Dynamic Watchlist Hub: May 09, 2026

10 Best Movies Like Short Term 12

If you loved Short Term 12, we've curated the perfect watchlist for you based on shared genres, themes, and directorial style.

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Expert Review & Ratings

See our full critical analysis and audience score for Short Term 12.

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#1
Gimme Shelter

Gimme Shelter

2013★ 6.6

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to Short Term 12 for fans of Drama. It captures a similar emotionally gripping atmosphere.

After running away from her abusive mother, a streetwise teen seeks refuge with her father, but he rejects her when he learns that she's pregnant....

#2
Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking

2008★ 6.1

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to Short Term 12 for fans of Drama. It captures a similar emotionally gripping atmosphere.

When her boyfriend is arrested for marijuana possession, Joleen Reedy and her 11-year-old daughter, Tara, take refuge with Joleen's aimless brother, James. Joleen soon runs off wit...

#3
Mommie Dearest

Mommie Dearest

1981★ 6.4

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to Short Term 12 for fans of Drama. It captures a similar emotionally gripping atmosphere.

Renowned film star Joan Crawford's abuse towards Christina, her adopted daughter, intensifies as her professional and romantic relationships turn sour....

#4
Manic

Manic

2001★ 6.9

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to Short Term 12 for fans of Drama. It captures a similar emotionally gripping atmosphere.

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 motle...

#5
Bird

Bird

2024★ 7.2

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to Short Term 12 for fans of Drama. It captures a similar emotionally gripping atmosphere.

12-year-old Bailey lives with her single dad Bug and brother Hunter in a squat in North Kent. Bug doesn’t have much time for his kids, and Bailey, who is approaching puberty, seeks...

#6
Ken Park

Ken Park

2003★ 6.0

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to Short Term 12 for fans of Drama. It captures a similar emotionally gripping atmosphere.

Teen skater Ken Park (nicknamed Krap Nek; his name spelled and pronounced backward) kills himself at a Visalia skate park; his death bookends the lives of four other young people w...

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