Movies Like Joyland (2022)

Joyland is a 2022 drama, romance film from Saim Sadiq with a MovieMagicScore of 7.3/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Shall We Dance? and And Then We Danced.

Drama Romance

Shall We Dance?

2004

A bored estate lawyer spots a beautiful woman in the window of a ballroom dance studio. He secretly starts taking dancing lessons to be near her, and then over time discovers how much he loves dancing. His wife, meanwhile, has hired a private detective to find out why he has started coming home late smelling of perfume.

6.4

MagicScore

And Then We Danced

2019

Merab, a devoted dancer, has been training for years with his partner Mary for a spot in the National Georgian Ensemble. The arrival of another male dancer, Irakli, sparks both an intense rivalry and romantic desire that may cause Merab to risk his future in dance as well as his relationships.

7.3

MagicScore

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

1994

Two drag performers and a transgender woman travel across the desert to perform their unique style of cabaret.

7.3

MagicScore

Stonewall

2015

Kicked out by his parents, a gay teenager leaves small-town Indiana for New York's Greenwich Village, where growing discrimination against the gay community leads to riots on June 28, 1969.

6.0

MagicScore

Strictly Ballroom

1992

Brave new steps put Scott's career in jeopardy. With a new partner and determination, can he still succeed?

6.6

MagicScore

This Special Friendship

1964

A tale of the tender relationship between a twelve-year-old boy and the fourteen-year-old upperclassman who is the object of his desire, all set within the rigid atmosphere of a Jesuit-run school.

7.8

MagicScore

The Dancer

2016

A young woman from the American Midwest, Loïe Fuller became the toast of the Folies Bergère at the turn of the 20th century and an icon of the Belle Epoque. Inventor of the breathtaking Serpentine Dance, she was a pioneer of modern dance and lighting techniques. It was her complicated relationship to her protégé - Isadora Duncan – that precipitated the downfall of this early 20th century icon.

6.5

MagicScore

Rio 2096: A Story of Love and Fury

2013

“Rio 2096 – A Story of Love and Fury” is an animated film that portrays the love between an immortal hero and Janaína, the woman he has been in love with for 600 years. As a backdrop to the romance, the feature highlights four phases of Brazilian history: colonization, slavery, the Military Regime and the future, in 2096, when there will be a war for water.

7.2

MagicScore

Heartstopper Forever

2026

It's a new school year for the Truham-Higgs gang. As Nick and Charlie's relationship deepens, their thoughts turn to life after the last bell rings.

7.3

MagicScore

#10

Block Pass

2025

Friendship and rebellion - but how will a secret play out in the masculine world of motocross? Willy and Jojo are best friends. They share a passion for motocross - whereas Willy uses it to honour his deceased father, it is only by excelling in the sport that Jojo’s father will notice him. Also the masculine world or racing is perfectly suited to suppress their own insecurities. Yet when Willy one fateful night discovers the hidden love life of Jojo, he will be forced to take sides in the wave of homophobia that follows.

6.9

MagicScore

#11

Soldier's Girl

2003

This true story, which takes place in Fort Campbell, KY, tells the heart-wrenching story of the life and tragic death of soldier Barry Winchell. His love for Calpernia Addams, a transgender nightclub performer, was misunderstood by his fellow soldiers and eventually led to his murder.

6.9

MagicScore

#12

Kiss of the Spider Woman

2025

Valentín, a political prisoner, shares a cell with Molina, a window dresser convicted of public indecency. The two form an unlikely bond as Molina recounts the plot of a Hollywood musical starring his favorite silver screen diva, Ingrid Luna.

6.1

MagicScore

#13

How to Train Your Dragon 2

2014

Five years have passed since Hiccup and Toothless united the dragons and Vikings of Berk. Now, they spend their time charting unmapped territories. During one of their adventures, the pair discover a secret cave that houses hundreds of wild dragons -- and a mysterious dragon rider. Now, Hiccup and Toothless find themselves at the center of a battle to protect Berk from a power-hungry warrior.

7.7

MagicScore

#14

Fanfic

2023

Two high school students form an intense connection as they navigate the challenges of discovering and expressing their truest selves.

7.0

MagicScore

#15

Mutt

2023

Over the course of a single hectic day in New York City, three people from Feña's past are thrust back into his life: his foreign father, his straight ex-boyfriend, and his 13-year old half-sister. Having lost touch since transitioning from female to male, Feña must navigate the new dynamics of these old relationships while tackling the day-to-day challenges that come with living a life in-between.

6.0

MagicScore

#16

Under the Rainbow

2023

An association takes in young LGBT people made homeless by their families. Behind the apparent comedy, the excesses, the desire to assert themselves, lie shattered lives. They all have this furious desire to exist, to find their place in society. Here, they have six months to find a job, a place to live and accept themselves as they are. It's a race against time, during which Noëlle, who runs the association, and Alex, who helps her in her mission, are also forced to face up to their own failings and question their motivation for helping others.

6.0

MagicScore

#17

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

#18

Of an Age

2023

A Serbian ballroom dancer experiences an unexpected and intense 24-hour romance with a friend's older brother.

6.7

MagicScore

#19

Angels of Sex

2012

Carla and Bruno believe they have answers for everything until Rai appears in their lives, an attractive and mysterious young who lives outsidethe rules. In this story about love and friendship, boundaries dissolve by the rhythm of funkyand break to offer a provocative, exciting and deeply touching vision about romantic relationships.

6.4

MagicScore

#20

Soft Lad

2015

Twenty-two year old David has it all – he’s young, hot, and he’s just got into the prestigious dance school of his dreams. But he has a secret: for two years he’s been sleeping with his sister’s husband, Jules. After an argument between the two lovers, David throws himself into a one-night stand with Sam, a casual encounter which fast becomes something much stronger.

5.7

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Joyland?

The top films similar to Joyland by MovieMagicScore are Shall We Dance? (6.4), And Then We Danced (7.3), The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (7.3). Each shares drama/romance themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Joyland worth watching?

Joyland holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.3/10 from 144 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Joyland?

Joyland (2022) is a drama, romance film directed by Saim Sadiq, starring Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq, Alina Khan.

Where can I find more recommendations like Joyland?

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 Shall We Dance?Movies like And Then We Danced Movies like The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Movies like Stonewall Movies like Strictly Ballroom Movies like This Special Friendship

About movies like Joyland

This ranked list pairs Joyland (2022), a drama and romance film from Saim Sadiq, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Ali Junejo 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 Joyland