10 Best Movies Like The Shape of Water (Ranked & Where to Watch)

Hushpuppy, a spirited six-year-old, lives with her ailing father in a Louisiana bayou community called 'the Bathtub,' separated from the mainland by a levee. When an ancient evil stirs and the natural world begins to unravel, Hushpuppy embarks on a fantastical journey to save her home and father. Like 'The Shape of Water,' 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' is a deeply poetic, magical realist tale centered on an outsider navigating a world that often misunderstands or dismisses them. Its visual poetry, raw emotion, and celebration of a unique way of life resonate strongly, presenting a different kind of 'creature' story rooted in folklore and fierce love.

Caroline, a diner waitress with a history of bad choices in men, is rescued from an assault by Adam, a quiet, mysterious man with a troubled past and a heart defect that he believes gives him the heart of a lion. Their unconventional romance blossoms as Caroline is drawn to Adam's profound innocence and unique perspective. 'Untamed Heart' echoes 'The Shape of Water's' theme of falling for an enigmatic, almost otherworldly figure whose difference is their greatest allure. It’s a tender, melancholic fairy tale about seeing past the superficial and embracing love in its most vulnerable and unique forms.

In a truly audacious concept, 'Love Me' envisions a future billions of years after humanity's extinction, where a buoy and a satellite connect online, gradually developing a profound, abstract understanding of love and existence. This film takes the concept of unconventional romance to its furthest extreme, much like 'The Shape of Water' dared to portray love between a woman and an amphibian. It's a visually inventive and deeply philosophical exploration of connection, consciousness, and the universal longing for companionship, stripped bare of human form but rich in emotional resonance.

Set against the bustling, often harsh backdrop of 1921 New York, 'The Immigrant' follows Ewa Cybulska, a Polish immigrant tricked into a life of burlesque and desperation. Her hope is reignited by Orlando, a dazzling magician who promises to save her. Director James Gray crafts a visually sumptuous period piece with a melancholic yet hopeful tone, reminiscent of 'The Shape of Water's' aesthetic elegance. It’s a story of vulnerability, exploitation, and the redemptive power of an unlikely connection, echoing the profound emotional stakes and outsider perspective found in del Toro’s masterpiece.

In a near-future where a controversial test can definitively prove if two people are truly in love, Anna grapples with uncertainty despite her proven match with Ryan. She begins to question the very nature of love, akin to how 'The Shape of Water' challenges traditional romantic narratives. 'Fingernails' explores the societal pressures and scientific attempts to quantify an emotion that should be inherently wild and free. Its unique premise and melancholic introspection about authentic connection make it a compelling, if more grounded, parallel to the experimental and deeply felt romance of 'The Shape of Water.'

A couple, Sophie and Jason, decide to adopt a stray cat, only for the decision to subtly, yet radically, alter their perceptions of time and their relationship, leading to an existential crisis. 'The Future' shares 'The Shape of Water's' penchant for magical realism intertwining with everyday life, imbuing ordinary moments with a sense of wonder and foreboding. It's a quirky, melancholic, and deeply introspective film about the anxieties of modern relationships and the subtle ways our lives can shift, offering a more indie, philosophical take on the transformative power of unexpected connections.

During World War II, a Canadian intelligence officer (Brad Pitt) falls in love with a French Resistance fighter (Marion Cotillard) on a deadly mission in North Africa. Their passionate, high-stakes romance is set against a backdrop of espionage, danger, and moral ambiguity, akin to the perilous Cold War setting and secret government facility in 'The Shape of Water.' While lacking the fantastical element, 'Allied' captures the intensity of a forbidden love under duress, where lives and loyalties are constantly tested, making it a compelling watch for those drawn to the dramatic stakes of del Toro's film.

In this Tennessee Williams adaptation, Val Xavier, a guitar-slinging drifter with a mysterious past, drifts into a small, stifling Southern town and finds himself entangled in a passionate, doomed affair with Lady Torrence, a repressed store owner. 'The Fugitive Kind' shares 'The Shape of Water's' exploration of intense, often tragic, romance with an enigmatic outsider. It's a visually rich, deeply atmospheric film steeped in Southern Gothic sensibilities, where raw human passions clash with societal constraints, creating a powerful, albeit darker, parallel to the poetic love story of Elisa and her amphibian man.

Set against the backdrop of the 1968 Prague Spring, 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' explores the complex love triangle between a womanizing surgeon, his artistic wife, and his free-spirited mistress. While devoid of magical realism, this film delves into the profound, often messy, psychological depths of love, desire, and longing with an intellectual and sensual intensity that mirrors the emotional richness of 'The Shape of Water.' It’s a visually stunning and deeply philosophical work that examines human connection, freedom, and fidelity under immense historical and personal pressure, echoing TSoW's celebration of profound human bonds.

In a unique and meditative premise, 'Nine Days' follows a reclusive arbiter who interviews five unborn souls to decide which one will be granted the gift of life on Earth. While not a romance, this film shares 'The Shape of Water's' profound sense of wonder, its exploration of the human (and non-human) condition, and its deep empathy for connection. It’s an existential fairy tale that asks what makes a life worth living, echoing the quiet dignity and profound longing for experience that permeates del Toro’s work. A truly original and moving experience about observation, choice, and being.