysfunctional family, family relations, working class, family problems, family in crisis, family life, parents and children, couples, society, midlife crisis, crumbling marriage, life is a bitch ...
Time: 21st century
Place: france
⇓ similarity ⇓
37%
Late Bloomers (2011)
Genre: Drama
Country: France, Belgium, UK
Duration: 95 min.
Story: Late Bloomers stars Isabella Rossellini and William Hurt as a married couple pulled apart by the threat of old age. Each reacts in a different way: Hurt’s distinguished architect chases after his glory days, while Rossellini’s housewife installs ...
Style: sentimental, realistic, psychological, captivating, serious ...
Plot: crumbling marriage, self discovery, couple relations, family problems, couples, unfulfillment, midlife crisis, elderly, aging, husband, love story
Time: 21st century
Place: europe, england
⇓ similarity ⇓
36%
Everyone's Going to Die (2013)
Genre: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 87 min.
Story: Melanie's life in a seaside town is going nowhere until she meets Ray, back in town with a shady job to do. A moment's escape becomes a chance to save themselves, and each other.
Style: sentimental, touching, realistic, contemplative, atmospheric ...
Plot: homecoming, redemption, hopes, cause and meaning, unfulfillment, small town, gangster, friends, love, rivalry, society, couples ...
Time: 21st century
Place: england
⇓ similarity ⇓
35%
Acts of Worship (2001)
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min.
Story: Alix is taken in by a photographer, Digna, who despite her friends' protests, tries to help Alix piece her life back together and overcome her addictions.
Style: serious, realistic, disturbing, rough, gloomy ...
Plot: friendship, addiction, juvenile delinquency, downfall, going straight, youth, life is a bitch, rehabilitation, destructive relationship, drug abuse, overdose, boyfriend girlfriend relationship ...
Time: 21st century
Place: new york, usa, lower east side manhattan new york city, manhattan new york city
⇓ similarity ⇓
35%
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