Movies Like Sanctuary (2015)

Sanctuary is a 2015 drama film from Marc Brummund with a MovieMagicScore of 7.3/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Eileen and Borstal Boy.

Drama

Eileen

2023

During a bitter 1964 Massachusetts winter, young secretary Eileen becomes enchanted by Rebecca, the glamorous new counselor at the prison where she works. Their budding friendship takes a twisted turn when Rebecca reveals a dark secret — throwing Eileen onto a sinister path.

5.9

MagicScore

Borstal Boy

2001

Brendan Behan, a sixteen year-old IRA foot soldier, is going on a bombing mission from Ireland to Liverpool during the second world war. His mission is thwarted when he is apprehended, charged and imprisoned in Borstal, a reform institution for young offenders in East Anglia, England.

6.1

MagicScore

Hot Gimmick: Girl Meets Boy

2019

A quiet teen's life is shaken up when she's forced to be her arrogant neighbor's slave. He loves her, but they both have a lot to learn about trust.

5.9

MagicScore

A Brighter Summer Day

1991

A boy experiences first love, friendships and injustices growing up in 1960s Taiwan.

8.2

MagicScore

Boy A

2008

Freed after a lengthy term in a juvenile detention center, convicted child killer Jack Burridge finds work as a deliveryman and begins dating co-worker Michelle. While out on the road one day, Jack notices a distressed child, and, after reuniting the girl with her family, becomes a local celebrity. But when a local newspaper unearths his past, Jack must cope with the anger of citizens who fear for the safety of their children.

7.1

MagicScore

Radio Flyer

1992

A father reminisces about his childhood when he and his younger brother moved to a new town with their mother, her new husband and their dog, Shane. When the younger brother is subjected to physical abuse at the hands of their brutal stepfather, Mike decides to convert their toy trolley, the "Radio Flyer", into a plane to fly him to safety.

7.0

MagicScore

Radio Rebel

2012

High school senior Tara is so painfully shy that she dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class. But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out -- doing mock broadcasts for Miami's hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tara surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into confident, "Radio Rebel" -- and to everyone's shock, she's a hit!

6.2

MagicScore

Pet Sematary II

1992

The "sematary" is up to its old zombie-raising tricks again. This time, the protagonists are Jeff Matthews, whose mother died in a Hollywood stage accident, and Drew Gilbert, a boy coping with an abusive stepfather.

5.5

MagicScore

Stepfather 2

1989

"Stepfather" Jerry Blake escapes an insane asylum and winds up in another town, this time impersonating a marriage counselor. With a future wife and new stepson who love him, Blake eliminates anyone who stands in his way to building the perfect family.

5.5

MagicScore

#10

This Boy's Life

1993

When a son and mother move to Seattle in hopes for a better life, the mother meets a seemingly polite man. Things go south when the man turns out to be abusive, endangering their lives. As the mother struggles to maintain hope in an impossible situation, the son has plans to escape.

7.1

MagicScore

#11

Bad Therapy

2020

Married couple Bob and Susan Howard decide to see a marriage counselor named Judy Small, who appears trustworthy but harbors dark and conflicted impulses.

4.2

MagicScore

#12

Forrest Gump

1994

A man with a low IQ has accomplished great things in his life and been present during significant historic events—in each case, far exceeding what anyone imagined he could do. But despite all he has achieved, his one true love eludes him.

8.5

MagicScore

#13

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

1962

A rebellious youth, sentenced to a boy’s reformatory for robbing a bakery, rises through the ranks of the institution by impressing its Governor through his prowess as a long distance runner. He is encouraged to compete in an upcoming race, but faces ridicule from his peers.

7.2

MagicScore

#14

A Bronx Tale

1993

Set in the Bronx during the tumultuous 1960s, an adolescent boy is torn between his honest, working-class father and a violent yet charismatic crime boss. Complicating matters is the youngster's growing attraction - forbidden in his neighborhood - for a beautiful black girl.

7.9

MagicScore

#15

The Insect Woman

1963

A woman, Tome, is born to a lower class family in Japan in 1918. The title refers to an insect, repeating its mistakes, as in an infinite circle. Imamura, with this metaphor, introduces the life of Tome, who keeps trying to change her poor life.

7.2

MagicScore

#16

Monsieur Ibrahim

2003

Paris, 1960s. Momo, a resolute and independent Jewish teenager who lives with his father, a sullen and depressed man, in a working-class neighborhood, develops a close friendship with Monsieur Ibrahim, an elderly Muslim who owns a small grocery store.

7.0

MagicScore

#17

American Pastoral

2016

Set in postwar America, a man watches his seemingly perfect life fall apart as his daughter's new political affiliation threatens to destroy their family.

6.2

MagicScore

#18

Scrubbers

1982

Inmates fight, pair off, try suicide and attempt escape at a British reform school for girls.

5.0

MagicScore

#19

Corpus Christi

2019

A pious 20-year-old juvenile delinquent is sent to work at a sawmill in a small town; on arrival, he dresses up as a priest and accidentally takes over the local parish. The arrival of this young, charismatic preacher is an opportunity for the local community to begin the healing process after a tragedy that happened a year prior.

7.6

MagicScore

#20

The Republic of ShKID

1966

The film is based on the eponymous book, written by two former street gangsters - Grigori Belykh and Leonid Panteleyev. Film is set in the 1920s St. Petersburg, Russia. Streets of the city are full of the homeless boys. They are caught to be raised and educated at the correction school named after Dostoevsky. The boys are street smart and difficult. But the faculty stands up to the challenge. The teaches are being devoted and caring, and gradually win the respect of the most difficult kids. The school director Vicknixor is a refined intellectual, who becomes a role model for the boys.

6.5

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Sanctuary?

The top films similar to Sanctuary by MovieMagicScore are Eileen (5.9), Borstal Boy (6.1), Hot Gimmick: Girl Meets Boy (5.9). Each shares drama themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Sanctuary worth watching?

Sanctuary holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.3/10 from 86 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Sanctuary?

Sanctuary (2015) is a drama film directed by Marc Brummund, starring Louis Hofmann, Katharina Lorenz, Uwe Bohm.

Where can I find more recommendations like Sanctuary?

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 Eileen Movies like Borstal Boy Movies like Hot Gimmick: Girl Meets Boy Movies like A Brighter Summer Day Movies like Boy A Movies like Radio Flyer

About movies like Sanctuary

This ranked list pairs Sanctuary (2015), a drama film from Marc Brummund, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Louis Hofmann 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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