feelsalike.comSign in
Shakespeare in Love poster

Movies that feel likeShakespeare in Love (1998)

Young William Shakespeare is forced to stage his latest comedy, 'Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter', before it's even written. When lovely noblewoman Viola de Lesseps auditions for a role, they fall into forbidden love β€” and Shakespeare's play finds a new life (and title). As their relationship intensifies, the comedy soon transforms into tragedy.

If you loved Shakespeare in Love, the closest films we have are Rang De Basanti (2006), Jodhaa Akbar (2008) and Late Marriage (2001). All three share Shakespeare in Love's romantic and tender feel, which is what we rank on before quality.

Seen the big three already? The under-the-radar pick below is Barfi! (2012).

5 of 12 streaming nowAmazon Prime Video Β· Hulu Β· Chai Flicks

Can't choose? Answer three questions and get one movie for tonight.

See it on the Mood Map

When is Shakespeare in Love streaming? β†’

If Shakespeare in Love hit the spot, these will too

Rang De Basanti poster
Rang De Basanti
2006 Β· dir. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
β˜… 8.1comedy Β· drama Β· history

Romantic where it counts, tender underneath

After a group of friends graduate from Delhi University, they listlessly haunt their old campus, until a British filmmaker casts them in a film she's making about freedom fighters under British rule. Although the group is largely apolitical, the tragic death of a friend owing to local government corruption awakens their patriotism. Inspired by the freedom fighters they represent in the film, the friends collectively decide to avenge the killing.

Jodhaa Akbar poster
Jodhaa Akbar
2008 Β· dir. Ashutosh Gowariker
πŸ… 81%β˜… 7.5romance Β· history Β· drama

Both land scale and stillness at once

The difference: Easier on the wit than Shakespeare in Love

A sixteenth century love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a Mughal emperor and a Rajput princess.

Late Marriage poster
Late Marriage
2001 Β· dir. Dover Koshashvili
πŸ… 88%β˜… 7.1comedy Β· drama Β· romanceRent or buy

The same mix in both: wit, then play

Zaza is a 31-year old Israeli bachelor, handsome and intelligent, and his family wants to see him married. But tradition dictates that Zaza has to choose a young virgin. She must be beautiful and from a good family, preferably rich. Zaza's parents, Yasha and Lily drag Zaza to meet potential brides and their families. Zaza has no choice. He plays along with his family, advocates of the suffocating traditions of their Georgian Jewish heritage. But Zaza always manages to somehow get out of being engaged. What his parents don't know is that Zaza is already in love. Judith is sensuous, strong and intriguing. She's also a divorcΓ©e with a 6-year-old daughter. So Zaza has kept Judith a secret from his family. He will have to choose between respect of the strict confines of family and tradition, or the love of his life.

Home for the Holidays poster
Home for the Holidays
1995 Β· dir. Jodie Foster
πŸ… 63%β˜… 6.6comedy Β· drama Β· romance

Romantic romance, and it commits to that

The difference: The scrappier of the two with critics

After losing her job, making out with her soon-to-be former boss, and finding out that her daughter plans to spend Thanksgiving with her boyfriend, Claudia Larson faces spending the holiday with her unhinged family.

Jerry Maguire poster
Jerry Maguire
1996 Β· dir. Cameron Crowe
πŸ… 86%β˜… 7.3comedy Β· drama Β· romanceHulu

Comedy with a pulse of tenderness, in both cases

Jerry Maguire used to be a typical sports agent: willing to do just about anything he could to get the biggest possible contracts for his clients, plus a nice commission for himself. Then, one day, he suddenly has second thoughts about what he's really doing. When he voices these doubts, he ends up losing his job and all of his clients, save Rod Tidwell, an egomaniacal football player.

Strictly Ballroom poster
Strictly Ballroom
1992 Β· dir. Baz Luhrmann
β˜… 7.2comedy Β· drama Β· romancePrime Video

Drama built on wit, twice over

Brave new steps put Scott's career in jeopardy. With a new partner and determination, can he still succeed?

Letters to Juliet poster
Letters to Juliet
2010 Β· dir. Gary Winick
πŸ… 42%β˜… 6.5comedy Β· drama Β· romance

The same preoccupation in both: romantic

An American girl on vacation in Italy finds an unanswered "letter to Juliet" -- one of thousands of missives left at the fictional lover's Verona courtyard, which are typically answered by the "secretaries of Juliet" -- and she goes on a quest to find the lovers referenced in the letter.

Love Me If You Dare poster
Love Me If You Dare
2003 Β· dir. Yann Samuell
πŸ… 45%β˜… 7.5drama Β· comedy Β· romance

Both lean on play more than on history

As adults, best friends Julien and Sophie continue the odd game they started as children -- a fearless competition to outdo one another with daring and outrageous stunts. While they often act out to relieve one another's pain, their game might be a way to avoid the fact that they are truly meant for one another.

Memoirs of a Geisha poster
Memoirs of a Geisha
2005 Β· dir. Rob Marshall
πŸ… 35%β˜… 7.3drama Β· romance Β· history

Epic romance in both cases

In the years before World War II, a penniless Japanese child is torn from her family to work as a maid in a geisha house.

My Sassy Girl poster
My Sassy Girl
2001 Β· dir. Kwak Jae-yong
β˜… 7.9drama Β· comedy Β· romance

Both lean on stillness more than on comedy

A young man’s world is turned upside down when a female force of nature takes his life by storm in this outrageous and uplifting ode to true love.

The Postman poster
The Postman
1994 Β· dir. Michael Radford
πŸ… 92%β˜… 7.8comedy Β· drama Β· romance

Drama with a pulse of romance, in both cases

Simple Italian postman learns to love poetry while delivering mail to a famous poet; he uses this to woo local beauty Beatrice.

Barfi! poster
Barfi!
2012 Β· dir. Anurag Basu
πŸ… 84%β˜… 8.1drama Β· romance Β· comedy

One thread runs through both: romantic

The heartwarming tale of Barfi, a charming deaf-mute young man from 1970s Darjeeling, and two unalike women who can't help but fall for him.

In the mood for more romantic?

all romantic movies β†’

The best-reviewed films that share Shakespeare in Love’s defining feeling.