Movies Like The Main Event (1979)

The Main Event is a 1979 comedy, romance film from Howard Zieff with a MovieMagicScore of 5.3/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Creed and The Greatest.

Comedy Romance

Creed

2015

The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.

7.4

MagicScore

The Greatest

1977

Muhammad Ali's life story up to the late 1970s, which includes his Olympic boxing triumphs as Cassius Clay, his conversion to Islam, his refusal of the Army draft and the legal battle after being stripped of his World Title.

5.4

MagicScore

Cinderella Man

2005

The true story of boxer Jim Braddock who, following his retirement in the 1930s, makes a surprise comeback in order to lift his family out of poverty.

7.6

MagicScore

The Boxer

1997

Nineteen-year-old Danny Flynn is imprisoned for his involvement with the I.R.A. in Belfast. He leaves behind his family and his sixteen-year-old girlfriend, Maggie Hamill. Fourteen years later, Danny is released from prison and returns to his old working class neighborhood to resume his life as a boxer.

6.7

MagicScore

The Calcium Kid

2004

When milkman Jimmy Connelly accidentally puts Britain's contender for the World title out of action, he is propelled from amateur boxer to the world stage and announced as the replacement contender for the championship fight.

5.5

MagicScore

The Great White Hype

1996

When the champ's promoter, Rev. Sultan, decides something new is needed to boost the marketability of the boxing matches, he searches and finds the only man to ever beat the champ. The problem is that he isn't a boxer anymore and he's white. However, once Rev. Sultan convinces him to fight, he goes into heavy training while the confident champ takes it easy and falls out of shape.

5.3

MagicScore

Million Dollar Baby

2004

Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. But Maggie's determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her.

8.0

MagicScore

Raging Bull

1980

The life of boxer Jake LaMotta, whose violence and temper that led him to the top in the ring destroyed his life outside of it.

7.9

MagicScore

Rocky

1976

Rocky Balboa is a Philadelphia club fighter who seems to be going nowhere. But when a stroke of fate puts him in the ring with a world heavyweight champion, Rocky knows that it's his one shot at the big time — a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go the distance and come out a winner!

7.8

MagicScore

#10

Gladiator

1992

Tommy Riley has moved with his dad to Chicago from a 'nice place'. He keeps to himself, goes to school. However, after a street fight he is noticed and quickly falls into the world of illegal underground boxing - where punches can kill.

7.6

MagicScore

#11

The Fighter

2010

Boxer "Irish" Micky Ward's unlikely road to the world light welterweight title. His Rocky-like rise was shepherded by half-brother Dicky, a boxer-turned-trainer who rebounded in life after nearly being KO'd by drugs and crime.

7.4

MagicScore

#12

The Set-Up

1949

Expecting the usual loss, a boxing manager takes bribes from a betting gangster without telling his fighter.

7.3

MagicScore

#13

Rocky II

1979

After Rocky goes the distance with champ Apollo Creed, both try to put the fight behind them and move on. Rocky settles down with Adrian but can't put his life together outside the ring, while Creed seeks a rematch to restore his reputation. Soon enough, the "Master of Disaster" and the "Italian Stallion" are set on a collision course for a climactic battle that is brutal and unforgettable.

7.3

MagicScore

#14

The Champ

1931

A broken-down alcoholic prizefighter struggles to keep custody of his adoring son.

7.1

MagicScore

#15

Boxer

2024

With only his wife by his side, a promising young boxer flees communist Poland to chase his dream of becoming the greatest fighter in history.

7.1

MagicScore

#16

Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson

2004

The story of Jack Johnson, the first African American Heavyweight boxing champion.

7.1

MagicScore

#17

Rocky IV

1985

Rocky Balboa holds the world heavyweight championship, but a new challenger has stepped forward: Drago, a six-foot-four, 261-pound fighter who has the backing of the Soviet Union. This time, Rocky's training regimen takes him to Siberia, where he prepares for a globally televised match in the heart of Moscow. But nothing can truly prepare him for what he's about to face – a fight to the finish, in which he must defend not only himself, but also the honor of his country!

7.1

MagicScore

#18

Fat City

1972

Two men, working as professional boxers, come to blows when their careers each begin to take opposite momentum.

7.0

MagicScore

#19

Mary Kom

2014

A chronicle of the life of Indian boxer 'Mary Kom' who went through several hardships before audaciously accomplishing her ultimate dream.

7.0

MagicScore

#20

The Champ

1979

Billy used to be a great boxer, but he's settled into a hardscrabble life that revolves around drinking, training horses, and the one bright spot in his existence — his young son, T.J. Although Billy has had custody of T.J. since his wife, Annie, left the family years ago, her return prompts a new struggle for the former fighter. Determined to hold on to his son, Billy gets back into the ring to try and recapture his past success.

7.0

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like The Main Event?

The top films similar to The Main Event by MovieMagicScore are Creed (7.4), The Greatest (5.4), Cinderella Man (7.6). Each shares comedy/romance themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is The Main Event worth watching?

The Main Event holds a MovieMagicScore of 5.3/10 from 65 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is The Main Event?

The Main Event (1979) is a comedy, romance film directed by Howard Zieff, starring Barbra Streisand, Ryan O'Neal, Paul Sand.

Where can I find more recommendations like The Main Event?

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 Creed Movies like The Greatest Movies like Cinderella Man Movies like The Boxer Movies like The Calcium Kid Movies like The Great White Hype

About movies like The Main Event

This ranked list pairs The Main Event (1979), a comedy and romance film from Howard Zieff, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Barbra Streisand 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.

← Back to The Main Event