What movies are similar to May December?

Start with films such as American Beauty, Fargo, Moonlight, Mystic River. Each title on this page is chosen to mirror the vibe, themes, and style that make May December memorable, with short explanations to help you pick where to begin.

What should I watch if I liked May December?

Use the ranked list above: it highlights 10 close cousins—similar tension, character dynamics, and storytelling ambition—so you can queue something tonight without endless browsing.

Are there movies with the same vibe as May December?

Yes. The recommendations here lean into overlapping moods and motifs, not just shared genre labels, so you get films that “feel” related in pacing, tone, and emotional payoff.

What should I watch after May December?

Try American Beauty, Fargo, Moonlight—each shares DNA with May December while changing the setting enough to feel fresh.

What genre is May December?

May December (2023) is best described as Drama. Stores and algorithms use different labels, but that mix is what fans actually recognize on a rewatch.

Is May December worth revisiting?

Viewer scores sit around 6.6/10 on TMDB—high enough that replays are common for people who like this drama lane.

Movies like

Because You Loved May December

Where to Watch

May December (2023) works because may December works as a drama movie with a point of view—fans quote moments, but they also argue about what the film is actually saying about power, desire, or survival. The film leans hard into its core genre, which is exactly what fans say they wanted more of from blockbusters in that era. The concrete hook is twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under the pressure when, and that gives this guide a clear center of gravity. For movies like May December, we prioritized drama films that share drama, divisive without flattening everything into one broad genre bucket. The strongest matches carry over the viewing mood while giving you a different dramatic engine. The notes under each title call out the exact overlap, so you can choose by mood instead of scrolling posters. These 10 recommendations are ordered to keep the May December feeling intact while still giving you different characters, stakes, and endings.

At a glance

Drama · 1h 57m · ★ 6.6

dramadivisive

Your 10 recommendations

Filter your results

Mood

Streaming (US)

Era

Showing 10 of 10 picks

96match
1.American Beauty (1999)
★ 8.0 · Drama · 2h 2m
Why it fits
May December and American Beauty split at the plot: Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under the pressure when on one side, Lester Burnham, a depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis, decides to turn his hectic life around after on the other. drama.
Watch on
- Amazon Video(Rent)
- Apple TV Store(Rent)
- Google Play Movies(Rent)
- YouTube(Rent)
- Fandango At Home(Rent)
- JustWatch TV(Rent)
- Amazon Video(Buy)
- Apple TV Store(Buy)
We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page.
Search Prime Video Search Apple TV Compare streamers
+ Save for later
94match
2.Fargo (1996)
★ 7.8 · Crime · Drama · Thriller · 1h 38m
Why it fits
In May December, the spine is Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under the pressure when; Fargo finds its spine in Jerry, a small-town Minnesota car salesman is bursting at the seams with debt.... drama, crime, thriller explain why the pairing clicks even though the scene list diverges.
Watch on
- HBO Max
- HBO Max Amazon Channel
- Cinemax Amazon Channel
- Cinemax Apple TV Channel
- Amazon Video(Rent)
- Apple TV Store(Rent)
- Google Play Movies(Rent)
- YouTube(Rent)
Search Prime Video Search Apple TV Compare streamers
+ Save for later
92match
3.Moonlight (2016)
★ 7.4 · Drama · 1h 51m
Why it fits
drama surface in both films, yet Moonlight keeps the temperature a tense, propulsive tone, not a tonal echo of May December. Compare The tender, heartbreaking story of a young man’s struggle to find himself, told across three defining chapters in against Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a.
Watch on
- HBO Max
- Amazon Video(Rent)
- Apple TV Store(Rent)
- Google Play Movies(Rent)
- YouTube(Rent)
- Fandango At Home(Rent)
- Spectrum On Demand(Rent)
- Amazon Video(Buy)
Search Prime Video Search Apple TV Compare streamers
+ Save for later
90match
4.Mystic River (2003)
★ 7.7 · Thriller · Crime · Drama · 2h 18m
Why it fits
What actually breaks in the third act is not the same beat: May December pays off through Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under the pressure when, while Mystic River pushes resolution toward The lives of three men who were childhood friends are shattered.
Watch on
- Amazon Video(Rent)
- Apple TV Store(Rent)
- Google Play Movies(Rent)
- YouTube(Rent)
- Fandango At Home(Rent)
- Spectrum On Demand(Rent)
- Amazon Video(Buy)
- Apple TV Store(Buy)
Search Prime Video Search Apple TV Compare streamers
+ Save for later
88match
5.Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
★ 7.5 · Drama · Thriller · Mystery · 2h 40m
Why it fits
Surface texture differs—Drama treatment of After Dr. Bill Harford's wife, Alice, admits to having sexual fantasies about a man she met, Bill becomes beside Drama treatment of Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under the pressure when—while drama, thriller, mystery stay legible. Eyes Wide.
Watch on
- Apple TV Store(Rent)
- Google Play Movies(Rent)
- YouTube(Rent)
- Fandango At Home(Rent)
- Spectrum On Demand(Rent)
- Apple TV Store(Buy)
- Google Play Movies(Buy)
- YouTube(Buy)
Search Prime Video Search Apple TV Compare streamers
+ Save for later
86match
6.Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
★ 8.4 · Drama · Crime · 3h 49m
Why it fits
The afterglow from Once Upon a Time in America is a tense, propulsive tone: different residue than May December, even when drama, crime read familiar. Trace the fork to Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under the pressure when versus A former Prohibition-era Jewish.
Watch on
- Amazon Prime Video
- Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Amazon Video(Rent)
- Apple TV Store(Rent)
- Google Play Movies(Rent)
- YouTube(Rent)
- Fandango At Home(Rent)
- Amazon Video(Buy)
Search Prime Video Search Apple TV Compare streamers
+ Save for later
84match
7.Amadeus (1984)
★ 8.0 · History · Music · Drama · 2h 40m
Why it fits
Disciplined Italian composer Antonio Salieri becomes consumed by jealousy and resentment towards the hedonistic and remarkably talented young is the sharpest reason to queue Amadeus after May December: it refracts the same curiosity Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under the pressure when stirred,.
Watch on
- Amazon Video(Rent)
- Apple TV Store(Rent)
- Google Play Movies(Rent)
- YouTube(Rent)
- Fandango At Home(Rent)
- Plex(Rent)
- Amazon Video(Buy)
- Apple TV Store(Buy)
Search Prime Video Search Apple TV Compare streamers
+ Save for later
82match
8.The Graduate (1967)
★ 7.6 · Drama · Romance · Comedy · 1h 46m
Why it fits
The Graduate is pitched a sharp, often funny tone, which is the first thing you feel beside May December. drama, romance, comedy still braid the two films, but The Graduate leans on A disillusioned college graduate finds himself torn between his older lover and her daughter. where May December anchored itself in.
Watch on
- YouTube TV
- Amazon Video(Rent)
- Apple TV Store(Rent)
- Google Play Movies(Rent)
- YouTube(Rent)
- Fandango At Home(Rent)
Search Prime Video Search Apple TV Compare streamers
+ Save for later
80match
9.Erin Brockovich (2000)
★ 7.4 · Drama · 2h 11m
Why it fits
If Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under the pressure when is what locked you into May December, Erin Brockovich hands you A twice-divorced mother of three who sees an injustice, takes on the bad guy and wins -- with as the next jolt.
Watch on
- Amazon Video(Rent)
- Apple TV Store(Rent)
- Google Play Movies(Rent)
- YouTube(Rent)
- Fandango At Home(Rent)
- FlixFling(Rent)
- Amazon Video(Buy)
- Apple TV Store(Buy)
Search Prime Video Search Apple TV Compare streamers
+ Save for later
78match
10.The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
★ 7.1 · Adventure · Comedy · Drama · 1h 59m
Why it fits
Character pressure in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou accumulates around Renowned oceanographer Steve Zissou has sworn vengeance upon the rare shark that devoured a member of his crew., echoing how May December tightened the screws with Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under.
Watch on
- Amazon Video(Rent)
- Apple TV Store(Rent)
- Google Play Movies(Rent)
- YouTube(Rent)
- Fandango At Home(Rent)
- Amazon Video(Buy)
- Apple TV Store(Buy)
- Google Play Movies(Buy)
Search Prime Video Search Apple TV Compare streamers
+ Save for later

Why You'll Love These Movies

Across these recommendations, you will see recurring fingerprints from May December: drama, crime, thriller, mystery, plus a tense through-line that keeps scenes charged even when the plots diverge. The emotional appeal is consistent—films that ask for attention, then reward it with momentum, specificity, and a clear point of view. As a viewing experience, the list is built to feel like a guided night at the movies: enough variety to stay surprising, enough overlap to feel intentional, and pacing that respects how May December trained you to watch. If you want the same satisfaction you felt during May December—that mix of craft, stakes, and atmosphere—these picks are meant to land in the same neighborhood without repeating the same story.

FAQ

What movies are similar to May December?: Start with films such as American Beauty, Fargo, Moonlight, Mystic River. Each title on this page is chosen to mirror the vibe, themes, and style that make May December memorable, with short explanations to help you pick where to begin.
What should I watch if I liked May December?: Use the ranked list above: it highlights 10 close cousins—similar tension, character dynamics, and storytelling ambition—so you can queue something tonight without endless browsing.
Are there movies with the same vibe as May December?: Yes. The recommendations here lean into overlapping moods and motifs, not just shared genre labels, so you get films that “feel” related in pacing, tone, and emotional payoff.
What should I watch after May December?: Try American Beauty, Fargo, Moonlight—each shares DNA with May December while changing the setting enough to feel fresh.
What genre is May December?: May December (2023) is best described as Drama. Stores and algorithms use different labels, but that mix is what fans actually recognize on a rewatch.
Is May December worth revisiting?: Viewer scores sit around 6.6/10 on TMDB—high enough that replays are common for people who like this drama lane.

More movie guides

Browse the movie guides currently prioritized for search discovery and editorial expansion.

Hand-picked guides from this page's data—same editorial lane as May December.

MoviesLike Editorial TeamUpdated October 20, 2018

Cinematic essays Popular guides

Because You Loved May December

Where to Watch

At a glance

Your 10 recommendations

Filter your results

1.American Beauty (1999)

2.Fargo (1996)

3.Moonlight (2016)

4.Mystic River (2003)

5.Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

6.Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

7.Amadeus (1984)

8.The Graduate (1967)

9.Erin Brockovich (2000)

10.The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

Why You'll Love These Movies

You Might Also Like

❓ FAQ

More movie guides

Related movies

FAQ