Directed by Sofia Alvarez, ‘Along for the Ride‘ is a romantic drama film based on the eponymous novel by Sarah Dessen. The narrative follows Auden and Eli, who meet during the summer before college. Since both have insomnia, they indulge in some fun activities at night while the rest of the town called Colby sleeps. This helps Auden realize that she desires a fun and carefree life.
Apart from the budding romance between the two characters, what keeps the viewers hooked is the coming-of-age element of the movie. Many of the relatively younger viewers tend to resonate with the character of Auden and wish to find themselves just like she does. If you enjoyed watching the romantic drama, you might be interested in the movies we have listed. You can watch most of these films like ‘Along for the Ride’ on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Hulu.
7. Midnight Sun (2018)
The Bella Thorne-starrer ‘Midnight Sun‘ is a romantic drama movie directed by Scott Speer. The narrative revolves around Katie Price, who has a life-threatening sensitivity to sunlight. Living most of her life at night, she meets Charlie, a young man she has had a crush on for years. They grow closer as they spend more time together, but Katie attempts to hide her condition from Charlie. Both ‘Midnight Sun’ and Along for the Ride’ involve characters that bond with one another on their nightly quests for a more colorful life. Moreover, in both movies, one of the characters hides a part of their life from the other.
6. The Spectacular Now (2013)
Helmed by James Ponsoldt, ‘The Spectacular Now‘ is a coming-of-age romantic movie that revolves around Sutter and Aimee, who are quite different from one another. Sutter’s perspective on life changes as he spends a significant amount of time with the typical “nice girl” Aimee and eventually falls in love with her. Much like ‘Along for the Ride,’ ‘The Spectacular Now’ involves a character whose philosophy on life changes when they meet someone new.
5. Chemical Hearts (2020)
Directed by Richard Tanne, ‘Chemical Hearts‘ is a romantic drama featuring Lili Reinhart and Austin Abrams. It follows Henry Page, who has never been in love but considers himself a romantic nevertheless. When he crosses paths with a new transfer student named Grace Town, things tend to change as he finds himself falling in love with the mysterious newcomer. Much like Eli in ‘Along for the Ride,’ Grace harbors a few secrets that Henry is unaware of. The budding romance between two strangers is another similarity that connects the two films.
4. All the Bright Places (2020)
With Brett Haley in the director’s chair, the romantic drama film titled ‘All the Bright Places‘ is based on Jennifer Niven’s eponymous novel. In the movie, Violet and Theodore – two high school students who bond over their personal struggles – change each other’s lives for the better. Together they discover that even the smallest moments in life can be precious. Like ‘Along for the Ride,’ ‘All the Bright Places’ involves two characters who make a huge difference in each other’s lives.
3. The Last Summer (2019)
The KJ Apa-starrer ‘The Last Summer‘ is a romantic comedy movie helmed by William Bindley. Although the narrative chronicles the experiences of a group of friends, it focuses on the final summer before they step into college, something which it has in common with ‘Along for the Ride.’ The several intersecting stories feature characters dealing with new relationships while reexamining their past ones. There are other similar elements that link ‘The Last Summer’ with ‘Along for the Ride,’ such as budding relationships and characters finding themselves right before their college adventures begin.
2. The Art of Getting By (2011)
Directed by Gavin Wiesen, ‘The Art of Getting By’ revolves around dull and lonely George, a teenager who doesn’t see the point of school or life and leads a boring life. However, things begin to change when he becomes friends with Sally, a fun yet complicated girl. In her company, George’s perspective on life shifts, quite like the effect Eli has on Auden in ‘Along for the Ride.’
1. A Walk to Remember (2002)
Based on Nicholas Sparks‘ eponymous novel, ‘A Walk to Remember‘ is a classic romantic film directed by Adam Shankman. The narrative centers upon Landon – a popular school-going teenager with a rebellious streak – who finds himself starring as a lead in a play. In the process, he meets Jamie, the local Baptist minister’s daughter, who has almost nothing in common with him.
Landon and Jamie start spending time together, resulting in the former developing feelings for the latter. Soon, they start going out but their relationship is tested when a painful secret comes to light. Much like ‘Along for the Ride,’ the characters in ‘A Walk to Remember’ fall for each other despite the differences in their personalities and the challenges they face.
Read More: Is Along for the Ride a True Story? Are Eli and Auden Based on Real People?