6 Best Washed-Up Musician Comeback Movies

By Vlad Zakh · June 25, 2026

A faded star chasing one last shot at redemption makes for raw, heartbreaking music cinema. Crazy Heart has a washed-up country singer finding redemption through a young journalist’s love, A Star Is Born has a fading rock star falling for a rising singer, and Inside Llewyn Davis has a folk musician stuck in a bleak week in 1961 Greenwich Village. Sound of Metal, Once and The Rose round out the six.

Sound of Metal (2020)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A heavy metal drummer's sudden hearing loss forces him to confront his identity and find a new community.

Directed by Darius Marder · 2h 01m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

A Star Is Born (2018)

TMDB ★ 7.6

The fourth go at this story, and it still works completely.

Directed by Bradley Cooper · 2h 16m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A struggling folk musician navigates a bleak, cyclical week in the 1961 Greenwich Village music scene.

Directed by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen · 1h 45m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent: JustWatch TV, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Crazy Heart (2009)

TMDB ★ 7.1

A washed-up, alcoholic country singer finds unexpected hope through a young journalist and her son.

Directed by Scott Cooper · 1h 52m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Once (2007)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 97% Metacritic 90

A Dublin busker and a Czech immigrant record an album together over one unexpectedly intimate week.

Directed by John Carney · 1h 25m · Rated R

Won 1 Oscar25 wins & 31 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: BroadwayHD, Broadway HD Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Rose (1979)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A self-destructive rock star burns out under the pressures of fame, addiction and a gruelling tour schedule.

Directed by Mark Rydell · 2h 05m · Rated R

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Washed-Up Musician Comeback Movies

Sound of Metal (2020)

A Star Is Born (2018)

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

Crazy Heart (2009)

Once (2007)

The Rose (1979)

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