Movies Similar to Leave of Absence

Les Biches(1968)

A bored bisexual millionaire picks up a young destitute street artist and whisks her away to her villa in Saint Tropez. They meet a dashing local architect and both fall for him, setting in motion a ménage à trois of deception and betrayal.

The Piano Teacher(2001)

Erika Kohut, a sexually repressed piano teacher living with her domineering mother, meets a young man who starts romantically pursuing her.

Velvet Goldmine(1998)

Almost a decade since larger-than-life glam-rock enigma Brian Slade disappeared from public eye, an investigative journalist is on assignment to uncover the truth behind his former idol.

Nowhere(1997)

In Los Angeles, a colorful assortment of bohemians try to make sense of their intersecting lives. The moody Dark Smith, his bisexual girlfriend, her lesbian lover and their shy gay friend plan on attending the wildest party of the year. But they'll only make it if they can survive the drug trips, suicides, trysts, mutilations and alien abductions that occur as one surreal day unfolds.

A Chorus Line(1985)

A group of dancers congregate on the stage of a Broadway theatre to audition for a new musical production directed by Zach. After the initial eliminations, seventeen hopefuls remain, among them Cassie, who once had a tempestuous romantic relationship with Zach. She is desperate enough for work to humble herself and audition for him; whether he's willing to let professionalism overcome his personal feelings about their past remains to be seen.

The Next Best Thing(2000)

A comedy-drama about best friends - one a straight woman, Abbie, the other a gay man, Robert - who decide to have a child together. Five years later, Abbie falls in love with a straight man and wants to move away with her and Robert's little boy Sam, and a nasty custody battle ensues.

Rent(2005)

This rock opera tells the story of one year in the life of a group of bohemians struggling in late 1980s East Village, New York, USA. The film centers around Mark and Roger, two roommates. While a tragedy has made Roger numb to new experiences, Mark begins capturing their world through his attempts to make a personal movie. In the year that follows, they and their friends deal with love, loss, and working together.

The Secret(2000)

Marie, who works as a successful door-to-door encyclopedia salesperson, has been married to her husband Francois for 12 years and has a two-year-old son. Though she is relatively content with her life, she feels something is wanting. Enter 50-year old African-American Bill. Initially she is annoyed by his insouciance, but she finds that she is irresistibly attracted to him. Soon the two are in the midst of sordid illicit affair. She knows little about her new lover, and he seems uninterested in learning about her, but the long sessions of lovemaking are something else entirely. Feeling out of control, Marie is increasingly repelled by her own actions. Psychologically, she struggles to reconcile her torrid encounters with Bill and mundane domestic chores such as bathing her son. Moreover, she finds herself incapable of hiding her adulterous behavior, rather she comes home with scratches and hickeys all over her body, to the devastation Francois.

We Shall Overcome(2006)

A drama about a boy who's inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and challenges repressive school authority in 1969 Denmark.

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.

Origini(2017)

Triggerwarnung(2024)

Alina has her first Tinder date with Louis after a long-term relationship. After the date, they have sex, even though Alina didn't really want to.

Tropical Night(2018)

Jae Hee and his brother Tae Kyung live quietly in Pattaya. They are one day visited by Min Ki, whose brother Min Hoon, committed suicide while on military leave. Convinced that Jae Hee is responsible, Min Ki comes to realize that Jae Hee was deeply in love with his brother, and grows fond of him. The buds of love then gradually sprout in the dreamy tropical night.

I Was Busy Dreaming About Boys(2024)

Alma is sexually harassed by a friend in a club. At first she wants to forget all about it quickly and dismisses it as a drunken slip of the tongue. But the experience sends her into a downward spiral that she can't seem to get out of - until she has to.

Easy Living(2017)

Sherry Graham, a self-destructive makeup saleswoman, hopes a new man and business venture will provide her a fresh start. After her plans are foiled, she takes control of her life in a dramatic turn of events.

Dyketactics(1974)

Born in Los Angeles but a New Yorker by choice, Barbara Hammer is a whole genre unto herself. Her pioneering 1974 short film Dyketactics, a four-minute, hippie wonder consisting of frolicking naked women in the countryside, broke new ground for its exploration of lesbian identity, desire and aesthetic.

Dear Boys(1980)

Lieve Jongens explores the sexual fantasies of a middle-aged writer and the handsome young men who dominate his life. Wolf, a successful writer of romantic novels, is plagued by self doubt and writer's block. Though pleasant looking and well-preserved, he fears age will rob him of the youthful companionship he so desperately craves. With the help of his equally randy and manipulative young sex partner, Wolf plots to seduce the gentle Muskrat from the arms of a much older lover.

Doretha's Blues(2021)

Doretha goes out for her evening drink at her local watering hole when a news story dredges up old memories.

Baatein(2019)

Set in a quaint town in Maharashtra - Palghar. We follow Jeet, a young documentary filmmaker as he spends the day with Mrs. Deshpande & Tulika, her young niece. Mrs. Deshpande is a widowed science professor grieving the death of her young son. The unlikely trio strike a friendship as they express some of their deepest fears. A few unexpected and uncomfortable conversations take place that changes their outlook towards life forever.

The Happiness Salesman(2010)

Karen is resigned to a life of suburban ennui, the dreams of her youth a distant memory. On an autumn afternoon as she struggles to get her baby to sleep she is disturbed by a door-to-door Salesman. Desperate for adult companionship she engages with the enigmatic Salesman. He claims that he can sell her something that will radically change her life; he offers Karen, an opportunity to fulfill her long forgotten dreams and ambitions.