What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedSmall Things Like These
Claire Keegan · Book · 2021
If you loved Small Things Like These, start with Small Things Like These (Tim Mielants, 2024) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Small Things Like These across media.
If Small Things Like These captivated you, it is because you appreciate stories where quiet moral courage confronts systemic injustice.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Small Things Like These
Tim Mielants · Film · 2024
Films on the same thread
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Olivia Newman · Film · 2026
Explores: Grief and healing, Intergenerational friendship, Hidden secrets.
Like Small Things Like These, this story explores how hidden secrets within a community shape the lives of individuals, offering a poignant look at healing and human connection.
We Live in Time
John Crowley · Film · 2024
Explores: Chance Encounters, Divorce Recovery, Life-Changing Romance.
This decade-spanning romance mirrors the emotional depth of Small Things Like These, focusing on how pivotal life moments and personal choices define the human experience over time.
The Housemaid
Paul Feig · Film · 2025
Explores: Class Conflict, Gaslighting, Identity Theft.
The tension regarding power dynamics and hidden secrets in this thriller reflects the unsettling atmosphere found in Small Things Like These, highlighting the dangers of institutional silence.
Poor Things
Yorgos Lanthimos · Film · 2023
Explores: Feminist Awakening, Artificial Intelligence Ethics, Societal Critique.
Much like the protagonist in Small Things Like These, the lead here embarks on a journey of awakening, challenging the societal norms and prejudices of her specific time.
Series on the same thread
Big Little Lies
David E. Kelley · Series · 2017
Explores: Secrets and Lies, Privilege, Female Friendship.
This narrative mirrors the focus on community secrets found in Small Things Like These, examining how the facade of an ordinary town hides deep, unsettling moral complexities.
When Life Gives You Tangerines
Lim Sang-choon · Series · 2025
Explores: First Love, Childhood Sweethearts, Island Life.
This story captures the same themes of resilience and enduring love as Small Things Like These, showing how personal integrity remains vital through decades of life-altering challenges.
Mare of Easttown
Brad Ingelsby · Series · 2021
Shares a thread with Small Things Like These: Redemption.
The exploration of trauma and the burden of redemption in a small town directly echoes the atmospheric weight and character-driven moral dilemma of Small Things Like These.
A Small Light
Joan Rater · Series · 2023
Explores: Resistance, Courage, Moral Courage.
This historical drama perfectly captures the essence of Small Things Like These, highlighting the profound moral courage required to act against injustice when the world looks away.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Ezra Klein Show
New York Times Opinion · Podcast
Explores: climate change, political systems, market influence.
If you valued the sociopolitical critique in Small Things Like These, this podcast provides a deeper look at the systemic failures that continue to shape our modern reality.
1619
The New York Times · Podcast · 2019
Explores: systemic racism, national identity, legacy of slavery.
This documentary series examines the historical roots of social injustice, providing the same critical lens on national identity that made Small Things Like These so deeply resonant.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Small Things Like These based on a book?
Yes, Small Things Like These is based on the 2021 book of the same name written by Claire Keegan. The novel was shortlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize and won the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction before being adapted into the 2024 motion picture.
Who stars in the movie adaptation of Small Things Like These?
The 2024 major motion picture adaptation of Small Things Like These stars Cillian Murphy. The film is based on the acclaimed novel by Claire Keegan, which has received recognition as both a New York Times bestseller and a selection for Oprah's Book Club.
Has Small Things Like These received any major literary awards?
Small Things Like These is a highly decorated work. The book was shortlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize, won the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction, and was named one of the New York Times's 100 Best Books of the 21st Century.
Can I read Small Things Like These as part of a book club?
Yes, Small Things Like These is a suitable choice for book clubs. It was selected as an Oprah's Book Club pick in December 2024 and was also chosen as a New York Times Book Club pick during the same month.