Movies Like American Movie (1999)

American Movie is a 1999 comedy, documentary film from Chris Smith with a MovieMagicScore of 7.6/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Come and Get It and GOAT.

Comedy Documentary

Come and Get It

1936

An ambitious lumberjack abandons his saloon girl lover so that he can marry into wealth, but years later becomes infatuated with the woman's daughter.

6.8

MagicScore

GOAT

2026

A small goat with big dreams gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball, a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world.

8.1

MagicScore

Scarface

1932

In 1920s Chicago, Italian immigrant and notorious thug, Antonio 'Tony' Camonte, aka Scarface, shoots his way to the top of the mobs while trying to protect his sister from the criminal life.

7.4

MagicScore

Chariots of Fire

1981

In the class-obsessed and religiously divided UK of the early 1920s, two determined young runners train for the 1924 Paris Olympics. Eric Liddell, a devout Christian born to Scottish missionaries in China, sees running as part of his worship of God's glory and refuses to train or compete on the Sabbath. Harold Abrahams overcomes anti-Semitism and class bias, but neglects his beloved sweetheart in his single-minded quest.

6.8

MagicScore

The Devil's Advocate

1997

Aspiring Florida defense lawyer Kevin Lomax accepts a job at a New York law firm. With the stakes getting higher every case, Kevin quickly learns that his boss has something far more evil planned.

7.5

MagicScore

Lars and the Real Girl

2007

Extremely shy Lars finds it impossible to make friends or socialize. His brother and sister-in-law worry about him, so when he announces that he has a girlfriend he met on the Internet, they are overjoyed. But Lars' new lady is a life-size plastic woman. On the advice of a doctor, his family and the rest of the community go along with his delusion.

7.2

MagicScore

Dogma

1999

An abortion clinic worker with a special heritage is called upon to save the existence of humanity from being negated by two renegade angels trying to exploit a loophole and reenter Heaven.

6.9

MagicScore

Lake Michigan Monster

2018

An eccentric sea captain assembles a motley ship crew in a revenge mission to slay the sea monster lurking in Lake Michigan that killed his father.

6.8

MagicScore

Beware the Slenderman

2016

In this horrifyingly modern fairytale lurks an online Boogeyman and two 12-year-old girls who would kill for him. The entrance to the internet quickly leads to its darkest basement. How responsible are our children for what they find there?

6.5

MagicScore

#10

The Great Outdoors

1988

It's vacation time for outdoorsy Chicago man Chet Ripley, along with his wife, Connie, and their two kids, Buck and Ben. But a serene weekend of fishing at a Wisconsin lakeside cabin gets crashed by Connie's obnoxious brother-in-law, Roman Craig, his wife, Kate, and the couple's two daughters. As the excursion wears on, the Ripleys find themselves at odds with the stuffy Craig family.

6.5

MagicScore

#11

The Prince & Me

2004

A fairy tale love-story about pre-med student Paige who falls in love with a Danish Prince "Eddie" who refused to follow the traditions of his parents and has come to the US to quench his thirst for rebellion. Paige and Edward come from two different worlds, but there is an undeniable attraction between them.

6.2

MagicScore

#12

Wisconsin Death Trip

1999

Inspired by the book of the same name, film-maker James Marsh relays a tale of tragedy, murder and mayhem that erupted behind the respectable facade of Black River Falls, Wisconsin in the 19th century.

5.6

MagicScore

#13

Blood Hook

1987

During a local fishing contest, people are being mysteriously dragged into the lake and killed by a giant fish hook. After a sufficient number of deaths, the killer is finally revealed.

4.6

MagicScore

#14

The Straight Story

1999

A retired farmer and widower in his 70s, Alvin Straight learns one day that his distant brother Lyle has suffered a stroke and may not recover. Alvin is determined to make things right with Lyle while he still can, but his brother lives in Wisconsin, while Alvin is stuck in Iowa with no car and no driver's license. Then he hits on the idea of making the trip on his old lawnmower, thus beginning a picturesque and at times deeply spiritual odyssey.

7.7

MagicScore

#15

Song Sung Blue

2025

Based on a true story, two down-on-their-luck musicians form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band, proving it's never too late to find love and follow your dreams.

7.4

MagicScore

#16

Stroszek

1977

Bruno Stroszek is released from prison and warned to stop drinking. He has few skills and fewer expectations: with a glockenspiel and an accordion, he ekes out a living as a street musician. He befriends Eva, a prostitute down on her luck and they join his neighbor, Scheitz, an elderly eccentric, when he leaves Germany to live in Wisconsin.

7.3

MagicScore

#17

All I Desire

1953

In 1910, a stage actress re-visits her husband and children she deserted ten years ago.

6.8

MagicScore

#18

All Mine to Give

1957

This is a story based on fact that follows a husband and wife who emigrate from Scotland to Wisconsin in the 1850s. They work very hard and become welcome citizens of their new town, Eureka. They have six children. They prosper in the husband's boat-building business. But when their eldest is 12, tragedy strikes the family, and the 12-year-old is burdened with a terrible task which he handles as well as any adult could.

6.2

MagicScore

#19

Deranged

1974

A man living in rural Wisconsin takes care of his bed-ridden mother, who is very domineering and teaches him that all women are evil. After she dies, he misses her, and a year later digs her up and takes her home. He learns about taxidermy and begins robbing graves to get materials to patch her up, and inevitably begins looking for fresher sources of materials. Based loosely on the true story of Ed Gein.

5.8

MagicScore

#20

The Night Listener

2006

In the midst of his crumbling relationship, a radio show host begins speaking to his biggest fan—a young boy—via the telephone. But when questions about the boy's identity come up, the host's life is thrown into chaos.

5.5

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like American Movie?

The top films similar to American Movie by MovieMagicScore are Come and Get It (6.8), GOAT (8.1), Scarface (7.4). Each shares comedy/documentary themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is American Movie worth watching?

American Movie holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.6/10 from 259 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is American Movie?

American Movie (1999) is a comedy, documentary film directed by Chris Smith, starring Mark Borchardt, Mike Schank, Tom Schimmels.

Where can I find more recommendations like American Movie?

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 Come and Get It Movies like GOAT Movies like Scarface Movies like Chariots of Fire Movies like The Devil's Advocate Movies like Lars and the Real Girl

About movies like American Movie

This ranked list pairs American Movie (1999), a comedy and documentary film from Chris Smith, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Mark Borchardt 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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