12 Movies Like Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood You Need to Watch
Browse smart picks for fans of Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, from dark comedies and crime stories to drama-driven twists on fame, time, and suspense.
If you’re searching for movies like Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, this list keeps the focus on character-driven stories, shifting moods, and offbeat angles on fame, crime, and everyday life. You’ll find comedy-drama options such as Stuck in Love. and Lost in London, along with more genre-bending picks like Last Night in Soho and Cold in July. For something closer to the playful, darkly comic side of the mood, try Madness in the Method, Breaking News in Yuba County, or A Rainy Day in New York. And if you want a wider range of tonal matches, Miracle in Milan and A Bluebird in My Heart add more drama to the mix.
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01
Madness in the Method
comedy · crime
Jason wants to be taken more seriously as an actor, so he asks his friend Kevin Smith for advice, and decides to become a method actor. Trouble is, being a method actor drives him mad and he slowly becomes a serial killer.
Why watch: If you want a darker comic detour, this one fits with its comedy-crime setup and story about an actor trying method acting. It may appeal if you like stories where ambition and bad decisions spiral in unusual ways.
Directed by Jason MewesCast Jason Mewes, Vinnie Jones, Jaime Camil, Gina Carano, Kevin SmithFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
02
Breaking News in Yuba County
comedy · crime · drama · mystery · thriller
A woman takes advantage of her growing celebrity status when the police and the public think her dead husband is just missing.
Why watch: If you enjoy crime stories with comedy, drama, mystery, and thriller elements mixed together, this could be a fit. The premise centers on a woman using her unexpected celebrity status, which gives it a similarly off-kilter Hollywood-adjacent angle.
Directed by Tate TaylorCast Allison Janney, Mila Kunis, Regina Hall, Awkwafina, Wanda SykesAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb → -
03
A Rainy Day in New York
comedy · romance
Two young people arrive in New York to spend a weekend, but once they arrive they're met with bad weather and a series of adventures.
Why watch: If you prefer a lighter, more relaxed watch, this comedy-romance about a weekend in New York may suit you. It’s a good choice if you like character-focused stories with a breezy, wandering feel.
Directed by Woody AllenCast Timothée Chalamet, Elle Fanning, Liev Schreiber, Suzanne Smith, Olivia Boreham-WingFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
04
The Village in the Woods
drama · horror · mystery · thriller
When a young couple from the wrong side of the tracks decide to take on an inheritance fraud job, little do they know that they have accepted a fate far darker then they could ever have imagined.
Why watch: If you want a moodier pick, this drama-horror-mystery-thriller blend may work for you. Its story of an inheritance fraud job gone wrong points toward a darker, more suspenseful path.
Directed by Raine McCormackCast Beth Park, Robert Vernon, Richard Hope, Sidney Kean, Therese BradleyFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
05
Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat
comedy · horror · western
Reclusive vampires lounge in a lonely American town. They wear sunscreen to protect themselves. A descendant of Van Helsing arrives with hilarious consequences.
Why watch: If you’re open to a strange genre mix, this comedy-horror-western has a playful premise with vampires in a lonely American town. It’s a better fit if you want something unusual rather than a close tonal match.
Directed by Anthony HickoxCast David Carradine, Morgan Brittany, Bruce Campbell, Jim Metzler, Maxwell CaulfieldFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
06
Lost in London
comedy · drama
Within the course of a night, Woody Harrelson finds himself in a misadventure in London that winds him up in prison.
Why watch: If you like real-time-feeling misadventures built around one long night, this comedy-drama is worth a look. It may appeal if you enjoy following a messy chain of events centered on one person’s bad luck.
Directed by Woody HarrelsonCast Daniel Radcliffe, Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Louisa Harland, Youssef KerkourFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
07
Stuck in Love.
comedy · drama · romance
An acclaimed writer, his ex-wife, and their teenaged children come to terms with the complexities of love in all its forms over the course of one tumultuous year.
Why watch: If you want a family-centered drama with romance in the mix, this one is a strong option. It suits viewers looking for a more grounded story about relationships and the ways they overlap.
Directed by Josh BooneCast Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connelly, Lily Collins, Nat Wolff, Kristen BellAmazon Prime VideoPeacock PremiumFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
08
Miracle in Milan
2 BAFTA Film Award nominations
comedy · drama · fantasy
Once upon a time a wise and kind old woman discovers a baby in her cabbage patch. She brings up the child and, when she dies, the boy, Totò, enters an orphanage. Totò leaves the orphanage a happy young man, and looks for work in post-war Milan. He ends up with the homeless and organizes them to build a shanty town in a vacant lot. But when greedy developers threaten the community’s land, Totò will need all the help he can get in order to find an impossible way out.
Why watch: If you appreciate classic films that mix comedy, drama, and fantasy, this is a good choice. Its post-war setting and story about a community facing developers give it a distinctive, human scale.
Directed by Vittorio De SicaCast Emma Gramatica, Francesco Golisano, Paolo Stoppa, Guglielmo Barnabò, Brunella BovoMaxMore details on IMDb → -
09
Last Night in Soho
2 BAFTA Film Award nominations
drama · horror · mystery · thriller
A young girl, passionate about fashion design, is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s where she encounters her idol, a dazzling wannabe singer. But 1960s London is not what it seems, and time seems to be falling apart with shady consequences.
Why watch: If you’re drawn to period settings with mystery and thriller tension, this could be the right pick. The 1960s London angle and fashion-design focus make it a stylish fit for viewers who like time-shifted stories.
Directed by Edgar WrightCast Thomasin McKenzie, Aimée Cassettari, Rita Tushingham, Colin Mace, Michael AjaoPeacock PremiumFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
10
A Bluebird in My Heart
drama · thriller
An ex-con's attempts to live a quiet life are derailed when the daughter of the woman sheltering him is the victim of a vicious attack.
Why watch: If you prefer leaner drama-thriller storytelling, this is a solid match. It centers on an ex-con trying to stay quiet, which should appeal if you like tense, low-key setups.
Directed by Jérémie GuezCast Roland Møller, Veerle Baetens, Lola Le Lann, Lubna Azabal, Jonathan RobertAMC+More details on IMDb → -
11
Cold in July
crime · thriller
While investigating noises in his house one balmy Texas night in 1989, Richard Dane puts a bullet in the brain of a low-life burglar. Although he’s hailed as a small-town hero, Dane soon finds himself fearing for his family’s safety when Freddy’s ex-con father rolls into town, hell-bent on revenge.
Why watch: If you want crime and thriller elements with a small-town pressure-cooker feel, this one may suit you. The story starts with an ordinary mistake and turns toward revenge, making it a fit for suspense-minded viewers.
Directed by Jim MickleCast Vinessa Shaw, Michael C. Hall, Ken Holmes, Nick Damici, Brogan HallAMC+More details on IMDb → -
12
Clown in a Cornfield
horror · mystery · thriller
Quinn and her father have just moved to the quiet town of Kettle Springs hoping for a fresh start. Instead, she discovers a fractured community that has fallen on hard times after the treasured Baypen Corn Syrup Factory burned down. As the locals bicker amongst themselves and tensions boil over, a sinister, grinning figure emerges from the cornfields to cleanse the town of its burdens, one bloody victim at a time.
Why watch: If you’re in the mood for horror with mystery and thriller energy, this title is geared more toward bloodier suspense. It may appeal if you like stories about a town under strain and a threatening figure emerging from it.
Directed by Eli CraigCast Katie Douglas, Aaron Abrams, Carson MacCormac, Vincent Muller, Kevin DurandHuluAMC+More details on IMDb →
Wrapping Up
Whether you came here for comedy, drama, crime, mystery, or thriller, this page gives you a broad set of ways to follow that same open-ended search. Some titles lean lighter and more conversational, while others push into darker territory, so it’s easy to match your next pick to your mood. Bookmark this page and check back when you want another title to add to your watchlist, because it’s updated regularly with fresh recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood?
These picks were matched by tone, themes, and story style using a similarity model trained on plot synopses, genres, and cast — not just shared genre tags — so the connection runs deeper than a simple category match.