Movies Like Palmer (2021)

Palmer is a 2021 drama film from Fisher Stevens with a MovieMagicScore of 8.1/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Close-Knit and Strangers with Candy.

Drama

Close-Knit

2017

After being neglected by her mother, a little girl is taken in by her uncle and his transgender girlfriend, who create a loving home for her.

7.1

MagicScore

Strangers with Candy

2006

A prequel to the critically acclaimed series featuring Jerri Blank, a 46 year old ex-junkie, ex-con who returns to high school in a bid to start her life over.

5.6

MagicScore

Billy Elliot

2000

County Durham, England, 1984. The miners' strike has started and the police have started coming up from Bethnal Green, starting a class war with the lower classes suffering. Caught in the middle of the conflict is 11-year old Billy Elliot, who, after leaving his boxing club for the day, stumbles upon a ballet class and finds out that he's naturally talented. He practices with his teacher Mrs. Wilkinson for an upcoming audition in Newcastle-upon Tyne for the royal Ballet school in London.

7.6

MagicScore

A Girl at My Door

2014

Sent from Seoul to serve in a remote coastal village, a policewoman gets involved in the life of a mysterious teenage girl who is abused by both her father and her grandmother.

6.9

MagicScore

Weapons

2025

When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.

7.3

MagicScore

Desperation Road

2023

Ex-con Russell Gaines is attempting to rebuild his life with the help of his father, Mitchell. However, the arrival of Maben sends his new life into chaos, leading the pair to go on the run - as their violent pasts catch up to them, the pair must learn to trust each other if they hope to live out the rest of their days.

6.7

MagicScore

Outside In

2018

An ex-con struggling to readjust to life in his small town forms an intense bond with his former high-school teacher.

6.1

MagicScore

The Scythian Lamb

2018

Based on a manga written by Tatsuhiko Yamagami, the story is set in a former seaport town Uobuka, where 6 former criminals were sent to live there by the government, with the intention of re-socialising them. Aside from the few who know about the project, the general townsfolk has no idea of the former convicts' identities. Tsukisue is the pleasant and efficient municipal official put in charge of the programme. As he slowly learns about their past, a body is discovered.

6.0

MagicScore

The Laramie Project

2002

"The Laramie Project" is set in and around Laramie, Wyoming, in the aftermath of the murder of 21-year-old Matthew Shepard. To create the stage version of "The Laramie Project," the eight-member New York-based Tectonic Theatre Project traveled to Laramie, Wyoming, recording hours of interviews with the town's citizens over a two-year period. The film adaptation dramatizes the troupe's visit, using the actual words from the transcripts to create a portrait of a town forced to confront itself.

6.2

MagicScore

#10

Hurricane Bianca

2016

A teacher from New York moves to a small town in Texas, gets fired for being gay, and returns disguised in drag to get revenge on the people who were nasty to him.

6.1

MagicScore

#11

Dream Boy

2008

The story of Nathan, a young teenager who tries to flourish in a romantic relationship with neighbour Roy. The two young men will have to face the brutal reality of the rural south of the United States in the late 1970s.

6.1

MagicScore

#12

Hallelujah!

2009

Following his release from a seven-year stretch in prison, Mario Diccara discovers that his affairs with the underworld aren't completely settled. His brother Patrick, a priest, suggests that he stays with elderly Father Etienne in a small village in Ardeche until the conflict blows over. But their plan takes an unexpected turn when Father Etienne dies.

5.8

MagicScore

#13

Trapped in Paradise

1994

Residents of a friendly Pennsylvania town foil three brothers' plan to rob a bank on Christmas Eve.

5.6

MagicScore

#14

The Ardennes

2015

A brutal home-jacking goes hopelessly wrong. Dave, one of the two robbers, manages to run off, leaving his brother Kenneth behind. Four years later, Kenneth is released from prison and much has changed. Dave has his life back on track and is trying to help Kenneth however possible, but is witnessing how the highly strung Kenneth tries to win back his ex-girlfriend Sylvie.

6.6

MagicScore

#15

Beck 32 - Steinar

2016

An unidentified body is found in the remains left after a fire in a trailer at a run-down caravan park. The owner of the trailer, a young drug-addicted woman, is missing, but is she really the victim? And what role has the so-called neighbourhood watch from the nearby community played? The case is difficult to solve, with everyone involved guarding their secrets, regardless of social class. Furthermore, police supervisor Klas Fredén decides to go over Martin Beck’s head and recruit charismatic, Norwegian homicide investigator, Steinar Hovland. The newly-structured Beck group faces the blight of a power struggle. And Martin struggles to find his way back to his old self.

5.5

MagicScore

#16

Honey Boy

2019

The story of a child star attempting to mend his relationship with his law-breaking, alcohol-abusing father over the course of a decade, loosely based on Shia LaBeouf’s life.

7.0

MagicScore

#17

Middle of Nowhere

2008

The film follows Grace, a young woman whose irresponsible mother blows her college fund on her younger sister's beauty pageant campaign.

5.8

MagicScore

#18

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

#19

Framing Britney Spears

2021

Her rise was a global phenomenon. Her downfall was a cruel national sport. People close to Britney Spears and lawyers tied to her conservatorship now reassess her career as she battles her father in court over who should control her life.

7.2

MagicScore

#20

Deliver Us from Eva

2003

Eva Dandridge has been in charge of her younger sisters ever since their parents died many years ago. She is a very uptight young woman who constantly meddles in the affairs of her sisters and their significant others. Her brothers-in-law, who are tired of Eva interfering in their lives, decide to set her up with someone so she can leave them alone. They end up paying Ray, the local "playboy," $5,000 to date her. The plan goes by smoothly, but trouble comes when Ray actually falls in love with Eva.

6.4

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Palmer?

The top films similar to Palmer by MovieMagicScore are Close-Knit (7.1), Strangers with Candy (5.6), Billy Elliot (7.6). Each shares drama themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Palmer worth watching?

Palmer holds a MovieMagicScore of 8.1/10 from 1,967 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Palmer?

Palmer (2021) is a drama film directed by Fisher Stevens, starring Justin Timberlake, Ryder Allen, Juno Temple.

Where can I find more recommendations like Palmer?

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 Close-Knit Movies like Strangers with Candy Movies like Billy Elliot Movies like A Girl at My Door Movies like Weapons Movies like Desperation Road

About movies like Palmer

This ranked list pairs Palmer (2021), a drama film from Fisher Stevens, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Justin Timberlake 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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