Movies Similar to The Doldrums or How to Cure Sadness

First Daughter(2004)

Samantha MacKenzie, the daughter of the president of the United States, arrives at college with a group of Secret Service agents. Samantha, however, resents their presence and decides she wants to attend school just like a normal student. Her father agrees to recall the agents but secretly assigns James, an undercover agent, to pose as a student.

6.2

Grill(2023)

Tara is denied electricity bill support by Social Services, who tells her to simply get a free grill instead - a task that leads Tara into uncomfortable situations. Inspired by true events, "Grill" offers a satirical look at how a rich country in Scandinavia deals with poverty.

9.5

Old Man(1979)

A man in his 30s visits a Soviet school to try to hook up with a young teacher there, and meets one of her students, whom he enlists to help introduce him to his romantic interest. While he waits for the student to free up, he observes the absurd Soviet culture, most evident within the school system, especially among the younger children.

0.0

Manic(2001)

Follows the fate of Lyle, a violent adolescent who, in lieu of prison, 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.

6.9

Fresh(1994)

Death and violence anger twelve year old drug courier Fresh, who sets his rival employers against each other.

7.2

Have Dreams, Will Travel(2007)

West Texas, in the 1960's. A tale of two 12-year-olds who embark on an adventure to find new parents in order to escape their unhappy and emotionally unsatisfying family life.

7.5

The Ultimate Gift(2007)

When his wealthy grandfather finally dies, Jason Stevens fully expects to benefit when it comes to the reading of the will. But instead of a sizable inheritance, Jason receives a test, a series of tasks he must complete before he can get any money.

7.6

Boy A(2007)

Freed after a lengthy term in a juvenile detention center, convicted child killer Jack Burridge finds work as a deliveryman and begins dating co-worker Michelle. While out on the road one day, Jack notices a distressed child, and, after reuniting the girl with her family, becomes a local celebrity. But when a local newspaper unearths his past, Jack must cope with the anger of citizens who fear for the safety of their children.

7.1

Osama(2004)

After the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan and the restriction of women in public life, a preteen girl is forced to masquerade as a boy in order to find work to support her mother and grandmother.

7.0

Wuhan Driver(2021)

At the onset of the pandemic, a Chinese Uber driver in New York struggles to make ends meet as he picks up various passengers on a long and dreary night.

0.0

Mother(1995)

Life becomes hard for a family after the father is involved in an accident that causes him to lose his legs.

0.0

Blank Canvas(2017)

Two disparate strangers, a Gen Xer and a Millennial, form an unlikely bond on a rooftop after both experiencing traumatic situations.

0.0

Jemima + Johnny(1966)

A white boy and a black Jamaican girl have a day out in a city where racial hostility prevails.

0.0

On the Path(2015)

A road in the middle of nowhere. A car. A bike. Two lonely people looking for the same thing. They meet.

2.0

What They Had(2018)

A woman must fly back to her hometown when her Alzheimer's-stricken mother wanders into a blizzard. The return home forces her to confront her past.

6.6

The Atomic Adventure(2019)

Algeria desert, 1961. France just detonated an atomic bomb. A patrol of seven soldiers is sent to ground zero to take samples and measure the current radioactivity. The more they advance, the more they perceive that they are entering a dangerous uncharted territory: the future…

5.8

Bad Boy Buck(2022)

After a one-night stand with another man, a married farmer attempts to hide the affair from his family as the truth drives him to breaking point.

0.0

The Perfect Man(2005)

Holly is tired of moving every time her mom Jean breaks up with yet another second-rate guy. To distract her mother from her latest bad choice, Holly conceives the perfect plan for the perfect man, an imaginary secret admirer who will romance Jean and boost her self-esteem.

6.1

Annie(1982)

An orphan in a facility run by the mean Miss Hannigan, Annie believes that her parents left her there by mistake. When a rich man named Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks decides to let an orphan live at his home to promote his image, Annie is selected. While Annie gets accustomed to living in Warbucks' mansion, she still longs to meet her parents. So Warbucks announces a search for them and a reward, which brings out many frauds.

6.6

The Art of Crying(2007)

Life is not easy for 11-year-old Allan living in South Jutland during the early 1970s. His mentally unstable father frequently threatens suicide and his mother has long since given up. It's up to Allan to keep the family together. When a rival family threatens his father's livelihood, Allan starts committing atrocious acts.

6.8