Motivational movies and TV shows
The list contains the best, new and most relevant motivational movies ordered by relevance. The recommendation service has sorted out inspirational, motivational, feel good, touching, dramatic and interesting films and TV shows about / with storytelling, mentor, motivation, inspiration, redemption, hopes, destiny, courage, transformation and honest plots mostly in Drama, Biography and Comedy genres shot in USA, UK, India and other countries.
791
TOP 10 movies tagged as motivational: The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), Good Will Hunting (1997), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), The Founder (2016), Whiplash (2014), The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019), Green Book (2018), The Terminal (2004), Jerry Maguire (1996), The Truman Show (1998).
Best films
New films
| Tapassi (2025) | 7.6 | |
| Catalog (2025) | 7.7 | |
| El Hareefa (2024) | 6.8 | |
| The Realtor (2024) | 9.1 | |
| Young Woman and the Sea (2024) | 7.5 |
List of motivational movies
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
A timid magazine photo manager who lives life vicariously through daydreams embarks on a true-life adventure when a negative goes missing.
Style:
feel good, inspirational, motivational, surreal, scenic ...
Audience:
teens, date night, kids, family outing
Plot:
self discovery, daydreamer, travel, life changing experience, loneliness, disorder, adventurer, journey, lifestyle change, photographer, coworker, obsessive quest ...
Time:
year 2013, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
iceland, greenland, usa, new york, los angeles ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min.
Story:
A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional career.
Style:
inspirational, emotional, sentimental, uplifting, motivational ...
Audience:
family outing, chick flick, teens, family friendly
Plot:
homeless, life, human spirit, rags to riches, life philosophy, success, single father, poverty, rise to the top, family drama, life is a bitch, biopic ...
Time:
80s, year 2006, 2010s, 20th century
Place:
usa, california, bay area, san francisco, america
Is relevant?
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 ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 180 min.
Story:
A New York stockbroker refuses to cooperate in a large securities fraud case involving corruption on Wall Street, corporate banking world and mob infiltration. Based on Jordan Belfort's autobiography.
Style:
clever, cynical, captivating, motivational, cerebral ...
Audience:
teens, adult
Plot:
money, corruption, wall street, business, rise and fall, addiction, stock market, stock broker, success, wealth, greed, rags to riches ...
Time:
80s, year 2013, 90s, 20th century, year 1987 ...
Place:
new york, usa, geneva switzerland, big ben london, italy ...
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
202K
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
The true story of how Ray Kroc, a salesman from Illinois, met Mac and Dick McDonald, who were running a burger operation in 1950s Southern California. Kroc was impressed by the brothers’ speedy system of making the food and saw franchise ...
Style:
inspirational, motivational, realistic, cerebral, uplifting ...
Audience:
family friendly, teens
Plot:
business, businessman, fast food, capitalism, rags to riches, entrepreneurship, entrepreneur, salesman, money, marketing, greed, food ...
Time:
50s, 1950s, 2010s, year 2016, year 1954 ...
Place:
usa, america, california, arizona, illinois ...
Is relevant?
1.1M
Genre: Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity.
Style:
dramatic, realistic, psychological, motivational, inspirational ...
Audience:
teens, family friendly, teen drama, adult
Plot:
music, jazz, obsession, emotional abuse, mentor, musician, teachers and students, drummer, follow your dream, desire for fame, musician's life, public humiliation ...
Time:
year 2014, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
manhattan new york city, north america, peru, new york, usa
Is relevant?
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
Is relevant?
673K
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama, Music
Country: USA, China, Japan
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
Tony Lip, a bouncer in 1962, is hired to drive pianist Don Shirley on a tour through the Deep South in the days when African Americans forced to find alternate accommodations and services due to segregation laws below the Mason-Dixon Line relied on ...
Style:
feel good, road movie, uplifting, funny, inspirational ...
Audience:
family friendly, date night, adult
Plot:
racism, road trip, musician, interracial friendship, travel, lgbtq, racial prejudice, journey, friendship, driver, black american, dignity ...
Time:
60s, year 1962, 20th century, 2010s
Place:
southern usa, bronx new york city, america, birmingham alabama, new york ...
Is relevant?
531K
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
Viktor Navorski is a man without a country; his plane took off just as a coup d'etat exploded in his homeland, leaving it in shambles, and now he's stranded at Kennedy Airport, where he's holding a passport that nobody recognizes. ...
Style:
touching, sincere, sentimental, sweet, emotional ...
Audience:
chick flick, teens, date night, family friendly
Plot:
airport, stranded, loneliness, culture clash, nothing goes right, happy ending, destiny, fish out of water, aviation, passenger, life philosophy, fictional country ...
Time:
year 2004, 1900s, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
new york, usa, america, canada, romania ...
Is relevant?
308K
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 139 min.
Story:
Jerry Maguire used to be a typical sports agent: willing to do just about anything he could to get the biggest possible contracts for his clients, plus a nice commission for himself. Then, one day, he suddenly has second thoughts about what ...
Style:
inspirational, feel good, motivational, sentimental, rom com ...
Audience:
date night, chick flick, teens, girls' night
Plot:
american football, career, single mother, love story, football, passion, workplace romance, sex scene, wedding, starting over, selfishness, sports agent ...
Time:
90s, 2010s, 20th century
Place:
usa, cuba
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 103 min.
Story:
Truman Burbank is the star of "The Truman Show", a 24-hour-a-day "reality" TV show that broadcasts every aspect of his life -- live and in color -- without his knowledge. His entire life has been an unending soap opera for ...
Style:
philosophical, thought provoking, psychological, surreal, touching ...
Audience:
teens, family outing, teen drama
Plot:
self discovery, simulated reality, video surveillance, alternate reality, fictional reality show, dystopia, freedom, hidden camera, utopia, paranoia, consciousness, loneliness ...
Time:
year 1998, 20th century, 90s, future
Place:
florida, persia, america, usa, los angeles
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 135 min.
Story:
At Princeton University, John Nash struggles to make a worthwhile contribution to serve as his legacy to the world of mathematics. He finally makes a revolutionary breakthrough that will eventually earn him the Nobel Prize. After graduate school he ...
Style:
psychological, touching, cerebral, dramatic, intellectual ...
Audience:
teens, date night, chick flick, family friendly
Plot:
mathematics, mental illness, schizophrenia, genius, paranoia, insanity, imagination, scientist, prodigy, nobel prize, imaginary friend, mathematician ...
Time:
year 2001, 60s, 1940s, 20th century, 2000s ...
Place:
harvard university, boston, new jersey, detroit, persia ...
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 129 min.
Story:
Oversized African-American, Michael Oher, the teen from across the tracks and a broken home, has nowhere to sleep at age 16. Taken in by an affluent Memphis couple, Michael embarks on a remarkable rise to play for the NFL.
Style:
touching, inspirational, sentimental, emotional, motivational ...
Audience:
chick flick, family outing, teens, kids, family friendly ...
Plot:
american football, adoption, life, african american, football, christian, interracial relations, human spirit, family drama, rising to stardom, interracial adoption, strong female character ...
Time:
year 2009, 20th century, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
usa, boston, tennessee, america, mississippi ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: France
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
A true story of two men who should never have met – a quadriplegic aristocrat who was injured in a paragliding accident and a young man from the projects.
Style:
feel good, inspirational, touching, uplifting, sincere ...
Audience:
date night, teens, family friendly, adult
Plot:
friendship, disability, unlikely friendships, life philosophy, friendship between men, disabled person, human relationship, handicapped, interracial friendship, culture clash, caregiver, friends ...
Time:
2010s, year 2011, 21st century
Place:
france, paris france
Is relevant?
696K
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Country: USA, Taiwan, UK, Canada, India, France
Duration: 127 min.
Story:
The story of an Indian boy named Pi, a zookeeper's son who finds himself in the company of a hyena, zebra, orangutan, and a Bengal tiger after a shipwreck sets them adrift in the Pacific Ocean.
Style:
philosophical, touching, visually appealing, reflective, scenic ...
Audience:
date night, girls' night, kids, family outing, chick flick ...
Plot:
survival, animal, ocean, human animal relationship, loneliness, life & death, stranded, survivor, hopes, beautiful scenery, storm at sea, journey ...
Time:
70s, year 2012, 2010s
Place:
india, america, asia, montreal, pacific ocean ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Country: Spain, Thailand, USA
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
In December 2004, close-knit family Maria, Henry and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand. But the day after Christmas, the idyllic holiday turns into an incomprehensible nightmare when a terrifying roar rises from the depths of ...
Style:
suspense, inspirational, heartbreaking, emotional, motivational ...
Audience:
teens, girls' night
Plot:
disaster, natural disaster, survival, catastrophe, ocean, tsunami, courage, forces of nature, destruction, danger, family in danger, vacation ...
Time:
year 2004, year 2012, 2000s, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
thailand, southeast asia, asia
Is relevant?
692K
Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 148 min.
Story:
The true story of top student and athlete, Christopher McCandless, who after graduating from Emory University in 1992, abandoned his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness.
Style:
road movie, philosophical, melancholic, inspirational, reflective ...
Audience:
teens, date night, teen drama, adult
Plot:
wilderness, self discovery, survival, road trip, freedom, isolation, solitude, journey, life philosophy, lifestyle change, beautiful scenery, nature ...
Time:
2000s, year 2007, 20th century, year 1990, year 1992 ...
Place:
alaska, los angeles, north america, northern california, america ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
At an elite, old-fashioned boarding school in New England, a passionate English teacher inspires his students to rebel against convention and seize the potential of every day, courting the disdain of the stern headmaster.
Style:
philosophical, inspirational, sentimental, uplifting, touching ...
Audience:
teens, family friendly, kids, family outing, girls' night ...
Plot:
teacher, suicide, poetry, coming of age, poet, mentor, teenager, literature, teachers and students, friendship, philosophy, dedicated educator ...
Time:
50s, 1950s, 20th century, year 1989, year 1959
Place:
vermont, new england, usa, harvard university
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 144 min.
Story:
The true story of boxer, Jim Braddock who, in the 1920’s after his retirement, has a surprise comeback in order to get him and his family out of a socially poor state.
Style:
touching, inspirational, sentimental, motivational, uplifting ...
Audience:
boys' night, teens, manly
Plot:
boxing, underdog, human spirit, great depression, boxer, biopic, athlete's life, roman empire, poverty, fight scenes, depression, protective male ...
Time:
1930s, year 2005, 2000s, year 2006, 1920s ...
Place:
netherlands, usa, new jersey, new york, madison square garden manhattan new york city ...
Is relevant?
190K
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 136 min.
Story:
Based on a true story, in which Richmond High School head basketball coach Ken Carter made headlines in 1999 for benching his undefeated team due to poor academic results.
Style:
inspirational, touching, motivational, hood, sexy ...
Audience:
boys' night, teens, kids, family outing, girls' night ...
Plot:
basketball, teacher, mentor, teachers and students, underdog, athlete and trainer, high school, athlete's life, dedicated educator, sport team, life philosophy, college ...
Time:
20th century, 90s
Place:
california, new jersey, usa, san francisco, sacramento california ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: India
Duration: 162 min.
Story:
Ishaan Awasthi is an eight-year-old whose world is filled with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate. Colours, fish, dogs, and kites don't seem important to the adults, who are much more interested in things like homework, marks, and ...
Style:
touching, motivational, inspirational, captivating, educational ...
Audience:
family outing, kids
Plot:
dyslexia, teacher, teachers and students, childhood, self discovery, coming of age, teaching the ways of the world, dedicated educator, shyness, young heroes, hopes, school ...
Time:
future, year 2007, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
india, middle east, asia, mumbai india, africa
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
Country: Australia, UK, USA
Duration: 125 min.
Story:
Author P.L. Travers travels from London to Hollywood as Walt Disney Pictures adapts her novel Mary Poppins for the big screen.
Style:
sentimental, touching, factual, sad, inspirational ...
Audience:
kids, teens, family friendly, girls' night, adult
Plot:
childhood, filmmaking, biopic, hollywood, writer's life, success, love, family drama, family relations, showbiz, parents and children, haunted by the past ...
Time:
year 2013, edwardian era, 60s, 1900s, 20th century ...
Place:
california, los angeles, australia, usa, london ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 123 min.
Story:
Like some other kids, 12-year-old Trevor McKinney believed in the goodness of human nature. Like many other kids, he was determined to change the world for the better. Unlike most other kids, he succeeded.
Style:
touching, inspirational, emotional, motivational, sentimental ...
Audience:
chick flick, kids, teens, girls' night, teen drama
Plot:
teacher, childhood, single parent, life philosophy, death, boy, good deed, disfigurement, addiction, abusive husband, childhood trauma, teacher student relationship ...
Time:
year 2000, 20th century, 90s
Place:
tibet, usa, nevada, las vegas
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
265K
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: UK, Australia, USA
Duration: 118 min.
Story:
A five-year-old Indian boy gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, thousands of kilometers from home. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia; 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.
Style:
touching, emotional, sentimental, inspirational, feel good ...
Audience:
family outing, chick flick, family friendly, date night, kids
Plot:
adoption, poverty, loneliness, courage, survival, childhood, mother son reunion, foster child, foster home, train, boyfriend girlfriend relationship, brother brother relationship ...
Time:
year 1986, 2010s, year 2016, year 2012, year 2010 ...
Place:
india, australia, tasmania, kolkata, melbourne
Is relevant?
684K
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 143 min.
Story:
Chuck, a top international manager for FedEx, and Kelly, a Ph.D. student, are in love and heading towards marriage. Then Chuck's plane to Malaysia ditches at sea during a terrible storm. He's the only survivor, and he washes up on a tiny ...
Style:
psychological, captivating, suspense, emotional, inspirational ...
Audience:
date night, family outing, teens, kids
Plot:
survival, loneliness, isolation, island, desert island, stranded on an island, courage, determination, solitude, lost at sea, air disaster, survivor ...
Time:
year 2000, 20th century, y2k, year 1999, 2000s ...
Place:
fictional island, moscow russia, persia, america, pacific ocean ...
Is relevant?
622K
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Germany, UK, South Africa, India
Duration: 143 min.
Story:
An ex-mercenary turned smuggler. A Mende fisherman. Amid the explosive civil war overtaking 1999 Sierra Leone, these men join for two desperate missions: recovering a rare pink diamond of immense value and rescuing the fisherman's son ...
Style:
serious, captivating, thought provoking, intense, emotional ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
civil war, treasure hunt, gem, mercenary, smuggling, greed, revolution, mining, rebel, journalism, life changing, rescue ...
Time:
year 2006, 90s, year 2003, 20th century, year 1999 ...
Place:
africa, sierra leone, zimbabwe, south africa, angola ...
Is relevant?
113K
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA, India, Indonesia
Duration: 133 min.
Story:
Liz Gilbert had everything a modern woman is supposed to dream of having – a husband, a house and a successful career – yet like so many others, she found herself lost, confused and searching for what she really wanted in life. Newly divorced ...
Style:
romantic, inspirational, touching, sentimental, road movie ...
Audience:
girls' night, teens, family friendly, date night, chick flick
Plot:
self discovery, midlife crisis, travel, lifestyle change, love, starting over, journey, life, changing lives, introspection, fall in love, tourist ...
Time:
2010s, year 2010, 21st century
Place:
italy, india, indonesia, europe, usa ...
Is relevant?
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
Is relevant?
198K
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport, War
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 137 min.
Story:
A chronicle of the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by Japanese forces during World War II.
Style:
dramatic, epic, motivational, uplifting, serious ...
Audience:
girls' night
Plot:
world war two, war, survival, soldier, jail, motivation, biopic, prisoners of war, hopes, prison, torture, captivity ...
Time:
1940s, 20th century, year 2014, 2010s, 1930s ...
Place:
japan, pacific ocean, asia, germany, berlin germany ...
Is relevant?
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
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
