As part of its usual monthly refresh, Netflix welcomed a load of new series and movies to its platform in August 2026. But one recent title has stuck with us (and clearly other Netflix users, as the film's stayed steadily in the top 3 of the streamer's weekly charts since its debut on August 14): "Don't Say Good Luck."
The coming-of-age dramedy stars Sunny Sandler — yes, that Sandler — as Sophie Birenbaum, a 16-year-old theater kid eager to land a role in her high school production of the Broadway musical "Waitress." However, those stage-star plans are complicated by some major family drama, specifically the terminal cancer diagnosis given to her mother Elizabeth, played by the always-excellent Melanie Lynskey (Max Greenfield stars as dad).
Tom's Guide's own Rory Mellon called the sweet flick a "genuinely touching teen drama" with "a standing-ovation-worthy performance from Sunny Sandler [that] elevates this crowd-pleaser above the pack." And if you're after more of that heartwarming same, here are three movies like "Don't Say Good Luck" to check out after the Netflix movie.
'The Edge of Seventeen'
Written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, this 2016 teen comedy stars Oscar nominee Hailee Steinfeld as 17-year-old Nadine Franklin, who has already weathered a good deal of familial drama—her father died of a heart attack when she was just 13—even before finding out that her older brother Darian (Blake Jenner) is dating her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson). Horrified at the news, Nadine seeks support from her world-weary teacher Max Bruner (Woody Harrelson) and her sweetly awkward classmate Erwin Kim (Hayden Szeto).
Steinfeld deservedly received a Golden Globe nomination for her outstanding lead performance as our flawed young heroine, deftly balancing the defiant sarcasm and deep sadness of the teen. That, paired with Fremon Craig's sharp script, elevates "The Edge of Seventeen" to "more than just another coming-of-age dramedy," per Rotten Tomatoes' critical consensus, where the film has a strong 94% approval rating.
Stream "The Edge of Seventeen" on Hulu now
'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl'
Based on Jesse Andrews' 2012 novel of the same name, Sundance darling "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" centers on Greg (Thomas Mann), a socially awkward high school senior who—along with his short-film collaborator Earl (RJ Cyler)—reconnects with a former childhood friend, Rachel Kushner (Olivia Cooke), who has just been diagnosed with cancer. As Rachel begins her chemotherapy treatment, the trio becomes closer, and the lads decide to make a film in tribute to "the dying girl."
Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon from a screenplay by Andrews himself, the 2015 indie is equal parts amusing and moving, skillfully avoiding any cheesy melodrama thanks to its honesty, heart and humor. "Anyone who buys a ticket to a film called 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' goes in fully expecting to cry. It’s sort of a given," wrote Peter Debruge for Variety. "The surprise, then, is the laughter: the near-constant stream of wise, insightful jokes that make it so easy to cozy up to characters dealing with a tough emotional situation."
Rent/buy "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" on Prime Video now
'The Fault in Our Stars'
When it comes to the "teens dealing with cancer" movie genre, arguably none is more iconic than "The Fault in Our Stars," the tear-jerking 2014 romance adapted from John Green's bestselling YA novel.
Our tragic couple is Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley) and Augustus "Gus" Waters (Ansel Elgort), two teens with a lot in common: Their love of books, their acerbic wit, and their respective diagnoses. After meeting at a cancer support group, they fall passionately in love, their fading health be damned, and embark on a journey to Amsterdam to track down a reclusive author.
Warning: It's definitely a weepy watch, but one that is well worth it thanks to Woodley's warm, grounded performance and the palpable chemistry between the two leads.
Stream "The Fault in Our Stars" on Netflix now
