Movies like Lean On Me

A feature-film shortlist from the cached Film Atlas engine. The interactive map may include more titles or newer results. These are similarity matches, not a guarantee of age suitability.

1. 

   01

   The Chocolate War

   Strong story similarity

   1988 · 100 min · Drama

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   Jerry, a new student at an elite Catholic prep school, must face the hazing practices handed down by the Vigils, a group of powerful students. When teacher Brother Leon pushes the students to sell chocolates for a fundraiser, the head of the Vigils, Archie, gets Jerry to reject selling for 10 days. However, Jerry decides to keep up the refusal past the original time frame, which pits him against the Vigils and the school staff.

   Why it connects

   • strong story and style similarity
   • strong genre and movie-style overlap
   • a closely matched era

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2. 

   02

   Lemon Sky

   Strong story similarity

   1988 · 96 min · Drama

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   An out of high school teen from the midwest moves to San Diego, California in the 1950s to live with his estranged father and new family. Escaping his past may not be as easy as he had hoped...or is it all a dream?

   Why it connects

   • strong story and style similarity
   • strong genre and movie-style overlap
   • a closely matched era

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3. 

   03

   Elephant

   Strong story similarity

   2003 · 81 min · Crime · Drama

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   Several ordinary high school students go through their daily routine as two others prepare for something more malevolent.

   Why it connects

   • strong story and style similarity
   • substantial genre overlap

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4. 

   04

   All That Jazz

   Strong story similarity

   1979 · 123 min · Drama

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   Joe Gideon is at the top of the heap, one of the most successful directors and choreographers in musical theater. But he can feel his world slowly collapsing around him - his obsession with work has almost destroyed his personal life, and only his bottles of pills keep him going.

   Why it connects

   • strong story and style similarity
   • strong genre and movie-style overlap

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5. 

   05

   Manic

   Strong story similarity

   2002 · 102 min · Drama

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   In lieu of prison, Lyle, a violent adolescent, is placed in a juvenile mental institution where he encounters a group of equally troubled teens. This motley crew—abused, sexually confused, violent, and yet hanging on by their grit and anger—becomes Lyle's last lifeline as he fights to find meaning in a world that seems to defy understanding.

   Why it connects

   • strong story and style similarity
   • strong genre and movie-style overlap

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6. 

   06

   Birth of a Nation

   Strong story similarity

   1983 · 79 min · Drama · TV Movie

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   A new teacher at a highly problematic comprehensive school feels that corporal punishment may just be inflaming the problems, and so begins to campaign against it.

   Why it connects

   • strong story and style similarity
   • substantial genre overlap

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7. 

   07

   My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown

   Similar atmosphere

   1989 · 103 min · Drama

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   No one expects much from Christy Brown, a boy with cerebral palsy born into a working-class Irish family. Though Christy is a spastic quadriplegic and essentially paralyzed, a miraculous event occurs when, at the age of 5, he demonstrates control of his left foot by using chalk to scrawl a word on the floor. With the help of his steely mother — and no shortage of grit and determination — Christy overcomes his infirmity to become a painter, poet and author.

   Why it connects

   • strong genre and movie-style overlap
   • a closely matched era
   • similar audience response

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8. 

   08

   Speak

   Similar atmosphere

   2004 · 93 min · Drama

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   Freshman high-school student Melinda has refused to speak ever since she called the cops on a popular summer party. With her old friends snubbing her for being a rat, and her parents too busy to notice her troubles, she folds into herself, trying to hide her secret: that star senior Andy raped her at the party. But Melinda does manage to find solace in her art class headed by Mr. Freeman.

   Why it connects

   • strong genre and movie-style overlap

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9. 

   09

   Kids

   Strong story similarity

   1995 · 91 min · Crime · Drama

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   A group of bored, disaffected New York City teenagers spend a day skating, smoking, drinking, partying, deflowering virgins, and getting into fights.

   Why it connects

   • strong story and style similarity
   • substantial genre overlap

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10. 

    10

    Tape

    Strong story similarity

    2001 · 87 min · Drama

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    Jon, a first-time filmmaker, finds himself in Lansing, Michigan to present his film at a local film festival. Vince, his high school friend who is now a volunteer fireman and small-time drug dealer, also visits the town to support Jon on his big day, or so it seems. After a raucous hello and much backslapping, it appears that there is an undercurrent of tension in the air.

    Why it connects

    • strong story and style similarity
    • strong genre and movie-style overlap

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