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| Loved Don’t Say Good Luck? Here Are 23 Similar Movies You Should Watch Next. (Photo: Netflix) |
A lot of viewers have been impressed by Don’t Say Good Luck, and the search for something similar is completely understandable. The film combines high school theatre, musical performances, family relationships and the messy business of growing up, then drops an emotional bomb into the middle of it all. At its centre is Sophie Birenbaum, a 15-year-old theatre student who finally lands the lead role she has been working towards, only to discover that her mother's serious illness has returned. Naturally, just when teenage life is already complicated enough, the universe decides a school musical needs even more emotional baggage.
The film, directed by Julia Hart and produced by Happy Madison Productions, follows Sophie's attempt to keep performing while dealing with what is happening at home. Its appeal comes from that unusual balance: it can be funny and youthful one minute, then quietly heartbreaking the next without abandoning the teenage perspective.
The theatre setting also gives Sophie somewhere to put feelings she cannot easily explain elsewhere, making the stage almost another character in the story. For anyone looking for movies that capture a similar combination of young characters, performing arts, family bonds, personal growth, music and bittersweet humour, there are plenty of worthwhile choices.
Some lean harder into comedy, some go much further into family drama, while others use music and performance as the emotional escape hatch. None is exactly the same as Don’t Say Good Luck, which is probably a good thing because watching 23 films that all copy the same emotional recipe would be exhausting.
The appeal of Don’t Say Good Luck is also likely to divide viewers in an interesting way. Some will appreciate its decision to put a teenager's ambitions alongside a difficult family situation instead of turning her entire identity into the crisis at home. Others may find the mixture of musical comedy and serious family drama a little emotionally unpredictable, particularly when the story jumps between rehearsals, school friendships and life at home.
That split is exactly why the best comparisons are not simply films about illness or films about school musicals. The stronger matches share several elements with Sophie's journey: a young protagonist discovering who they are, a creative outlet that becomes important during a difficult period, complicated family relationships and enough humour to stop the story becoming relentlessly heavy.
Movies Like DON’T SAY GOOD LUCK
Here are 23 movies like Don’t Say Good Luck that should be next on your watchlist.
1. Theater Camp (2023)
Theater Camp is probably one of the easiest recommendations for anyone whose favourite part of Don’t Say Good Luck is the chaotic world of teenage theatre.
The film follows a group of devoted theatre campers and instructors trying to keep their beloved summer programme alive, with rehearsals, enormous personalities and wildly ambitious productions creating one disaster after another.
The similarity comes through the affection for performers who take the stage very seriously, even when everyone around them thinks they are being slightly ridiculous. Like Sophie, these characters find identity and community through theatre. The difference is that Theater Camp pushes the comedy much further, so it is the ideal choice when you want the performing-arts side without quite as much emotional heaviness.
2. Lady Bird (2017)
Lady Bird follows a fiercely independent high school student desperate to escape the limitations she feels around her hometown, while dealing with school friendships, romance, college ambitions and an often combustible relationship with her mother.
It shares Don’t Say Good Luck's interest in adolescence as a period when every small problem feels enormous because, well, at that age it usually does.
The mother-daughter relationship is particularly important, making this a strong choice for viewers who connected with Sophie's family storyline. It is funny, awkward and emotional without turning its protagonist into a perfect teenager, which is probably for the best.
3. CODA (2021)
CODA centres on Ruby, a teenager who is the only hearing member of her family and discovers that singing is something she genuinely wants to pursue. Her ambitions put her in a difficult position because her family depends heavily on her.
The connection with Don’t Say Good Luck comes from the way a young person tries to pursue a creative dream while feeling deeply responsible for their family.
Ruby's relationship with music is not simply a hobby; it becomes a way of understanding herself. Like Sophie, she has to learn that caring about her family does not necessarily mean abandoning the part of herself that wants something bigger.
4. Tick, Tick... Boom! (2021)
Tick, Tick... Boom! follows an aspiring theatre composer struggling with creative pressure, relationships and the fear that time is moving faster than his ambitions.
While the protagonist is older than Sophie, the emotional connection is strong. Both stories understand why performing arts can feel like far more than an extracurricular activity.
Theatre becomes a place where characters process fear, hope and frustration. The musical format also makes this one particularly appealing if the songs and stage performances are what drew you towards Don’t Say Good Luck in the first place.
5. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl follows a socially awkward high school student whose life changes after he is pushed into spending time with a classmate dealing with a serious illness. His friendship with her gradually forces him to confront emotions he would rather avoid.
The similarities are obvious but not superficial. Like Don’t Say Good Luck, it places a young person in an environment where school, friendship and family life continue moving forward while something much heavier is happening underneath. It also uses humour as a way of making difficult circumstances more bearable, rather than pretending everything is fine.
6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower follows Charlie, a quiet teenager entering high school and slowly finding friendship, confidence and a sense of belonging through a small group of outsiders.
The film shares Don’t Say Good Luck's interest in adolescence as a messy period of emotional discovery. Charlie's friends become essential to his growth, just as Sophie's school and theatre community provide her with somewhere to belong. Both films understand that sometimes the people you meet at school can become the people who help you survive the hardest parts of growing up.
7. Sing Street (2016)
Sing Street is set in 1980s Dublin and follows a teenager who starts a band partly to impress a girl but gradually discovers that making music gives him a genuine sense of freedom.
The connection here is the transformative power of performance. Sophie finds a voice through theatre, while the young musicians in Sing Street find theirs through songwriting and playing together.
Both films treat creative expression as something that can change how young people see themselves. And yes, starting a band to impress someone is considerably more complicated than simply getting a lead role in a school production.
8. The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
The Edge of Seventeen follows Nadine, a teenager struggling through school, friendship problems, family tensions and the uncomfortable realisation that growing up does not come with instructions.
It shares the same awkward teenage energy as Don’t Say Good Luck, particularly in the way its protagonist reacts to situations with a mixture of confidence, insecurity and questionable decisions.
The film is much more comedy-driven, but underneath the jokes is a sincere story about learning to communicate instead of assuming everyone else can magically understand what you are feeling.
9. The Half of It (2020)
The Half of It centres on Ellie Chu, a clever but socially isolated student who agrees to write romantic messages for a classmate and unexpectedly becomes emotionally involved herself.
Like Don’t Say Good Luck, it is fundamentally interested in young people finding their voices. Ellie uses words, while Sophie uses performance, but both characters discover that expressing what they actually feel is far more difficult than keeping everything safely inside their heads. The film also balances humour with emotional sincerity without forcing every moment into melodrama.
10. The Fabelmans (2022)
The Fabelmans follows a young aspiring filmmaker who discovers the power of cinema while navigating complicated family relationships and the painful process of understanding the adults around him.
The connection to Don’t Say Good Luck lies in the way creativity becomes a form of emotional processing. Sophie has theatre; Sammy has filmmaking. Both give their protagonists a way to make sense of feelings that are difficult to express directly. Family remains central too, making this a strong recommendation for viewers who enjoyed the home-life side of Sophie's story.
11. Almost Famous (2000)
Almost Famous follows a teenage music fan who gets the opportunity to travel with a rock band while writing about them for a magazine.
Although its setting and subject are very different, the coming-of-age structure makes it a natural companion to Don’t Say Good Luck. Its young protagonist is thrown into an unfamiliar world and has to discover who he wants to become. Music is the language of the story, much as theatre is central to Sophie's world, and both films understand that creative communities can completely change a teenager's perspective.
12. Sing (2016)
Sing takes the performing-arts premise in a much lighter direction, following a group of characters who enter a singing competition while dealing with their own personal problems.
It may be animated, but the basic emotional ingredients are surprisingly close to Don’t Say Good Luck: performance, nerves, family expectations, self-confidence and the hope that getting on stage might change something. It is considerably more cheerful, making it a useful choice when you want the musical side of the experience without preparing yourself for another emotional rollercoaster.
13. A Star Is Born (2018)
A Star Is Born follows an aspiring singer whose talent is recognised by an established musician, leading to a rapid rise that changes both their lives.
The protagonists are adults rather than teenagers, but the story shares the theme of discovering your voice through performance. Don’t Say Good Luck is much more focused on adolescence and family, while A Star Is Born examines ambition and relationships through music. If the emotional performances are what stayed with you after Sophie's story, this is an obvious next stop.
14. The Spectacular Now (2013)
The Spectacular Now centres on two teenagers whose relationship forces them to confront their expectations, insecurities and fears about the future.
Like Don’t Say Good Luck, it does not treat adolescence as a neat period where every lesson arrives at exactly the right time. Its characters make mistakes, misunderstand each other and occasionally make choices that seem spectacularly unhelpful. The emotional honesty makes it a good match for viewers who prefer coming-of-age stories that allow teenagers to be complicated rather than conveniently wise.
15. Flipped (2010)
Flipped follows two young neighbours whose perspectives on one another change as they grow older.
It is lighter than Don’t Say Good Luck, but the coming-of-age themes make it a worthwhile choice. Family expectations, school life, changing friendships and the process of seeing people differently all sit at the heart of the story. It also has that nostalgic quality that makes adolescence look simultaneously wonderful and deeply confusing.
16. The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021)
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things follows two teenagers trapped in a repeating day who begin noticing all the small details around them and gradually develop a deeper connection.
The premise is much more fantastical, but its emotional core is surprisingly similar. The characters learn to appreciate ordinary moments and confront feelings they might otherwise avoid. For viewers who enjoyed the smaller emotional observations in Don’t Say Good Luck, this provides another reminder that growing up is often about noticing the things you previously ignored.
17. Hearts Beat Loud (2018)
Hearts Beat Loud follows a father and daughter who unexpectedly create music together and discover that their shared songs could become something bigger.
This is an especially good recommendation for viewers who connected with the family side of Sophie's story. Music becomes a bridge between generations, while the daughter is also trying to work out what she wants from her future. Like Don’t Say Good Luck, it understands that creative expression can strengthen family relationships while also forcing characters to confront difficult changes.
18. Begin Again (2013)
Begin Again follows a struggling music producer and a talented songwriter who begin working together after both have reached difficult points in their personal lives.
The film shares the idea that music can become a form of healing. While it is not a school story, the emotional mechanics are similar: characters dealing with difficult circumstances find a degree of clarity through performance and collaboration. It is also a good pick if the musical elements of Don’t Say Good Luck appealed to you more than the teenage setting.
19. The Way Way Back (2013)
The Way Way Back follows a teenager spending the summer with his mother and her new partner while struggling to find confidence and a sense of belonging.
The film has a quieter coming-of-age approach, focusing on the uncomfortable spaces between childhood and adulthood. Like Sophie, its protagonist has to deal with circumstances he cannot completely control while figuring out where he fits. It also uses humour to stop the emotional material becoming too heavy, which makes it an easy recommendation for fans of bittersweet coming-of-age stories.
20. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Moonrise Kingdom follows two young outsiders who run away together, leaving their families and the adults around them scrambling to understand what is happening.
It is considerably quirkier than Don’t Say Good Luck, but both films understand that young people often experience emotions with an intensity adults underestimate. Family relationships, identity and the desire to be understood are central to both. Wes Anderson's distinctive style also makes this one the choice for anyone who wants their coming-of-age story served with a considerably larger helping of eccentricity.
21. The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018)
The Miseducation of Cameron Post follows a teenager navigating an environment that attempts to dictate who she should become.
Its tone is more serious than Don’t Say Good Luck, but the shared coming-of-age foundation is strong. Both films centre young characters who have to discover their own identity while dealing with expectations imposed by the people around them. It is less focused on music and theatre, but it offers a deeper exploration of the emotional process of deciding whose voice deserves to be heard.
22. The Greatest Showman (2017)
The Greatest Showman is the most overtly spectacular recommendation on this list, using music and performance to tell a story about ambition, belonging and building a community around people who want somewhere to feel accepted.
The connection to Don’t Say Good Luck is the belief that performing can give people confidence and allow them to express parts of themselves that remain hidden elsewhere. The scale is obviously much bigger than a high school production, but the underlying idea is familiar: stepping onto a stage can sometimes change how you see yourself.
23. Our Friend (2019)
Our Friend is perhaps the closest recommendation for viewers who connected most strongly with the family side of Don’t Say Good Luck. It follows a family dealing with a major health crisis while relying on friendship, support and humour to navigate an incredibly difficult period.
The similarity is found in the emotional balance. Don’t Say Good Luck does not make Sophie's family situation the only thing that defines her; it places that reality alongside school, theatre, friendships and ordinary teenage moments. Our Friend similarly explores how families continue living, laughing and leaning on one another even when circumstances become overwhelming. It is the heavier recommendation on this list, but also one of the most emotionally resonant.
Next: Don't Say Good Luck Shooting Locations.
Which movie is most like Don’t Say Good Luck?
If the high school theatre element is what attracted you, start with Theater Camp. If the mother-daughter relationship and coming-of-age story mattered most, Lady Bird is the stronger choice. For viewers who loved the combination of music, family and personal ambition, CODA and Hearts Beat Loud are particularly good options.
If what stayed with you was the film's ability to combine humour with a difficult family situation, then Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and Our Friend come closest emotionally. Meanwhile, Sing Street is the obvious pick when you simply want another young person discovering that music can become a route towards confidence and independence.
The one thing these films have in common is that none of them treats growing up as a tidy process. Their characters make mistakes, say the wrong thing, hide what they are feeling and occasionally behave as though making one terrible decision will somehow solve everything. In other words, they are teenagers. Don’t Say Good Luck works from much the same place, using theatre and music as a way for Sophie to process a family situation she cannot control while still trying to live the ordinary life of a 15-year-old.
If Don’t Say Good Luck left you wanting more films where young people find themselves through music, theatre, friendship and family, this list should keep the watchlist busy for a while. But which of these 23 would you put at the top, and which movie do you think deserves a spot that we missed? Let us know what you would add next.