Movies Like The Five Heartbeats (1991)

The Five Heartbeats is a 1991 drama, music film from Robert Townsend with a MovieMagicScore of 7.3/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with That Thing You Do! and Spinning Gold.

Drama Music

That Thing You Do!

1996

A Pennsylvania band scores a hit in 1964 and rides the star-making machinery as long as it can, with lots of help from its manager. But behind the scenes, the group’s sudden fame tests their strength, their maturity and responsibility, and their ability to resist the temptations that money and notoriety always make possible.

6.9

MagicScore

Spinning Gold

2023

A biopic of 1970s record producer Neil Bogart, co-founder of Casablanca Records.

5.1

MagicScore

TINA

2021

Tina Turner overcame impossible odds to become one of the first female Black artists to reach a mainstream international audience. Her road to superstardom is an undeniable story of triumph over adversity. It’s the ultimate story of survival – and an inspirational story of our times.

7.8

MagicScore

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

2021

During the same summer as Woodstock, over 300,000 people attended the Harlem Cultural Festival, celebrating African American music and culture, and promoting Black pride and unity. The footage from the festival sat in a basement, unseen for over 50 years, keeping this incredible event in America's history lost — until now.

7.6

MagicScore

Viva High School Musical: Mexico

2008

Football captain Cristóbal discovers that his neighbor and classmate, Mariana, has changed a lot over the summer. Meanwhile, Luli is still as vain as ever and overshadows her poor brother, Fernando. As a new year begins at High School Mexico (HSM, initially interpreted), the school has announced a "Battle of the Bands" contest hosted by Jesse & Joy. Working against the clock and with limited resources, Cristobal, Mariana, and a few of their peers unite as a band. In a desperate effort, Luli dares the impossible task of separating Cristobal from his friends. But only one band will be the winner; the one who understands that teamwork, personal development, and hard work will not only make them better artists but also better people.

6.4

MagicScore

Bandslam

2009

A new kid in town assembles a fledgling rock band — together, they achieve their dreams and compete against the best in the biggest event of the year, a battle of the bands.

5.8

MagicScore

Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam

2010

Mitchie can't wait to go back to Camp Rock and spend the summer making new music with her friends and superstar Shane Gray. But the slick new camp across the lake, Camp Star, has drummed up some serious competition – featuring newcomers Luke and Dana. In a sensational battle of the bands, with Camp Rock's future at stake, will Camp Star's flashy production and over-the-top antics win out, or will Camp Rockers prove that music, teamwork, and spirit are what truly matter?

6.3

MagicScore

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody

2022

The joyous, emotional, heartbreaking celebration of the life and music of Whitney Houston, the greatest female R&B pop vocalist of all time. Tracking her journey from obscurity to musical superstardom.

7.0

MagicScore

Whitney

2015

Chronicles Whitney Houston's rise to fame and turbulent relationship with husband Bobby Brown.

5.7

MagicScore

#10

HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé

2019

This intimate, in-depth look at Beyoncé's celebrated 2018 Coachella performance reveals the emotional road from creative concept to cultural movement.

8.1

MagicScore

#11

The Beyoncé Experience Live

2007

"The Beyoncé Experience Live" is a show by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. It was shot in Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, on September 2, 2007, during her worldwide tour The Beyoncé Experience. The show features guest appearances from rapper Jay-Z on "Upgrade U" and former Destiny's Child mates Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland on "Survivor". For one night only on November 19, 2007, the show was shown in theaters across the U.S.

7.5

MagicScore

#12

Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown

2014

James Brown changed the face of American music forever. Abandoned by his parents at an early age, James Brown was a self-made man who became one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, not just through his music, but also as a social activist. Charting his journey from rhythm and blues to funk, MR. DYNAMITE: THE RISE OF JAMES BROWN features rare and previously unseen footage, photographs and interviews, chronicling the musical ascension of “the hardest working man in show business,” from his first hit, “Please, Please, Please,” in 1956, to his iconic performances at the Apollo Theater, the T.A.M.I. Show, the Paris Olympia and more.

6.9

MagicScore

#13

Little Richard: I Am Everything

2023

The story of the black, gay origins of rock n' roll. It explodes the whitewashed canon of American pop music to reveal the innovator – the originator – Richard Penniman. Through a wealth of archive and performance that brings us into Richard's complicated inner world, the film unspools the icon's life story with all its switchbacks and contradictions.

6.4

MagicScore

#14

Michael

2026

The story of Michael Jackson, one of the most influential artists the world has ever known, and his life beyond the music. His journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world, highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career.

8.6

MagicScore

#15

Kokuho

2025

Nagasaki, 1964: Following the death of his Yakuza father, 15-year-old Kikuo is taken under the wings of a famous Kabuki actor. Alongside Shunsuke, the actor’s only son, he decides to dedicate himself to this traditional form of theatre. For decades, the two young men grow and evolve together – and one will become the greatest Japanese master of the art of Kabuki.

7.8

MagicScore

#16

Walk the Line

2005

A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.

7.5

MagicScore

#17

Cold War

2018

A man and a woman meet in the ruins of post-war Poland. With vastly different backgrounds and temperaments, they are fatally mismatched and yet drawn to each other.

7.4

MagicScore

#18

Rocketman

2019

The story of Elton John's life, from his years as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his influential and enduring musical partnership with Bernie Taupin.

7.3

MagicScore

#19

Hair

1979

Upon receiving his draft notice and leaving his family ranch in Oklahoma, Claude heads to New York and befriends a tribe of long-haired hippies on his way to boot camp.

7.3

MagicScore

#20

Inside Llewyn Davis

2013

In Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, gifted but volatile folk musician Llewyn Davis struggles with money, relationships, and his uncertain future.

7.2

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like The Five Heartbeats?

The top films similar to The Five Heartbeats by MovieMagicScore are That Thing You Do! (6.9), Spinning Gold (5.1), TINA (7.8). Each shares drama/music themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is The Five Heartbeats worth watching?

The Five Heartbeats holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.3/10 from 68 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is The Five Heartbeats?

The Five Heartbeats (1991) is a drama, music film directed by Robert Townsend, starring Robert Townsend, Michael Wright, Leon.

Where can I find more recommendations like The Five Heartbeats?

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

Keep exploring

Movies like That Thing You Do!Movies like Spinning Gold Movies like TINA Movies like Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)Movies like Viva High School Musical: Mexico Movies like Bandslam

About movies like The Five Heartbeats

This ranked list pairs The Five Heartbeats (1991), a drama and music film from Robert Townsend, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Robert Townsend 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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