Movies Like Better Off Dead... (1985)

Better Off Dead... is a 1985 comedy, romance film from Savage Steve Holland with a MovieMagicScore of 6.6/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Marley & Me and How to Train Your Dragon 2.

Comedy Romance

Marley & Me

2008

A newly married couple, in the process of starting a family, learn many of life's important lessons from their trouble-loving retriever, Marley. Packed with plenty of laughs to lighten the load, the film explores the highs and lows of marriage, maturity and confronting one's own mortality, as seen through the lens of family life with a dog.

7.2

MagicScore

How to Train Your Dragon 2

2014

Five years have passed since Hiccup and Toothless united the dragons and Vikings of Berk. Now, they spend their time charting unmapped territories. During one of their adventures, the pair discover a secret cave that houses hundreds of wild dragons -- and a mysterious dragon rider. Now, Hiccup and Toothless find themselves at the center of a battle to protect Berk from a power-hungry warrior.

7.7

MagicScore

CJ7

2008

A poor construction worker, who struggles to keep his son in private school, mistakes an orb he finds in a junkjard for a toy which proves to be much, much more once the young boy starts to play with it.

7.3

MagicScore

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

2012

British retirees travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel. Less luxurious than its advertisements, the Marigold Hotel nevertheless slowly begins to charm in unexpected ways as the residents find new purpose in their old age.

7.0

MagicScore

Let's Be Cops

2014

Best pals Ryan and Justin are stalled in their respective careers -- a fact that is painfully driven home when they go to a college reunion. Dressed as police in the mistaken belief that they were to attend a costume party, Ryan and Justin find that the uniforms earn them much respect and attention. Although Justin is uncomfortable with the idea, Ryan decides to continue with the charade, putting them both in increasingly dangerous situations. When these newly-minted “heroes” get tangled in a real life web of mobsters and dirty detectives, they must put their fake badges on the line.

6.5

MagicScore

Three Summers

2020

Over a trio of summers, a caretaker for luxury condominiums relies on her resourcefulness and her eye for opportunity to take advantage of whatever comes her way.

6.4

MagicScore

The Internship

2013

Two recently laid-off men in their 40s try to make it as interns at a successful Internet company where their managers are in their 20s.

6.2

MagicScore

Johnson Family Vacation

2004

Nate Johnson, a Los Angeles man estranged from his wife and three children, decides to reconnect with his family by taking them with him on a road trip to Missouri for a big family reunion.

5.5

MagicScore

Antonio das Mortes

1969

A new incarnation of Cangaceiro bandits, led by Coirana, has risen in the badlands. A blind landowner hires Antônio to wipe out his old nemesis. Yet after besting Coirana and accompanying the dying man to his mountain hideout, Antônio is moved by the plight of the Cangaceiro’s followers. The troubled hitman turns revolutionary, his gun and machete aimed towards his former masters.

6.9

MagicScore

#10

The Pink Cloud

2021

After a toxic and mysterious pink cloud suddenly appears around the globe, people are forced to shelter in place. A woman finds herself stuck in an apartment with a stranger after a one-night stand, and the two come to terms with staying together.

5.8

MagicScore

#11

The Other Side of the Mountain

1975

One year before the Olympics, Jill Kinmont, an 18-year-old skiing champion, suffers a fall during competition and is left paralyzed. With her life now completely altered, she undergoes an exhausting fight to regain some of what she has lost.

6.3

MagicScore

#12

Downhill Racer

1969

An ambitious young skier, determined to break all existing records, is contemptuous of the teamwork advocated by the US coach when they go to Europe for the Olympics.

5.8

MagicScore

#13

Thor: Ragnarok

2017

Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home-world and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of a powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela.

7.6

MagicScore

#14

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within

2010

After a bloody invasion of the BOPE in the High-Security Penitentiary Bangu 1 in Rio de Janeiro to control a rebellion of interns, the Lieutenant-Colonel Roberto Nascimento and the second in command Captain André Matias are accused by the Human Right Aids member Diogo Fraga of execution of prisoners. Matias is transferred to the corrupted Military Police and Nascimento is exonerated from the BOPE by the Governor.

7.8

MagicScore

#15

The Lego Movie

2014

An ordinary Lego mini-figure, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil Lego tyrant from conquering the universe.

7.4

MagicScore

#16

Shark Night 3D

2011

A weekend at a lake house in the Louisiana Gulf turns into a nightmare for seven vacationers as they are subjected to fresh-water shark attacks.

5.1

MagicScore

#17

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank

2022

A hard-on-his-luck hound finds himself in a town full of cats in need of a hero to defend them from a ruthless villain's wicked plot to wipe their village off the map. With help from a reluctant mentor, our underdog must assume the role of town samurai and team up with the villagers to save the day.

6.7

MagicScore

#18

Me, Myself & Irene

2000

Rhode Island State Trooper Charlie Baileygates has a multiple personality disorder. One personality is crazy and aggressive, while the other is more friendly and laid back. Both of these personalities fall in love with the same woman named Irene after Charlie loses his medication.

6.6

MagicScore

#19

Step Brothers

2008

Brennan Huff and Dale Doback might be grown men. But that doesn't stop them from living at home and turning into jealous, competitive stepbrothers when their single parents marry. Brennan's constant competition with Dale strains his mom's marriage to Dale's dad, leaving everyone to wonder whether they'll ever see eye to eye.

6.6

MagicScore

#20

A Million Ways to Die in the West

2014

As a cowardly farmer begins to fall for the mysterious new woman in town, he must put his new-found courage to the test when her husband, a notorious gun-slinger, announces his arrival.

6.1

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Better Off Dead...?

The top films similar to Better Off Dead... by MovieMagicScore are Marley & Me (7.2), How to Train Your Dragon 2 (7.7), CJ7 (7.3). Each shares comedy/romance themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Better Off Dead... worth watching?

Better Off Dead... holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.6/10 from 530 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Better Off Dead...?

Better Off Dead... (1985) is a comedy, romance film directed by Savage Steve Holland, starring John Cusack, Amanda Wyss, Diane Franklin.

Where can I find more recommendations like Better Off Dead...?

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 Marley & Me Movies like How to Train Your Dragon 2 Movies like CJ7 Movies like The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Movies like Let's Be Cops Movies like Three Summers

About movies like Better Off Dead...

This ranked list pairs Better Off Dead... (1985), a comedy and romance film from Savage Steve Holland, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of John Cusack 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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