10 Best Movies Like Call Me by Your Name (Ranked & Where to Watch)

Bernardo Bertolucci’s Stealing Beauty unfurls with a languid, sun-drenched sensuality that immediately evokes the pastoral allure of Call Me by Your Name. Liv Tyler, as Lucy Harmon, arrives at a villa in the Tuscan countryside, navigating a world of artists, poets, and lingering desires. Like Elio, Lucy is on a quest for self-discovery and sexual awakening, her innocence juxtaposed against a backdrop of sophisticated, bohemian lives. The film's aesthetic—golden hour light, ancient stone, verdant landscapes—is a character in itself, fostering a dreamlike atmosphere where nascent desires and poignant observations quietly bloom, leaving an impression of fleeting beauty and profound emotional growth.

Anthony Minghella's The Talented Mr. Ripley shares an undeniable aesthetic and psychological kinship with Call Me by Your Name. Set amidst the opulent, sun-drenched Italian Riviera, the film immerses viewers in a world of privilege, beauty, and simmering desire. Tom Ripley's obsessive fascination and longing for Dickie Greenleaf mirrors, albeit in a darker, more volatile form, the intense emotional entanglement experienced by Elio. The film's exquisite cinematography, capturing the allure of Italy and its vibrant summer, combined with its exploration of identity, desire, and profound yearning, creates a potent, if more sinister, echo of CMBYN's sensual elegance and emotional complexity.

Luca Guadagnino's A Bigger Splash transports us back to a sun-drenched, sensual European summer, this time on the volcanic island of Pantelleria. While featuring an older cast, the film pulses with a similar erotic charge and languid pacing found in Call Me by Your Name. The arrival of an ex-lover and his provocative daughter disrupts the serene holiday of a rock star and her partner, unearthing hidden desires and simmering tensions. It’s a masterclass in atmosphere, using the stunning natural landscape to amplify the complex, often unspoken, emotional and sexual dynamics among its characters, exploring the intoxicating and dangerous currents of longing.

My Policeman delves into the profound, enduring impact of forbidden love, echoing Call Me by Your Name's central theme of a deep, impactful queer romance. Spanning decades, the film portrays the secret relationship between policeman Tom and museum curator Patrick, set against the backdrop of 1950s Britain. The film sensitively captures the yearning, sacrifice, and societal pressures that shape their lives. While less about a singular idyllic summer, its narrative is steeped in a powerful sense of longing and the bittersweet memory of a love that defied its time, showcasing the indelible mark such profound connections leave on the soul, much like Elio’s indelible summer.

Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower resonates deeply with the emotional core of Call Me by Your Name, albeit in a different setting. It masterfully portrays the intense vulnerability and exhilarating discoveries of adolescence, focusing on Charlie's journey of first love, friendship, and self-acceptance. The film captures that exquisite, often painful, sensitivity of young hearts forming profound connections, experiencing emotional awakening, and navigating complex feelings for the first time. Its genuine portrayal of longing, belonging, and the formative power of these early relationships makes it a poignant parallel for anyone moved by Elio and Oliver’s summer.

Barry Jenkins' If Beale Street Could Talk is a poetic and sensually rich exploration of enduring love in the face of immense adversity. Its lush, intimate cinematography and deliberate pacing evoke a similar immersive quality to Call Me by Your Name. The film focuses on the profound bond between Tish and Fonny, portrayed with a tender vulnerability that speaks to the deep, soul-stirring connection found in CMBYN. Despite its distinct narrative of racial injustice, the film's ability to render the tactile beauty of love, memory, and longing through its visual and emotional language makes it a powerful, resonant experience for those who cherish Guadagnino's work.

Peter Bogdanovich’s The Last Picture Show is a black-and-white elegy to fading youth and the bittersweet sting of sexual awakening in a dying Texas town. While geographically and aesthetically distinct from Call Me by Your Name, it shares a profound melancholic tone and a deep dive into the emotional landscape of adolescence. The film expertly captures the languid passage of time during a pivotal summer, where characters grapple with burgeoning desires, fleeting romances, and the inevitable loss of innocence. Its raw, authentic portrayal of young hearts navigating a world of longing and limited possibilities resonates powerfully with CMBYN's poignant reflection on transient, impactful love.

While a future release, The Map That Leads to You promises an aesthetic and thematic journey reminiscent of Call Me by Your Name's spirit. It follows Heather as she travels Europe, her perfectly planned life interrupted by a chance encounter that sparks an unexpected romance. This concept aligns perfectly with the idea of a transformative European summer, replete with the potential for intense, formative connections and self-discovery through travel and new experiences. It offers the promise of that 'straight' equivalent of the sun-drenched, idyllic romance that CMBYN delivers, focusing on the wanderlust and emotional awakening that travel can inspire.

Love Me Love Me, another upcoming film, hints at the tender beginnings of a new romance, evoking a gentle resonance with Call Me by Your Name's focus on nascent love. Following June's move to Milan for a fresh start after a personal tragedy, she finds comfort in an 'honor student.' This premise suggests a narrative steeped in emotional vulnerability, a new environment fostering growth, and the quiet unfolding of an intense, supportive relationship. While the setting is Milan rather than a sun-drenched countryside, the emphasis on emotional connection and a transformative personal journey through love offers a promising parallel for those seeking CMBYN's heartfelt romanticism in a 'straight' context.

James Gray's Two Lovers deviates from the idyllic summer setting but delves deeply into the raw emotional landscape of love, longing, and difficult choices, echoing the intense vulnerability found in Call Me by Your Name. Joaquin Phoenix’s Leonard, a man navigating depression and romantic entanglement, finds himself torn between two women. The film meticulously explores the intricacies of attraction, the agony of indecision, and the profound human need for connection. While set in a melancholic Brooklyn, its focus on intense emotional turmoil, personal discovery through relationships, and the yearning for genuine intimacy makes it a compelling, albeit grittier, thematic companion.