Best movies like The Pursuit of Unhappiness

Book editor Max Normane can perfect anyone’s story apart from her own. Highly successful but highly single, she comes up with a novel plan: a publication in exchange for a sperm donation. But will she get her happy ending?

An original mix of fiction and reality illuminates the life of comic book hero everyman Harvey Pekar.

Based on the autobiographical work of New Zealand writer Janet Frame, this production depicts the author at various stage of her life. Afflicted with mental and emotional issues, Frame grows up in an impoverished family and experiences numerous tragedies while still in her youth, including the deaths of two of her siblings. Portrayed as an adult by Kerry Fox, Frame finds acclaim for her writing while still in a mental institution, and her success helps her move on with her life.

A single mother, plagued by the violent death of her husband, battles with her son's fear of a monster lurking in the house, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her.

Based on a true story, Fatal Honeymoon tells the shocking story and controversy surrounding a newlywed who tragically dies on her dream honeymoon and the subsequent investigation as to whether or not her husband was guilty of killing her.

Nine-year-old Frankie and his single mum Lizzie have been on the move ever since Frankie can remember, most recently arriving in a seaside Scottish town. Wanting to protect her deaf son from the truth that they've run away from his father, Lizzie has invented a story that he is away at sea on the HMS Accra. Every few weeks, Lizzie writes Frankie a make-believe letter from his father, telling of his adventures in exotic lands. As Frankie tracks the ship's progress around the globe, he discovers that it is due to dock in his hometown. With the real HMS Accra arriving in only a fortnight, Lizzie must choose between telling Frankie the truth or finding the perfect stranger to play Frankie's father for just one day...

The story of a young writer's transformation when her past invades her present.

The complicated travails of several generations of Italian women provide the basis for this drama that is based on a novel by Susanna Tamaro. It begins with the peaceful death of Olga, the elderly family matriarch. Marta, her granddaughter returns from the US to attend the funeral and once in Olga's villa in Trieste, begins reading her grandmother's diary. Olga's story unfolds via flashback. As a young woman, Oldga had to marry Antonio a man she didn't love. Later she became passionately involved with a handsome doctor at the local spa. He impregnates her and shortly thereafter dies in a terrible car wreck. The result of their love is Illaria, who grows up to be terribly neurotic. She bears Marta and then she too dies in an automobile accident, leaving Marta to be raised by Olga.

Life for a single mom in Los Angeles takes an unexpected turn when she allows three young guys to move in with her.

A psychiatrist comes to the aid of a compulsive gambler and is led by a smooth-talking grifter into the shadowy but compelling world of stings, scams, and con men.

Leah and Samuel meet as strangers when Leah saves Samuel from almost drowning in the ocean. Immediately, both cannot shake the feeling that they have met before and that their chance encounter was not a coincidence. Gradually, they realize that they share an incredible past that they are now beginning to remember...

In Manhattan, a mother of two preparing for her daughter's sixth birthday party has no idea of the challenges she's about to face in order to pull off the event.

A troubled man talks to his suicidal sister's psychiatrist about their family history and falls in love with her in the process.

Ceci, a seven year old girl, has to keep a huge secret, but she doesn't completely understand what is the secret about. The life of her family depends on her silence. But what exactly must she keep silent about? Ceci and her mom live hidden from military repression in Argentina. Ceci asks herself: what must she say? What should she really believe and do in order to deserve the love of her mother and others?

A true story. In the last days of her mother’s life, 19-year-old Tiffany crashes with five family members in a Las Vegas studio apartment. In order to make ends meet, her sister, a phone sex operator, introduces her to the world of fetish cam girls.

Story of the relationship between the poets Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath.

Based on three short stories by American writer Jack London, Burning Daylight follows the lives of three thieves, three Wall Street bankers and a Klondike millionaire, tied together by one ruthless woman

Fast Food High tells the story of Emma Redding, a young fast food restaurant employee who musters her inner Erin Brockovich and tries to start a union. When new management takes over the local fast food restaurant, favoritism, unstable hours and sexual harassment come with it. Eager to do something about it, Emma risks losing her job, her boyfriend, and her status with the "in" crowd as she squares off against big business in the greatest challenge of her young life.

This film is about Japanese women, escape, glamour and dreams. The Takarazuka Revue is an enormously successful spectacular where the all-women cast create fantasies of erotic love and sensitive men. It is also a world for young girls desperate to do something different with their lives. In return for living a highly disciplined and reclusive existence, they will be adored and envied by many thousands of Japanese women. They will look, act and behave like young men while having no real men in their lives. Dream Girls explores the nature of sexual identity and the contradictory tensions that face young women in Japan today.

Mid-forties Franziska is pregnant. Instead of looking forward to it, her husband Andreas opens up that he separates from her because he can no longer endure her neurotic control rage. As much as Franziska always wanted a child, as a single parent she sees no perspective. But then she meets the pregnant, 19-year-old Lilli. The funky woman whirls Franziska strictly regulated everyday life together and shows her how wonderful life can be, if you allow it

Dale Squire is a hip, quirky, independent single gal living in the glossy city of Los Angeles. After several failed attempts in quasi-relationships, Dale concludes that finding a meaningful relationship in L.A. is impossible. But being anti-social is tough for any young girl in Hollywood. With Jill's frantic wedding right around the corner, Dale finds herself reflecting on the significance of marriage, and the mutual respect needed for a successful relationship. When Zach, a successful heartthrob rock star and old friend of Dale's finds his way back into her life, Dale slowly starts to think that maybe finding love in L.A. is possible - the only problem is that her realization might have come too late, leaving Dale in a silent love triangle, with no way out. Written by Will, Christie

A famous crime novelist's protigie disappears before the release of author's first new book in years. Is the seeming crime an elaborate publicity stunt, or was this author so desperate for material that he created his own sinister inspiration? Despite his cunning defense on trial (the trial that made his book a best seller), Detective Cooper suspects the latter. She's determined to separate fiction from reality, but the deeper she gets in the story, the more twisted the plot becomes.

In 1975, as the Vietnam War was ending, thousands of orphans and Amerasian children were brought to the United States as part of "Operation Babylift." Daughter from Danang tells the dramatic story of one of these children, Heidi Bub (a.k.a. Mai Thi Hiep), and her Vietnamese mother, Mai Thi Kim, separated at the war's end and reunited 22 years later. Heidi, now living in Tennessee - a married woman with kids - had always dreamt of a joyful reunion. When she ventures to Vietnam to meet her mother, she unknowingly embarks on an emotional pilgrimage that spans decades and distance. Unlike most reunion stories that climax with a cliché happy ending, Daughter from Danang is a real-life drama. Journeying from the Vietnam War to Pulaski, Tennessee and back to Vietnam, Daughter from Danang tensely unfolds as cultural differences and the years of separation take their toll in a riveting film about longing and the personal legacy of war.

The film TWELVE CHAIRS linked in a spectacular way the dramaturgy of a treasure hunt and chase with a dense imagery of people and places. It tells both of yesterday and today, the reality of the people in the CIS countries and the universal humanity of our own actions. Large social utopia thus mixes with the individual hope of personal happiness, be it through money or in love.

"Lovers, Liars and Lunatics" is a dark, screwball comedy about a neurotic suburban family that gets held hostage in their home by two inept burglars. Only as the night progresses do we realize that the Machiavellian machinations of the family are actually drawing the burglars further and further into their nefarious familial schemes, until reality blurs, and we no longer know who we should be rooting for: the family, or the burglars.

The story of a man who rescues a German Shepherd and how the two become fast friends. Based on the 1956 memoir of the same name by BBC editor, novelist and memoirist J. R. Ackerley.

A modern romantic comedy about 3 Malibu best friends, roommates and bandmates discovering their dreams and discovering love with a crazy plot to make some cash on the way.

Dr. Henry Harriston is a successful psychoanalyst in New York City. When he is near a nervous breakdown, he arranges to change his flat with Beatrice Saulnier from France for a while. Both don't know each other and both find themselves deeply involved into the social settings of the other, because the decision to change their flats is made overnight. Could be the perfect amusement, but suddenly Henry finds himself beaten up by Beatrice' lover and Beatrice is considered to be Dr. Harriston's substitute by his clients...

This is the story of the lovely Kate Swallow and the loves of her life. At the start she is with Alec Bolton, a noted author, who discourages her when she wants to write a novel. Later she is swept off her feet by Alecs publisher, Vanni Corso, and leaves Alec for Vanni. She writes another novel and Vanni tells her he doesn't think the book will sell. Both of their actions are an indication of their vanity and fear of losing her.

Parallel love stories of three young women in Berlin: Hannah - an unhappy attorney who sexually demeans herself in order to get at least some love and romance, Leni who runs a coffee shop and has just been ditched by her long term boyfriend, and Vivienne who ends up falling in love with a puppy-eyed pasta designer with 21 dogs.

Just as Stella enters the exciting world of adolescence she discovers that her big sister and role model Katja is hiding an eating disorder. The disease slowly tears the family apart. A story about jealousy, love and betrayal told with warmth, depth and laughter - on and off the ice.

The love story between Maryam and Gabriel starts by coincidence but feels like a match made in heaven. It also marks an emotional tide change in Maryam´s life in Berlin as a single mom of three daughters. Only one crucial thing stands between her, Gabriel and a “happily ever after” – prison bars. Nevertheless, the love Maryam feels empowers her not only to live in the moment, but to be true to herself when Gabriel suddenly starts to show a different side to his character.

Touching story of elderly couple David and Eva who go on one last journey across the USA when they discover Eva is dying, ending up with their granddaughter Jeannie in San Francisco. Restored in 2022 by the Academy Film Archive and The Film Foundation. Restoration funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation.

Extensive dialogue and the tight focus of a single apartment setting marks this romantic and politically symbolic drama about Malgorzata, a Polish photographer (Krystyna Janda) and her married French lover Paul (Sami Frey). The two rendezvous in West Berlin to spend some time together before Malgorzata has to go back to Warsaw and Paul returns to his wife and daughter.

Edda Chiemnyjewski, a freelance press photographer and single mother living in 1970s West Berlin, is confronted with the fact that "a cook has no time for affairs of state". She also fails to find a market for the project she has been working on with her women′s photography group that seeks to document the city. While from today′s perspective the city, which becomes one of the film′s protagonists, looks like post-war Berlin, little has actually changed as regards the precarious existence of free-lancers. With a heavy dose of self-irony Helke Sander, who also plays the leading role, tells of a divided life in a divided city.