12 Movies to Watch if You Like ‘House of Gucci’

Welcome to Beat the Algorithm — a recurring column dedicated to providing you with relevant and diverse streaming recommendations based on your favorite movies. This time, we’re recommending movies like Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci.

House of Gucci has been one of the most anticipated movies of the year. That’s understandable given its story — the crumbling of the Gucci empire — is almost too wild to be true. It also has a little something for everyone: lavish European setpieces, fashion galore, a dysfunctional family, beautiful, power-hungry people, Lady Gaga, and, of course, a thrilling true-crime plot.

Ridley Scott’s movie follows Patrizia Reggiani (Gaga), an Italian socialite who marries into the famous Gucci fashion family via handsome bachelor Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver). What starts out as a fairytale romance between the two quickly spins out of control until it has metamorphosed into a tale of total anarchy and crime.

Given all that goodness, it only makes sense if you leave the theaters wanting more Gucci-esque content. And if that’s the case, then you’re in luck, because we’ve curated a list of recommendations from our resident House of Gucci superfan.

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Directed by Steven Spielberg, Catch Me If You Can depicts the true story of Frank Abagnale, a teenager who managed to con his way into becoming a millionaire by convincingly posturing as a pilot, a doctor, and a prosecutor. Chronicling his stranger-than-fiction life, the movie tells a story of the intersection of crime and glamour in a lively, fast-paced manner.

It also features an all-star cast, including a devastatingly handsome young Leonardo DiCaprio, plus Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Amy Adams, and Jennifer Garner. If House of Gucci gave you a penchant for watching movies in which charismatic people do bad things in the name of getting rich, then Catch Me If You Can should be next on your list.

Available to stream on Paramount+.

Greed (2019)

When it comes to delicious, scathing critiques of the über-rich inhabitants of the fashion world, you can’t get juicier than Greed. Directed by Michael Winterbottom, it stars Steve Coogan as fashion tycoon Sir Richard “Greedy” McCreadie, whose sketchy past of unethical business practices is unexpectedly dug up, and he goes on vacation to… help take his mind off things. As you can imagine, it isn’t exactly smooth sailing from that point onward.

This movie has a lot for House of Gucci fans, including exotic set-pieces (Mykonos has never looked so beautiful yet so unhinged) and, of course, rich people doing bad things. It also provides some interesting insight into how the fashion business is run from the inside and the not-so-nice practices that often go into building an empire. Equal parts funny and chilling, Greed is not to be missed.

Available to stream on Starz.

American Gangster (2007)

Directed by House of Gucci helmer Ridley Scott, American Gangster chronicles the life of the infamous Frank Lucas, a prominent drug trafficker in Harlem in the 1960s and 1970s. The movie looks at his life during his prime crime era, through to his eventual run-in with the law. And it stars the great Denzel Washington in the lead role. This is Scott doing what he does best: depicting the wild lives of criminals in a fast, fun, and tasteful way.

Available to stream on Netflix.

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

If you love dysfunctional families, The Royal Tenenbaums should be next on your watchlist. Directed by Wes Anderson, who co-wrote the script with co-star Owen Wilson, this quirky, dark comedy follows the Tenenbaums, a large family of inexplicably gifted people led by the titular patriarch.

Of course, every family has drama, but the Tenenbaums experience it tenfold. We’ve got nervous breakdowns, epic lies, and dog fights — and that’s just scratching the surface. The Royal Tenenbaums is a stylish, idiosyncratic story of familial disharmony that will resonate with anyone who is fascinated by that kind of turmoil.

Available to rent from Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, or any other VOD outlet. 

Coco Before Chanel (2009)

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know who Coco Chanel is. But do you know who she was pre-fame? Well, as you can probably gather from its title, this movie is about to tell you. Written and directed by Anne Fontaine, Coco Before Chanel stars Audrey Tautou (Amélie) as Coco — firstly known as Gabrielle Chanel — and details her life before she became one of the world’s most revered fashion moguls.

Coming into prominence in the early 1900s, Chanel led a life that was not without adversity, given that she was a young, independent, strong-minded businesswoman. As Coco Before Chanel offers a glimpse of how a young girl became a self-made celebrity, it’s admittedly a different look into the world of fashion from House of Gucci or Greed. And I think that makes it that much more of a must-watch.

Available to rent from Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, or any other VOD outlet. 

J. Edgar (2011)

One of the better biopics of the 21st century, J. Edgar chronicles the life and career of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. The movie looks at the eventful life of the man, starting with his anointment and rise as a governmental power through his gross abuses of power.

This is yet another example of someone committing misdeeds in the name of power, and director Clint Eastwood does a stellar job of chronicling the rise and fall of a prominent man, who is portrayed, also brilliantly, by Leonardo DiCaprio. And here’s a bonus for the House of Gucci superfans: J. Edgar features Adam Driver’s theatrical movie debut!

Available to stream on HBO Max.

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