The Best Movies About Adoption

Updated January 4, 2021 4.0k votes 824 voters 84.2k views60 items

List RulesPlots must center around adoption or adoptees.

This list of movies about adoption or the process of adopting children is ordered by popularity, so only the greatest movies about adopted kids and family are at the top of the list. There are both comedy and drama movies on this list of movies about adoption and foster care. A few of these films are even based on a true story. The films on this list are the most famous adoption movies of all time, so use it to find some movies that you haven't seen already. Click on these adoption movie titles for more information about the films.

This list answers the questions, "What are the best adoption movies?" and "What is the greatest adoption movie of all time?"

Various bits of information are included with these popular adoption movies, such as who directed them, when they were released and who starred in the films. Whether you're watching these adoption movies on Netflix or other streaming serviee, these good adoption movies can be enjoyed no matter what. Be sure to check back for new movies about adoption when they are released and added to the list.

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Instant Family
Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne
Released: 2018
Directed by: Sean Anders
Instant Family is a 2018 comedy film directed by Sean Anders. Couple Pete (Mark Wahlberg) and... more on Wikipedia
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The Blind Side
Sandra Bullock, Lily Collins
Released: 2009
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
The Blind Side is a 2009 American semi-biographical sports drama film. It was written and... more on Wikipedia
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Lion
Dev Patel, Rooney Mara
Released: 2016
Directed by: Garth Davis
Lion is a 2016 Australian-American-British drama film directed by Garth Davis and written by... more on Wikipedia
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Matilda
Danny DeVito, Mara Wilson
Released: 1996
Directed by: Danny DeVito
Matilda is a 1996 American fantasy comedy children's film directed and narrated by Danny... more on Wikipedia
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Martian Child
Amanda Peet, John Cusack
Released: 2007
Directed by: Menno Meyjes
Martian Child is a 2007 American comedy-drama film about a writer who adopts a strange young... more on Wikipedia
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What Maisie Knew
Julianne Moore, Alexander Skarsgård
Released: 2012
Directed by: Scott McGehee, David Siegel
What Maisie Knew is a 2012 American drama film directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel. It... more on Wikipedia
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Immediate Family
Glenn Close, James Woods
Released: 1989
Directed by: Jonathan Kaplan
Immediate Family is a 1989 drama film directed by Jonathan Kaplan. It stars Glenn Close and... more on Wikipedia

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Annie
Tim Curry, Bernadette Peters
Released: 1982
Directed by: John Huston
Annie is a 1982 American musical comedy-drama film adapted from Broadway musical of the same... more on Wikipedia
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For Keeps
Pauly Shore, Molly Ringwald
Released: 1988
Directed by: John G. Avildsen
For Keeps is a 1988 American coming of age comedy drama film starring Molly Ringwald and... more on Wikipedia
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Mighty Aphrodite
Woody Allen, Helena Bonham Carter
Released: 1995
Directed by: Woody Allen
Mighty Aphrodite is a 1995 romantic comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. The... more on Wikipedia
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Lovely and Amazing
Jake Gyllenhaal, Emily Mortimer
Released: 2001
Directed by: Nicole Holofcener
Lovely and Amazing is a 2001 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Nicole... more on Wikipedia
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Butter
Olivia Wilde, Hugh Jackman
Released: 2011
Directed by: Jim Field Smith
Butter is a 2011 comedy film directed by Jim Field Smith, from a screenplay by Jason Micallef,... more on Wikipedia
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A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Meryl Streep, Robin Williams
Released: 2001
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
A.I. Artificial Intelligence, also known as A.I., is a 2001 American science fiction film... more on Wikipedia
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#157 of 164 Live Action Movies With The Best CGI Effects#21 of 33 The Best Steven Spielberg Movies
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A Simple Twist of Fate
Steve Martin, Anne Heche
Released: 1994
Directed by: Gillies MacKinnon
A Simple Twist of Fate is a 1994 American drama film directed by Gillies MacKinnon. The... more on Wikipedia
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Big Daddy
Adam Sandler, Jon Stewart
Released: 1999
Directed by: Dennis Dugan
Big Daddy is a 1999 American comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and starring Adam Sandler.... more on Wikipedia
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Madeline
Frances McDormand, Nigel Hawthorne
Released: 1998
Directed by: Daisy von Scherler Mayer
Madeline is a 1998 live-action film adaptation of the book series by Ludwig Bemelmans,... more on Wikipedia
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Stuart Little 2
Hugh Laurie, Geena Davis
Released: 2002
Directed by: Rob Minkoff
Stuart Little 2 is a 2002 American live-action film, directed by Rob Minkoff and starring... more on Wikipedia
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Elf
Zooey Deschanel, Will Ferrell
Released: 2003
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Elf is a 2003 American Christmas comedy film directed by Jon Favreau and written by David... more on Wikipedia
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Life as We Know It
Christina Hendricks, Katherine Heigl
Released: 2010
Directed by: Greg Berlanti
Life as We Know It is a 2010 comedy film written by Ian Deitchman, Kristin Rusk Robinson, Jon... more on Wikipedia
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Les Miserables
Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried
Released: 2012
Directed by: Tom Hooper
Les Misérables is a 2012 musical drama film directed by Tom Hooper, based on the 1862 French... more on Wikipedia
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The Ten Commandments
Charlton Heston, Vincent Price
Released: 1956
Directed by: Cecil B. DeMille
The Ten Commandments is a 1956 American religious epic film produced and directed by Cecil B.... more on Wikipedia
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Stuart Little
Hugh Laurie, Geena Davis
Released: 1999
Directed by: Rob Minkoff
Stuart Little is a 1999 American family comedy film directed by Rob Minkoff. It is loosely... more on Wikipedia
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Luce
Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer
Released: 2019
Directed by: Julius Onah
Luce is a 2019 American drama film, directed by Julius Onah. A married couple (Naomi Watts and... more on Wikipedia
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The Orphanage
Geraldine Chaplin, Belén Rueda
Released: 2007
Directed by: Juan Antonio Bayona
The Orphanage is a 2007 Spanish horror film and the debut feature of Spanish filmmaker J. A.... more on Wikipedia
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A Place for Annie
Mary-Louise Parker, Sissy Spacek
Released: 1994
Directed by: John Gray
The compassion of a divorced pediatric nurse leads her to become foster mother to an... more on Wikipedia

Lion