Movies Like Heaven Can Wait (1978)

Heaven Can Wait is a 1978 comedy, fantasy, romance film from Buck Henry with a MovieMagicScore of 6.6/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with 80 for Brady and The Longest Yard.

Comedy Fantasy Romance

80 for Brady

2023

Four lifelong friends set out on an unforgettable journey to see their hero Tom Brady play in Super Bowl LI and witness one of the greatest comebacks in sports history, discovering that it's never too late to live life to the fullest. Inspired by a true story.

6.3

MagicScore

The Longest Yard

2005

Disgraced pro football quarterback Paul Crewe lands in a Texas federal penitentiary, where manipulative Warden Hazen recruits him to advise the institution's football team of prison guards. Crewe suggests a tune-up game which lands him quarterbacking a crew of inmates in a game against the guards. Aided by incarcerated ex-NFL coach and player Nate Scarborough, Crewe and his team must overcome not only the bloodthirstiness of the opposition, but also the corrupt warden trying to fix the game against them.

6.7

MagicScore

The Longest Yard

1974

A football player-turned-convict organizes a team of inmates to play against a team of prison guards. His dilemma is that the warden asks him to throw the game in return for an early release, but he is also concerned about the inmates' lack of self-esteem.

6.7

MagicScore

Friday Night Lights

2004

A small, turbulent town in Texas obsesses over their high school football team to an unhealthy degree. When the star tailback, Boobie Miles, is seriously injured during the first game of the season, all hope is lost, and the town's dormant social problems begin to flare up. It is left to the inspiring abilities of new coach Gary Gaines to instill in the other team members -- and, by proxy, the town itself -- a sense of self-respect and honor.

6.9

MagicScore

City of Angels

1998

When a guardian angel – who invisibly watches over the citizens of Los Angeles – becomes captivated by a strong-willed heart surgeon, he ponders trading in his pure, otherworldly existence for a mortal life with his beloved. The couple embarks on a tender but forbidden romance spanning heaven and Earth.

6.8

MagicScore

Sugar & Spice

2001

When Jack and Diane find themselves in an unexpected adult situation, the A-Squad comes to their rescue. In order to help their friend Diane, the A-Squad goes where no cheerleader has gone before: taking on a little after-school project known as bank robbery. But the A-Squad does things their way -- with sugar and spice -- forever changing their friendship, their future and the nation's notion of teen spirit.

6.4

MagicScore

Gridiron Gang

2006

Under the leadership of their counselor, teenagers at a juvenile detention center gain self-esteem by playing football together. Based on a true story.

7.0

MagicScore

Easy Living

1949

A football halfback has a heart condition, a nagging wife and a team secretary who loves him.

5.6

MagicScore

The Singing Detective

2003

Tormented and bedridden by a debilitating disease, a mystery writer relives his detective stories through his imagination and hallucinations.

5.0

MagicScore

#10

Where the Buffalo Roam

1980

Semi-biographical film based on the experiences of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson.

5.9

MagicScore

#11

Heaven Can Wait

1943

Spoiled playboy Henry van Cleve dies and arrives at the entrance to Hell, a final destination he is sure he deserves after living a life of profligacy. The devil, however, isn't so sure Henry meets Hell's standards. Convinced he is where he belongs, Henry recounts his life's deeds, both good and bad, including an act of indiscretion during his 25-year marriage to his wife, Martha, with the hope that "His Excellency" will arrive at the proper judgment.

6.9

MagicScore

#12

Always

1989

The spirit of a recently deceased expert pilot mentors a newer pilot while watching him fall in love with the girlfriend that he left behind.

6.3

MagicScore

#13

Jerry Maguire

1996

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 he's really doing. When he voices these doubts, he ends up losing his job and all of his clients, save Rod Tidwell, an egomaniacal football player.

7.0

MagicScore

#14

Horse Feathers

1932

Quincy Adams Wagstaff, the new president of Huxley U, hires bumblers Baravelli and Pinky to help his school win the big football game against rival Darwin U.

6.9

MagicScore

#15

Love on the Sidelines

2016

A down-on-her-luck young woman who falls into a job as a personal assistant to a star quarterback sidelined with an injury. He's never had a female assistant before and she knows nothing about football.

6.3

MagicScore

#16

Comeback Season

2006

First Down. Second Chance. Skylar is a star quarterback of his football team. He's got the skills, the looks, and the girls. His next-door neighbor, Walter is a loving husband, good father and all-round decent family man. When their worlds start to crumble they find themselves in jail together and suddenly these former enemies must rely on each other to rebuild their lives...

6.2

MagicScore

#17

Good News

1947

At fictitious Tait University in the Roaring '20s, co-ed and school librarian Connie Lane falls for football hero Tommy Marlowe. Unfortunately, he has his eye on gold-digging vamp Pat McClellan. Tommy's grades start to slip, which keeps him from playing in the big game. Connie eventually finds out Tommy really loves her and devises a plan to win him back and to get him back on the field.

6.2

MagicScore

#18

The Room

2003

Johnny is a successful banker with great respect for and dedication to the people in his life, especially his future wife Lisa. The happy-go-lucky guy sees his world being torn apart when his friends begin to betray him one-by-one.

4.0

MagicScore

#19

Varsity Blues

1999

In small-town Texas, high school football is a religion, 17-year-old schoolboys carry the hopes of an entire community onto the gridiron every Friday night. When star quarterback Lance Harbor suffers an injury, the Coyotes are forced to regroup under the questionable leadership of John Moxon, a second-string quarterback with a slightly irreverent approach to the game.

6.1

MagicScore

#20

Semi-Tough

1977

A three-way friendship between two free-spirited professional football players and the owner's daughter becomes compromised when two of them become romantically involved.

5.5

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Heaven Can Wait?

The top films similar to Heaven Can Wait by MovieMagicScore are 80 for Brady (6.3), The Longest Yard (6.7), The Longest Yard (6.7). Each shares comedy/fantasy/romance themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Heaven Can Wait worth watching?

Heaven Can Wait holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.6/10 from 423 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Heaven Can Wait?

Heaven Can Wait (1978) is a comedy, fantasy, romance film directed by Buck Henry, starring Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, James Mason.

Where can I find more recommendations like Heaven Can Wait?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more comedy recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like 80 for Brady Movies like The Longest Yard Movies like The Longest Yard Movies like Friday Night Lights Movies like City of Angels Movies like Sugar & Spice

About movies like Heaven Can Wait

This ranked list pairs Heaven Can Wait (1978), a comedy and fantasy and romance film from Buck Henry, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Warren Beatty take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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