Film

FM

Name: FM
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music
Released: 1978
Cast: Michael Brandon, Eileen Brennan, Alex Karras, Cleavon Little, Martin Mull

Drama

A 1978 comedy about DJs at a liberal radio station fighting corporate and government pressure to run army recruitment ads. It's a time capsule of FM radio culture and countercultural spirit, mixing music, satire, and earnest idealism. For anyone curious about how the '70s actually felt, or who loves ensemble casts and period-specific humor.

TMDb rating

3.4

If you liked this

Almost Famous2000

A love letter to '70s rock culture with a similar ensemble energy and genuine affection for music fandom. It captures that same era's idealism about what radio and music could mean to people.

But Much longer and more emotionally heavy; the tone drifts toward drama rather than staying comedic throughout.

Network1976

Another '70s satire about media institutions under pressure, with the same angry-funny energy about corporate versus creative values. Paddy Chayefsky's script is razor-sharp.

But Far darker and more cynical. There's no warmth here, only fury—it can feel relentless.

Ghostbusters1984

An ensemble comedy where likeable misfits band together against institutional pressure. Similar underdog spirit and chemistry between the cast, with genuinely funny set pieces.

But Sci-fi comedy rather than social satire. If you want the message alongside the laughs, this prioritizes pure entertainment.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from FM

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Good Morning, Vietnam1987

Both center on a radio voice as an instrument of resistance—a lone broadcaster determined to reach an audience despite institutional pressure to conform.

Another film about a charismatic radio broadcaster fighting the system from the inside, using the airwaves to speak truth to power. Both are about DJs as unexpected rebels.

But It's set during wartime in Vietnam, so the stakes are vastly higher and the tone shifts toward drama. Robin Williams' performance is manic in a very different way.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show1970

The gold standard for workplace ensemble comedy set at a media company. Smart, warm, and genuinely funny about the tensions between art and commerce in broadcasting.

But A TV series, not a film, so it's a bigger commitment. The humor is gentler and less overtly political than FM.

Midnight Express1978

Another 1978 film about individuals fighting institutional authority, with real stakes and urgency. It shows the darker side of the same anti-establishment fervor FM plays for laughs.

But Intensely bleak and violent. This is not entertainment in the same spirit at all—it's punishment and survival.

American Graffiti1973

An ensemble piece about a specific moment in American culture, built around music and youth rebellion. That same bittersweet sense that an era is ending.

But It's nostalgic rather than satirical, and more interested in romance than politics. Quieter and slower-paced.

WKRP in Cincinnati1978

A sitcom about a struggling radio station with an ensemble cast of oddballs. It shares FM's love of radio culture and features similar workplace comedy dynamics.

But Broader, sitcom-style humor rather than satirical edge. It's much gentler about institutional critique.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest1975

An ensemble anti-authority classic where misfits rebel against a system. The same ideological DNA, just in an institution-as-metaphor register.

But Much darker and more dramatic. The comedy is gallows humor buried in genuine tragedy.

The Main Event1979

A late-'70s comedy about unlikely people forced together to fight a shared enemy. Similar tone and similar faith that scrappy underdogs can actually win.

But Less sharp politically, more focused on romance and slapstick. It's fluffier and less interested in what it's actually saying.

The Phantom of the Opera1925

Both are about passionate artists fighting authority's attempt to commercialize or suppress what they love. Both see art as something worth actually fighting for.

Lon Chaney's silent masterpiece uses a specific visual and musical language to tell a story about an outsider fighting those who would control art. A century older but cut from the same cloth ideologically.

But Silent film with live orchestral accompaniment is a completely different experience. It requires patience and a specific theatrical setting to work properly.

Zazie dans le Métro1960

Both celebrate youthful rebellion and the subversion of authority through chaos and humor. Both trust that playfulness is a legitimate form of resistance.

A French New Wave comedy about a chaotic, spirited kid running amok in Paris, told through playful editing and visual gags. The same anarchic, youth-driven energy and anti-authority glee.

But French language, mid-century modernist filmmaking. If you want straightforward narrative and naturalistic performances, the style itself will feel like a barrier.