Movies Like City of Joy (1992)

City of Joy is a 1992 drama film from Roland Joffé with a MovieMagicScore of 6.6/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Aparajito and Charulata.

Drama

Aparajito

1956

Apu and his family have moved away from the country to live in the bustling holy city of Benares. As he progresses from wide-eyed child to intellectually curious teenager, eventually studying in Kolkata, we witness his academic and moral education, as well as the growing complexity of his relationship with his mother.

7.9

MagicScore

Charulata

1964

In 1870s India, Charulata is an isolated, artistically inclined woman who sees little of her busy journalist husband, Bhupati. Realizing that his wife is alienated and unhappy, he convinces his cousin, Amal, to spend time with Charulata and nourish her creative impulses. Amal is a fledgling poet himself, and he and Charulata bond over their shared love of art.

7.5

MagicScore

Ben-Hur

1959

In ancient Judea, a Jewish aristocrat opposing Roman occupation of his homeland reunites with his childhood friend, now a Roman commander — setting in motion a saga of betrayal, adventure, tragedy, revenge, and faith.

7.9

MagicScore

The Castle of Sand

1974

Two detectives are tasked to investigate the murder of an old man, found bludgeoned to death in a Tokyo rail yard.

7.3

MagicScore

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ

1925

Erstwhile childhood friends, Judah Ben-Hur and Messala meet again as adults, this time with Roman officer Messala as conqueror and Judah as a wealthy, though conquered, Israelite. A slip of a brick during a Roman parade causes Judah to be sent off as a galley slave, his property confiscated and his mother and sister imprisoned. Years later, as a result of his determination to stay alive and his willingness to aid his Roman master, Judah returns to his homeland an exalted and wealthy Roman athlete. Unable to find his mother and sister, and believing them dead, he can think of nothing else than revenge against Messala.

7.3

MagicScore

Three Seasons

1999

The residents of Ho Chi Minh City face modernization amid widespread poverty. A retired American Marine arrives on a search for his daughter, whom he abandoned at the end of the Vietnam War. Elsewhere, a cyclo driver falls for a troubled prostitute and schemes to raise money so he can spend time with her. Additionally, a young women begins harvesting lotuses for a writer suffering from leprosy, and a child trinket seller loses his traveling case.

7.2

MagicScore

Apur Sansar

1959

Apu, now a jobless ex-student dreaming vaguely of a future as a writer, is invited to join an old college friend on a trip up-country to a village wedding.

8.1

MagicScore

The Big City

1963

After her husband loses his job, a housewife from a middle-class, conservative family in Calcutta gets a job as a salesperson.

7.8

MagicScore

The Stranger

1991

A well-off Indian family is paid an unexpected, and rather unwanted, visit by a man claiming to be the woman's long lost uncle. The initial suspicion with which they greet the man slowly dissolves as he regales them with stories of his travels, tales that are at odds with their conventional middle class perspective on the world.

7.6

MagicScore

#10

Devdas

2002

In 1900s India, Calcuttan zamindar Devdas Mukherjee — unable to marry his lover — takes up alcohol and the company of a courtesan to alleviate the pain.

7.5

MagicScore

#11

The Cloud-Capped Star

1960

A selfless young woman, the daughter of a middle-class refugee family from East Pakistan, sacrifices her own happiness for her unappreciative family.

7.3

MagicScore

#12

The Coward

1965

Amitabha Roy is a Calcutta-based scriptwriter, driving around in the country to collect material for a film. His vehicle breaks down in a small town. A tea planter, Bimal Gupta, offers hospitality for the night. Amitabha is forced to accept the offer as he has no alternative.

7.2

MagicScore

#13

The Adversary

1970

Siddhartho Chowdhury, a brilliant young medical student, is forced to leave his studies after his father's sudden demise. He is forced to navigate the high unemployment rate and the communist socio-political climate of 1960s Calcutta in search of a job. He lives in a flat with his younger, employed sister, revolutionary brother and widowed mother. The strain of the situation ultimately causes him to hallucinate.

7.1

MagicScore

#14

Princess Mononoke

1997

Ashitaka, a prince of the disappearing Emishi people, is cursed by a demonized boar god and must journey to the west to find a cure. Along the way, he encounters San, a young human woman fighting to protect the forest, and Lady Eboshi, who is trying to destroy it. Ashitaka must find a way to bring balance to this conflict.

8.3

MagicScore

#15

The House Is Black

1963

Set in a leper colony in the north of Iran, The House is Black juxtaposes "ugliness," of which there is much in the world as stated in the opening scenes, with religion and gratitude.

7.4

MagicScore

#16

The Fog

1980

Strange things begin to occur as a tiny California coastal town prepares to commemorate its centenary. Inanimate objects spring eerily to life; Rev. Malone stumbles upon a dark secret about the town's founding; radio announcer Stevie witnesses a mystical fire; and hitchhiker Elizabeth discovers the mutilated corpse of a fisherman. Then a mysterious iridescent fog descends upon the village, and more people start to die.

6.7

MagicScore

#17

I Escaped from Devil's Island

1973

In 1916, a group of prisoners plot their escape from the notorious fortress located in French Guiana.

4.8

MagicScore

#18

The Fog

2005

Trapped within an eerie mist, the residents of Antonio Bay have become the unwitting victims of a horrifying vengeance. One hundred years earlier, a ship carrying lepers was purposely lured onto the rocky coastline and sank, drowning all aboard. Now they're back – long-dead mariners who've waited a century for their revenge.

4.6

MagicScore

#19

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

2023

A rich man learns about a guru who can see without using his eyes. He sets out to master the skill in order to cheat at gambling.

7.2

MagicScore

#20

Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids

2004

Documentary depicting the lives of child prostitutes in the red light district of Songachi, Calcutta. Director Zana Briski went to photograph the prostitutes when she met and became friends with their children. Briski began giving photography lessons to the children and became aware that their photography might be a way for them to lead better lives.

6.8

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like City of Joy?

The top films similar to City of Joy by MovieMagicScore are Aparajito (7.9), Charulata (7.5), Ben-Hur (7.9). Each shares drama themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is City of Joy worth watching?

City of Joy holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.6/10 from 158 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is City of Joy?

City of Joy (1992) is a drama film directed by Roland Joffé, starring Patrick Swayze, Om Puri, Pauline Collins.

Where can I find more recommendations like City of Joy?

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 Aparajito Movies like Charulata Movies like Ben-Hur Movies like The Castle of Sand Movies like Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ Movies like Three Seasons

About movies like City of Joy

This ranked list pairs City of Joy (1992), a drama film from Roland Joffé, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Patrick Swayze 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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