Movies Like Illuminata (1998)

Illuminata is a 1998 comedy, drama film from John Turturro with a MovieMagicScore of 5.4/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Morning Glory and A Novel Romance.

Comedy Drama

Morning Glory

1933

Wildly optimistic chatterbox Eva Lovelace is a would-be actress trying to crash the New York stage. She attracts the interest of a paternal actor, a philandering producer, and an earnest playwright. Is she destined for stardom, or will she fade like a morning glory after its brief blooming?

6.1

MagicScore

A Novel Romance

2015

Romance novelist Liam Bradley (Dylan Bruce) has already found massive success with three books written under the pen name Gabriel August, but he's mysteriously unknown to his legions of readers. With his first book written as a way to heal after a broken relationship, Liam has slowly become disheartened with writing strictly for romantic fantasy, something evident to a sweet, but honest, journalist who reviews books, Sophie Atkinson (Amy Acker), whom he meets by chance on a plane. The two begin a tentative relationship in Sophie’s home town of Portland, Oregon, where Liam has come to find inspiration for his newest entry. Liam’s agent puts him on the spot with a long-planned reveal of Gabriel August’s true identity, but Sophie doesn’t know of his public persona. The longer Liam avoids telling her the truth, the deeper a hole he digs for himself. Will their romance survive once his true identity comes to light?

6.0

MagicScore

Game 6

2006

Combining real and fictional events, this movie centers around the historic 1986 World Series, and a day in the life of a playwright who skips opening night to watch the momentous game.

4.5

MagicScore

Arsenic and Old Lace

1944

Mortimer Brewster, a newspaper drama critic, playwright, and author known for his diatribes against marriage, suddenly falls in love and gets married; but when he makes a quick trip home to tell his two maiden aunts, he finds out his aunts' hobby - killing lonely old men and burying them in the cellar!

7.6

MagicScore

The Man Who Came to Dinner

1941

An acerbic critic wreaks havoc when a hip injury forces him to move in indefinitely with a Midwestern family.

6.9

MagicScore

Theatre of Blood

1973

A Shakespearean actor takes poetic revenge on the critics who denied him recognition.

6.7

MagicScore

Elegy

2008

Cultural critic David Kepesh finds his life -- which he indicates is a state of "emancipated manhood" -- thrown into tragic disarray by Consuela Castillo, a well-mannered student who awakens a sense of sexual possessiveness in her teacher.

6.3

MagicScore

Please Don't Eat the Daisies

1960

Drama critic Larry Mackay, his wife Kate and their four sons move from their crowded Manhattan apartment to an old house in the country. While housewife Kate settles into suburban life, Larry continues to enjoy the theater and party scene of New York.

6.1

MagicScore

All These Women

1964

Pretentious critic Cornelius is writing a biography on a famous cellist and to do some research he stays in the cellist's house for a few days. He doesn't manage to get an interview with the man, but by talking to all the women who live with him, he comes to learn a lot about the musician's private life none the less. Cornelius then decides to use this information to blackmail the cellist into performing a composition that he, Cornelius, has written.

6.0

MagicScore

#10

Heckler

2007

HECKLER is a comedic feature documentary exploring the increasingly critical world we live in. After starring in a film that was critically bashed, Jamie Kennedy takes on hecklers and critics and ask some interesting questions of people such as George Lucas, Bill Maher, Mike Ditka, Rob Zombie, Howie Mandel and many more. This fast moving, hilarious documentary pulls no punches as you see an uncensored look at just how nasty and mean the fight is between those in the spotlight and those in the dark.

5.9

MagicScore

#11

The Critic

2024

Jimmy Erskine is the most feared theatre critic of the age. He lives as flamboyantly as he writes and takes pleasure in savagely taking down any actor who fails to meet his standards. When the owner of the Daily Chronicle dies, and his son takes over, Jimmy quickly finds himself at odds with his new boss and his position under threat. In an attempt to preserve the power and influence he holds so sacred, Jimmy strikes a Faustian pact with a struggling actress, entangling them and the boss in a thrilling but deadly web of desire, blackmail, and betrayal.

5.9

MagicScore

#12

Bitter Feast

2010

A celebrity chef exacts revenge on a food blogger who torpedoes his career.

5.1

MagicScore

#13

The New Watchdogs

2012

In 1932, the writer Paul Nizan published "The New Watchdogs" to denounce the philosophers and writers of his time who, sheltering behind intellectual neutrality, imposed themselves as true watchdogs of the established order. Today the watchdogs are journalists, editors, and media experts who've openly become market evangelists and guardians of the social order. In a sardonic manner, "The New Watchdogs" denounces this press that, claiming to be independent, objective and pluralist, makes out it is a democratic force of opposition. With forcefulness and precision, the film puts its finger on the increasing danger of information produced by the major industrial groups of the Paris Stock Exchange and perverted into merchandise.

7.4

MagicScore

#14

La Vie de Bohème

1992

Three penniless artists become friends in modern-day Paris: Rodolfo, an Albanian painter with no visa, Marcel, a playwright and magazine editor with no publisher, and Schaunard, a post-modernist composer of execrable noise.

7.5

MagicScore

#15

A Different Man

2024

Aspiring actor Edward undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare, as he loses out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost.

6.9

MagicScore

#16

The Forty-Year-Old Version

2020

Desperate for a breakthrough as she nears the big 4-0, struggling New York City playwright Radha finds inspiration by reinventing herself as a rapper.

6.7

MagicScore

#17

Deathtrap

1982

A Broadway playwright puts murder in his plan to take credit for a student's script.

6.6

MagicScore

#18

Something's Gotta Give

2003

When perpetually single, aging music industry exec Harry Sanborn, and his latest trophy girlfriend, Marin, arrive at her mother's beach house in the Hamptons, they find that her mother, playwright Erica Barry, also plans to stay for the weekend. Erica is scandalized by the relationship and Harry's sexist ways. But when Harry has a heart attack while there, and the doctor prescribes bedrest, his only option is to stay at the Barry home. Left in the care of Erica and his doctor, a love triangle starts to take shape.

6.6

MagicScore

#19

Man of La Mancha

1972

In the 16th century, poet, playwright and part-time actor Miguel de Cervantes has been arrested, together with his manservant, by the Spanish Inquisition. They're accused of presenting an entertainment offensive to the Inquisition. Inside the huge dungeon into which they have been cast, the other inmates gang up on Cervantes and his manservant, staging a mock trial, with the intention of stealing or burning his possessions. Cervantes wishes to desperately save a manuscript he carries with him and stages, with costumes, makeup, and the participation of the other prisoners, an unusual defense—the story of Don Quixote.

6.5

MagicScore

#20

Moliere

2007

Molière, a down-and-out actor-cum-playwright up to his ears in debt. When the wealthy Jourdain offers to cover that debt so that Molière's theatrical talents might help Jourdain win the heart of a certain widowed marquise, hilarity ensues.

6.4

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Illuminata?

The top films similar to Illuminata by MovieMagicScore are Morning Glory (6.1), A Novel Romance (6.0), Game 6 (4.5). Each shares comedy/drama themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Illuminata worth watching?

Illuminata holds a MovieMagicScore of 5.4/10 from 21 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Illuminata?

Illuminata (1998) is a comedy, drama film directed by John Turturro, starring John Turturro, Christopher Walken, Susan Sarandon.

Where can I find more recommendations like Illuminata?

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 Morning Glory Movies like A Novel Romance Movies like Game 6 Movies like Arsenic and Old Lace Movies like The Man Who Came to Dinner Movies like Theatre of Blood

About movies like Illuminata

This ranked list pairs Illuminata (1998), a comedy and drama film from John Turturro, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of John Turturro 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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