Film

Newsies

Name: Newsies
Genre: Music, Comedy, Drama, History, Romance
Released: 2017
Cast: Jeremy Jordan, Kara Lindsay, Ben Fankhauser, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Steve Blanchard

Other titles called Newsies: the 1992 film.

Drama

A filmed record of the Broadway musical about 1899 newsboys striking against Joseph Pulitzer. It's joyful, energetic, and theatrically unashamed—tap dancing and soaring harmonies in service of a genuine labor story. For anyone who loves musicals that commit fully to their own joy, or who want to see young performers at their absolute peak.

TMDb rating

4.0

If you liked this

West Side Story2021

A musical that takes a real social conflict seriously while delivering world-class dancing and singing. Steven Spielberg's version has the same earnestness about its themes that Newsies does.

But At 156 minutes, it's even longer, and some find the pacing meditative rather than propulsive.

The Greatest Showman2017

Another ensemble musical centered on a real historical figure and his workers, with joyful choreography and ensemble numbers that celebrate spectacle and community.

But The film glosses over darker aspects of its subject matter in ways that bother some viewers more than the newsies' compressed history does.

Hairspray2007

A musical adaptation with genuine heart, bright colors, and a diverse ensemble having genuine fun. It cares about its characters and its message without ever losing the plot.

But The tone is lighter and campier than Newsies—some find that approach more superficial than earnest.

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

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Battleship Potemkin1925

Both use ensemble choreography and mass movement to express solidarity and resistance. Both make the audience feel the power of collective action.

A silent film about a naval mutiny and workers' revolt that is, structurally, a strike narrative with visceral choreography—the Odessa Steps sequence is humans moving as a mass in organized rebellion. It's the political engine of Newsies without the songs.

But It's a 1925 Soviet montage film in Russian without intertitles in many versions. The style is deliberately artificial and abstract, not emotionally comfortable.

In the Heights2021

A film musical that trusts dance and song as its primary storytelling tools, with a diverse ensemble and a real community at its center. Visually inventive and deeply felt.

But The plot is gentler and less driven by conflict than a strike narrative; some want more dramatic stakes.

Kinky Boots2005

A stage musical filmed with warmth and humor, centered on working people finding dignity and community. Strong ensemble chemistry and a story about solidarity.

But Smaller scale than Newsies—the music is good but not as immediately thrilling, and fewer big production numbers.

An American in Paris1951

A classic musical with extraordinary dancing and a similar sense that a great production number is the point. Pure theatrical joy filtered through film.

But The plot is paper-thin and the gender politics are very 1951. It's more interested in spectacle than story.

Chicago2002

A musical that uses the medium cleverly, with strong performances and a cynical edge. Shows how musicals can be sophisticated and visually striking.

But It's dark and morally murky—the opposite of Newsies' earnestness—and some find the style-over-substance approach alienating.

Singin' in the Rain1952

Perhaps the greatest Hollywood musical ever made. Gene Kelly's dancing is transcendent, and the film understands that joy itself can be the subject of a story.

But It's a very old film with some dated attitudes baked in, and the plot is subordinate to the numbers in ways that won't work for everyone.

The Phantom of the Opera2004

A large-scale musical filmed adaptation with ambitious choreography and genuine spectacle. Shows how Broadway spectacle translates (or doesn't) to screen.

But Many prefer the stage version; the film choices feel cautious and the pacing is slow for a 143-minute runtime.

Sweet Charity1969

Both use dance as their primary language, not as entertainment between plot points. Both believe that how bodies move together is how you tell a story about community.

A film musical where the dancing is the character development, where spectacle is how we understand the inner life. Bob Fosse's choreography is how this film feels, not decoration on a story.

But It's darker and less certain than Newsies—the ending is bittersweet, and the tone is adult in ways that might feel cynical after Newsies' hopefulness.