Movies Like The Last American Hero (1973)

The Last American Hero is a 1973 drama film from Lamont Johnson with a MovieMagicScore of 5.6/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Greased Lightning and Days of Thunder.

Drama

Greased Lightning

1977

The true life story of Wendell Scott, the first black stock car racing driver to win an upper-tier NASCAR race.

6.3

MagicScore

Days of Thunder

1990

Talented but unproven stock car driver Cole Trickle gets a break and with the guidance of veteran Harry Hogge turns heads on the track. The young hotshot develops a rivalry with a fellow racer that threatens his career when the two smash their cars. But with the help of his doctor, Cole just might overcome his injuries-- and his fear.

6.4

MagicScore

Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans

2015

Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans interweaves stunning newly discovered footage and voice recordings with original interviews. It is the true story of how a cinema legend would risk almost everything in pursuit of his dream.

7.2

MagicScore

Race 1

2021

The once dominating LIONS team gradually declined after the death of team leader Lao Shen. Unwilling to retire, Li Yi Fei and his new partner-the first female driver in league history, Lu Li li did not get along, and the two did not give in to each other, which made the team's situation worse. The second-generation new team leader, Ah Shen, who is not optimistic, has to pin his hopes on Du Jie Ke, an otaku who can only play simulator racing. Du Jie Ke, who has no actual combat experience, does not have the strength to participate in the competition, but in order to catch up with Lily, he works hard. Faced with his racing performance and the concerns of his family, Li Yi Fei decided to retreat behind the scenes and let Lily and Du Jie Ke form a new partnership. Outside the Lions team, there is a strong opponent Song Jie, and there are misunderstandings and conflicts that need to be resolved. In the fierce battle, they regained their original aspirations.

6.4

MagicScore

Ídolos

2026

A fiery young motorcycle racer throws away his shot at the junior championship in a reckless crash, only to receive a surprise offer from a top Moto2 team that gives him a chance at redemption. But to claim it, he must train under his estranged father, a disgraced former world champion haunted by a tragic past. As the father and son battle personal demons, media scrutiny, and a ruthless racing circuit, their fractured bond is pushed to the limit by ambition, love, and the unforgiving speed of the sport. With a wildcard entry into MotoGP on the line, they must confront the wreckage of their relationship to seize a future—on and off the track.

7.1

MagicScore

Stroker Ace

1983

Stroker Ace, a champion NASCAR driver, is standing at the top of his career, but is getting fed up with having to do as he's told. In between rebelling against his sponsor (a fried chicken chain)'s promotion gimmicks (like making him dress up in giant chicken suit) he spends the rest of the movie trying to bed the buxom Pembrook.

4.9

MagicScore

Ford v Ferrari

2019

American car designer Carroll Shelby and the British-born driver Ken Miles work together to battle corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and take on the dominating race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.

8.0

MagicScore

F1

2025

Racing legend Sonny Hayes is coaxed out of retirement to lead a struggling Formula 1 team—and mentor a young hotshot driver—while chasing one more chance at glory.

7.8

MagicScore

Italian Race

2016

Giulia De Martino is a pilot. At seventeen she participates in the GT Championship, under the guidance of her father Mario. But one day everything changes and Giulia has to face alone both the track and her own life.

7.5

MagicScore

#10

Lolly-Madonna XXX

1973

In the early 1970s, a young woman passing through rural Tennessee unintentionally gets caught in a feud between two local neighboring clans, the Feathers and the Gutshalls.

5.9

MagicScore

#11

The 24 Hour War

2016

In the early 1960s, Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari went to war on the battlefield of Le Mans. This epic battle saw drivers lose their lives, family dynasties nearly collapse, and the development of a new car that changed racing.

7.0

MagicScore

#12

Grand Prix of Europe

2025

Edda, a young mouse and the daughter of fairground operator Erwin, dreams of becoming a race car driver. Ahead of the 50th anniversary of the European Grand Prix, Edda gets the opportunity to meet her idol, racing star Ed, and to help her father save his failing business. But to do so, she'll have to get behind the wheel herself.

7.0

MagicScore

#13

A Life of Speed: The Juan Manuel Fangio Story

2020

Juan Manuel Fangio was the Formula One king, winning five world championships in the early 1950s — before protective gear or safety features were used.

7.2

MagicScore

#14

In the Heat of the Night

1967

African-American Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs is arrested on suspicion of murder by Bill Gillespie, the racist police chief of tiny Sparta, Mississippi. After Tibbs proves not only his own innocence but that of another man, he joins forces with Gillespie to track down the real killer. Their investigation takes them through every social level of the town, with Tibbs making enemies as well as unlikely friends as he hunts for the truth.

7.6

MagicScore

#15

My Cousin Vinny

1992

Two carefree pals from Brooklyn traveling through rural Alabama on their way back to college are mistakenly arrested, and charged with murder. Fortunately, one of them has a cousin who's a lawyer - Vincent Gambini, a former auto mechanic from Brooklyn who just passed his bar exam after his sixth try. When he arrives with his leather-clad girlfriend, to try his first case, it's a real shock - for him and the Deep South!

7.5

MagicScore

#16

Grand Prix

1966

The most daring drivers in the world have gathered to compete for the 1966 Formula One championship. After a spectacular wreck in the first of a series of races, American wheelman Pete Aron is dropped by his sponsor. Refusing to quit, he joins a Japanese racing team. While juggling his career with a torrid love affair involving an ex-teammate's wife, Pete must also contend with Jean-Pierre Sarti, a French contestant who has previously won two world titles.

7.2

MagicScore

#17

The Grass Harp

1996

Based on the novel by Truman Capote, this often-witty coming-of-age drama looks at a young man growing up with an unusual family in the Deep South in the 1940s. Becoming an orphan in 1935, Collin moves to his dad's cousins Verena and Dolly. Verena is a rich, bossy businesswoman. Dolly, Collin and the maid revolt, moving to a tree house.

5.8

MagicScore

#18

Race for Glory: Audi vs. Lancia

2024

Inspired by true events that occurred during the fierce rivalry between Germany (Audi) and Italy (Lancia) at the 1983 Rally World Championships.

6.1

MagicScore

#19

Fast Company

1979

An over the hill drag racer finds himself considering retirement and ceding the spotlight to his protégé and targeted for replacement by the oil-company executive who sponsors his team.

5.1

MagicScore

#20

Black Snake Moan

2006

A God-fearing bluesman takes to a wild young woman who, as a victim of childhood sexual abuse, is looking everywhere for love, but never quite finding it.

6.8

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like The Last American Hero?

The top films similar to The Last American Hero by MovieMagicScore are Greased Lightning (6.3), Days of Thunder (6.4), Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans (7.2). Each shares drama themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is The Last American Hero worth watching?

The Last American Hero holds a MovieMagicScore of 5.6/10 from 37 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is The Last American Hero?

The Last American Hero (1973) is a drama film directed by Lamont Johnson, starring Jeff Bridges, Valerie Perrine, Geraldine Fitzgerald.

Where can I find more recommendations like The Last American Hero?

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 Greased Lightning Movies like Days of Thunder Movies like Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans Movies like Race 1 Movies like Ídolos Movies like Stroker Ace

About movies like The Last American Hero

This ranked list pairs The Last American Hero (1973), a drama film from Lamont Johnson, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Jeff Bridges 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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