Movies Like Heaven Help Us (1985)

Heaven Help Us is a 1985 comedy, drama, romance film from Michael Dinner with a MovieMagicScore of 6.3/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Absolution and Words on Bathroom Walls.

Comedy Drama Romance

Absolution

1978

At a Catholic boys' school, domineering disciplinarian Father Goddard rules over his pupils with an iron hand. When one of his teenage charges confesses to murder, the dogmatic but deeply repressed Goddard finds his faith challenged and his life spiralling dangerously out of control.

6.4

MagicScore

Words on Bathroom Walls

2020

Diagnosed with a mental illness halfway through his senior year of high school, a witty, introspective teen struggles to keep it a secret while falling in love with a brilliant classmate who inspires him to open his heart and not be defined by his condition.

7.7

MagicScore

Saint Ralph

2005

This Canadian made comedy/drama, set in Hamilton, Ontario in 1954, is a sweet and - at times - goofy story that becomes increasingly poignant as the minutes tick by. It's the fictional tale of a wayward 9th grader, Ralph (Adam Butcher), who is secretly living on his own while his widowed, hospitalized mother remains immersed in a coma. Frequently in trouble with Father Fitzpatrick (Gordon Pinsent), the principal of his all-boys, Catholic school, Ralph is considered something of a joke among peers until he decides to pull off a miracle that could save his mother, i.e., winning the Boston Marathon. Coached by a younger priest and former runner, Father Hibbert (Campbell Scott), whose cynicism has been lifted by the boy's pure hope, Ralph applies himself to his unlikely mission, fending off naysayers and getting help along a very challenging path from sundry allies and friends.

6.9

MagicScore

Hot for Teacher

2006

Strict teachers, all those hours inside four walls, all your desires and youthful energy repressed. School is an endless drag - until she comes along. Uhm Ji Young has a perfect body and metric tons of sex appeal, and she knows it. Needless to say, all the students go crazy, and the male teachers too! They should be preparing for the annual school festival, but they're all occupied with other matters.

5.1

MagicScore

The Devil's Playground

1977

A powerful drama relating the intimate aspect of teenage boys and their priest/educators behind the walls of a religious institution where rigid discipline backfires natural feelings are deemed unnatural acts and human lives are controlled in the names of good intentions.

6.5

MagicScore

The Chocolate War

1988

Jerry, a new student at an elite Catholic prep school, must face the hazing practices handed down by the Vigils, a group of powerful students. When teacher Brother Leon pushes the students to sell chocolates for a fundraiser, the head of the Vigils, Archie, gets Jerry to reject selling for 10 days. However, Jerry decides to keep up the refusal past the original time frame, which pits him against the Vigils and the school staff.

6.3

MagicScore

The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys

2002

A group of Catholic school friends, after being caught drawing an obscene comic book, plan a heist that will outdo their previous prank and make them local legends.

6.6

MagicScore

Little Children

2006

The lives of two lovelorn spouses from separate marriages, a registered sex offender, and a disgraced ex-police officer intersect as they struggle to resist their vulnerabilities and temptations.

7.1

MagicScore

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

#10

White Squall

1996

In 1960, a hardy group of prep school students boards an old-fashioned sailing ship. With Capt. Christopher Sheldon at the helm, the oceangoing voyage is intended to teach the boys fortitude and discipline. But the youthful crew are about to get some unexpected instruction in survival when they get caught in the clutches of a white squall storm.

6.3

MagicScore

#11

The One Man Band

1970

Evan Evans, the director of a ballet troupe, is rehearsing his next show in Monaco, in preparation for a worldwide tour. When one member of his troupe leaves to get married, Evans imposes a regime of strict discipline on his remaining dancers. The latter get their revenge by presenting Evans’ nephew Philippe, the only male member of the group, with a baby and a note claiming he is the father…

6.1

MagicScore

#12

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

#13

Novitiate

2017

In the early 1960s, during the Vatican II era, a young woman training to become a nun struggles with issues of faith, sexuality and the changing church.

6.4

MagicScore

#14

Boston Strangler

2023

Reporters Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole bravely pursue the story of the Boston Strangler at great personal risk, putting their own lives on the line in their quest to uncover the truth.

6.6

MagicScore

#15

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

#16

Wild Child

2008

Sixteen-year-old Poppy has everything her unlimited credit cards can buy, and a spoiled attitude to match. After a final thoughtless prank, her exasperated father ships her off to boarding school in England. There, Poppy meets her match in a stern headmistress and a class full of girls who will not tolerate her selfishness.

6.7

MagicScore

#17

Madea's Family Reunion

2006

Southern matriarch Madea has a lot on her plate. Her nieces, Vanessa and Lisa, have relationship troubles - Vanessa moves into Madea's house with her 2 young children and Lisa is engaged to a controlling man that her mother set her up with. In addition, Madea has just been court-ordered to become the guardian of Nikki, a rebellious runaway teenager. Madea must keep the peace and her family together while simultaneously planning her clan's reunion.

6.4

MagicScore

#18

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

#19

Salvador

1986

In 1980, an American journalist covering the Salvadoran Civil War becomes entangled with both the leftist guerrilla groups and the right-wing military dictatorship while trying to rescue his girlfriend and her children.

7.0

MagicScore

#20

Liam

2001

A morality tale of xenophobia, religious prejudice, mob violence, poverty, and their effect on two children in Liverpool during the Depression. When a shipyard closes, Liam and Teresa's dad loses his job. Liam, who's about 8, making his first Holy Communion, gets a regular dose of fire and brimstone at church. Teresa, about 13, has a job as a maid to the Jewish family that owns the closed shipyard. The lady of that house is having an affair, and Teresa becomes an accomplice. Liam stutters terribly, especially when troubled. Dad comes under the sway of the Fascists, who blame cheap Irish labor and Jewish owners. A Molotov cocktail brings things to a head.

6.1

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Heaven Help Us?

The top films similar to Heaven Help Us by MovieMagicScore are Absolution (6.4), Words on Bathroom Walls (7.7), Saint Ralph (6.9). Each shares comedy/drama/romance themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Heaven Help Us worth watching?

Heaven Help Us holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.3/10 from 73 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Heaven Help Us?

Heaven Help Us (1985) is a comedy, drama, romance film directed by Michael Dinner, starring Donald Sutherland, John Heard, Andrew McCarthy.

Where can I find more recommendations like Heaven Help Us?

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 Absolution Movies like Words on Bathroom Walls Movies like Saint Ralph Movies like Hot for Teacher Movies like The Devil's Playground Movies like The Chocolate War

About movies like Heaven Help Us

This ranked list pairs Heaven Help Us (1985), a comedy and drama and romance film from Michael Dinner, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Donald Sutherland 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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