Movies Like The Color Purple (1985)

The Color Purple is a 1985 drama, history film from Steven Spielberg with a MovieMagicScore of 7.7/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Marley & Me and Hotel Rwanda.

Drama History

Marley & Me

2008

A newly married couple, in the process of starting a family, learn many of life's important lessons from their trouble-loving retriever, Marley. Packed with plenty of laughs to lighten the load, the film explores the highs and lows of marriage, maturity and confronting one's own mortality, as seen through the lens of family life with a dog.

7.2

MagicScore

Hotel Rwanda

2004

Inspired by true events, this film takes place in Rwanda in the 1990s when more than a million Tutsis were killed in a genocide that went mostly unnoticed by the rest of the world. Hotel owner Paul Rusesabagina houses over a thousand refuges in his hotel in attempt to save their lives.

7.7

MagicScore

Friendly Beast

2018

A restaurant owner going over the edge when an armed robbery is attempted at his establishment. He holds everyone captive at gunpoint – criminals and customers alike – and situations corrode into a nightmare state, guided by manipulation and raw compulsion.

6.5

MagicScore

Held for Ransom

2019

HELD FOR RANSOM tells the true story of Danish photojournalist Daniel Rye who was held hostage for 398 days in Syria by the terror organization ISIS along with several other foreign nationals including the American journalist, James Foley. The film follows Daniel’s struggle to survive in captivity, his friendship with James, and the nightmare of the Rye family back home in Denmark as they try to do everything in their power to save their son. At the center of this crisis, we find hostage negotiator, Arthur, who plays a pivotal role in securing Daniel’s release.

7.0

MagicScore

Hard Paint

2019

Pedro earns a living in chat rooms. He transforms himself into NeonBoy in front of the webcam. Slowly, this young man dips his fingers into pots of coloured paint and glides them across his naked body. But things change when Pedro notices that somebody is imitating his performances. He agrees to go on a date with his mysterious rival. This rendezvous will have far-reaching consequences.

6.3

MagicScore

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

2016

An American Ambassador is killed during an attack at a U.S. compound in Libya as a security team struggles to make sense out of the chaos.

7.3

MagicScore

Precious

2009

In Harlem in 1987, Claireece "Precious" Jones is a 16-year-old African American girl born into a life no one would want. She's pregnant for the second time by her absent father, and at home she must wait hand and foot on her mother, an angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is chaotic and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks and a secret – she can't read.

7.3

MagicScore

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

1958

An alcoholic ex-football player drinks his days away, having failed to come to terms with his sexuality and his real feelings for his football buddy who died after an ambiguous accident. His wife is crucified by her desperation to make him desire her: but he resists the affections of his wife. His reunion with his father—who is dying of cancer—jogs a host of memories and revelations for both father and son.

7.6

MagicScore

Star 80

1983

Paul Snider is a narcissistic, small time hustler who fancies himself a ladies man. His life changes when he meets Dorothy Stratten working behind the counter of a Dairy Queen. Under his guidance Dorothy grows to fame as a Playboy Playmate. But when Dorothy begins pursuing an acting career, the jealous Paul finds himself elbowed out of the picture by more famous men.

6.4

MagicScore

#10

Chappaquiddick

2018

Ted Kennedy's life and political career become derailed in the aftermath of a fatal car accident in 1969 that claims the life of a young campaign strategist, Mary Jo Kopechne.

6.1

MagicScore

#11

Whitney

2015

Chronicles Whitney Houston's rise to fame and turbulent relationship with husband Bobby Brown.

5.7

MagicScore

#12

The Fury

1978

When a devious plot separates CIA agent Peter Sandza from his son, Robin, the distraught father manages to see through the ruse. Taken because of his psychic abilities, Robin is being held by Ben Childress, who is studying people with supernatural powers in hopes of developing their talents as weapons. Soon Peter pairs up with Gillian, a teen who has telekinesis, to find and rescue Robin.

6.3

MagicScore

#13

Menace II Society

1993

A young street hustler attempts to escape the rigors and temptations of the ghetto in a quest for a better life.

7.5

MagicScore

#14

The Seven Five

2015

Meet the dirtiest cop in NYC history. Michael Dowd stole money and dealt drugs while patrolling the streets of '80s Brooklyn.

7.3

MagicScore

#15

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

1982

The starship Enterprise and its crew is pulled back into action when old nemesis, Khan, steals a top secret device called Project Genesis.

7.4

MagicScore

#16

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within

2010

After a bloody invasion of the BOPE in the High-Security Penitentiary Bangu 1 in Rio de Janeiro to control a rebellion of interns, the Lieutenant-Colonel Roberto Nascimento and the second in command Captain André Matias are accused by the Human Right Aids member Diogo Fraga of execution of prisoners. Matias is transferred to the corrupted Military Police and Nascimento is exonerated from the BOPE by the Governor.

7.8

MagicScore

#17

Where Angels Fear to Tread

1991

An English widow goes to Italy, falls in love with a dentist's son and marries him, against her straitlaced family's wishes.

6.5

MagicScore

#18

A Raisin in the Sun

1961

Walter Lee Younger is a young man struggling with his station in life. Sharing a tiny apartment with his wife, son, sister and mother, he seems like an imprisoned man. Until, that is, the family gets an unexpected financial windfall.

7.7

MagicScore

#19

Taxi Driver

1976

Suffering from insomnia, disturbed loner Travis Bickle takes a job as a New York City cabbie, haunting the streets nightly, growing increasingly detached from reality as he dreams of cleaning up the filthy city.

8.1

MagicScore

#20

Jason's Lyric

1994

The story of a young man who must confront his own fears about love as well as his relationships with family and friends.

6.7

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like The Color Purple?

The top films similar to The Color Purple by MovieMagicScore are Marley & Me (7.2), Hotel Rwanda (7.7), Friendly Beast (6.5). Each shares drama/history themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is The Color Purple worth watching?

The Color Purple holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.7/10 from 1,891 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is The Color Purple?

The Color Purple (1985) is a drama, history film directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery.

Where can I find more recommendations like The Color Purple?

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 Marley & Me Movies like Hotel Rwanda Movies like Friendly Beast Movies like Held for Ransom Movies like Hard Paint Movies like 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

About movies like The Color Purple

This ranked list pairs The Color Purple (1985), a drama and history film from Steven Spielberg, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Danny Glover 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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