How to Find the Name of a Movie You Can’t Remember

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Explore this Article IN THIS ARTICLE
1 Run a Google search.
2 Use a film search engine.
3 Scour IMDb to find the title.
4 Check an actor’s filmography.
5 Post on Filmfind.
6 Ask around on Reddit.
7 Ask a friend.
8 Check your viewing history.
9 Flip through a streaming service’s catalogue.
10 Go through the plot in your head.
11 Picture where you were when you saw it.
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Co-authored by Eric McClure

Last Updated: April 19, 2024 Fact Checked

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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure. Eric McClure is an editing fellow at wikiHow where he has been editing, researching, and creating content since 2019. A former educator and poet, his work has appeared in Carcinogenic Poetry, Shot Glass Journal, Prairie Margins, and The Rusty Nail. His digital chapbook, The Internet, was also published in TL;DR Magazine. He was the winner of the Paul Carroll award for outstanding achievement in creative writing in 2014, and he was a featured reader at the Poetry Foundation’s Open Door Reading Series in 2015. Eric holds a BA in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and an MEd in secondary education from DePaul University.

There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.

This article has been viewed 595,193 times.

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Can’t think of a movie title? No sweat! We’re here to help you find any movie without knowing the title. There are plenty of easy ways to narrow it down and find the movie you’re looking for, especially if you can identify at least one or two key details about the flick. In this article, we’ll show you how to find a movie name you don’t know by using every resource available.

Steps

1

Run a Google search.

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1. {“smallUrl”:”https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/8b\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-1.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”\/images\/thumb\/8\/8b\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-1.jpg\/v4-728px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-1.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=\”mw-parser-output\”><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>”} Include as much detail as you can remember about the movie. Type in the names of any actors, characters, or lines of dialogue from the flick. If you don’t know the year, at least include the decade or general era. Throw in the genre along with some keywords about the plot if you can, then scan through the search results. The film you’re looking for might pop up in a list, forum post, or essay in the search results!
   • For example, you might search “black and white movie Humphrey Bogart detective,” “David Lynch rabbit film,” or, “movie where old man coaches female boxer.”
   • You can adjust your search by using a “-“ to remove certain keywords from your search to narrow it down. For example, “dinosaur movie -Jurassic -Park” will pull up dinosaur flicks that aren’t Jurassic Park.

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2

Use a film search engine.

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1. {“smallUrl”:”https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/57\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-2.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”\/images\/thumb\/5\/57\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-2.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=\”mw-parser-output\”><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>”} There are a few websites designed specifically to help you remember a movie. The most powerful option out there is MovieSearch ( https://www.moviesearch.online/). On this site, you can find the name of a movie by description. Enter any details, actors, or keywords you can recall to generate results. ^{[1] X Research source} You may also try All Movie. This website provides filters to help you narrow down your search and identify your movie.
   • Potential Movie Search searches might include, “romance Brad Pitt,” “two students go adventure in woods,” or, “horror movie 80s with guy in mask.”

3

Scour IMDb to find the title.

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1. {“smallUrl”:”https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/75\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-3.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”\/images\/thumb\/7\/75\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-3.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=\”mw-parser-output\”><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>”} The Internet Movie Database will have tons of lists and results. IMDb has data on every film ever made, so your flick has to be there somewhere. Users publish easy-to-find lists based on genre, critical acclaim, personal interest, or cast. If you have even one bit of info you remember but you just can’t think of the name of a movie, search IMDb to pull a list of relevant results. Imdb also have option to search by plot. ^{[2] X Research source}
   • For example, if you can’t remember the name of a movie but you know the word “king” was in the title of the film, just search “king” in IMDb’s search bar and start scrolling.

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4

Check an actor’s filmography.

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1. {“smallUrl”:”https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/dd\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”\/images\/thumb\/d\/dd\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-4.jpg\/v4-728px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=\”mw-parser-output\”><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>”} If you can remember a single cast member, look through their work. If you know that Jordan Peele had a cameo in a movie, go online and search “Jordan Peele filmography.” Scroll through the results and you’ll find the flick you’re looking for somewhere! ^{[3] X Research source}
   • You can find a full list of an actor’s or actress’s work by checking their personal page on IMDb.
   • If you don’t remember any cast members but you know what they look like, search for the actor or actress online first. You could run an image search for something like, “white actress tall big nose” to find them.

5

Post on Filmfind.

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1. {“smallUrl”:”https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/25\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-5.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-5.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”\/images\/thumb\/2\/25\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-5.jpg\/v4-728px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-5.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=\”mw-parser-output\”><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>”} Filmfind is a community dedicated to helping people remember movies! Sign up for a free account and then click the “post” button at the top of the page. Then, describe everything you can remember about the film. The dedicated community of film enthusiasts on Film Find won’t stop throwing out suggestions until you can identify the film.

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6

Ask around on Reddit.

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1. {“smallUrl”:”https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b3\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-6.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-6.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”\/images\/thumb\/b\/b3\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-6.jpg\/v4-728px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-6.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=\”mw-parser-output\”><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>”} There are a few subreddits where users help others remember things. If you’ve never used Reddit, it’s a social media site based around different communities, called subreddits (always labeled as r/NameOfSubreddit). Post on one of the following subreddits to ask for help finding your film. Include as much information as you remember about the flick. ^{[4] X Research source}
   • r/TipOfMyTongue – This subreddit is dedicated to helping people remember anything they’ve forgotten about!
   • r/WhatIsThatMovie – Similar to r/TipOfMyTongue, except it’s dedicated exclusively to movies. You may get better results here, but there are more users on r/TipOfMyTongue.
   • r/Movies – This is a widely-used subreddit, but it’s dedicated more generally to anything film-related. You may get some help here.

7

Ask a friend.

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1. {“smallUrl”:”https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/af\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-7.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-7.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”\/images\/thumb\/a\/af\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-7.jpg\/v4-728px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-7.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=\”mw-parser-output\”><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>”} If you saw the film with someone else, ask them if they recall the title. If it was an especially popular movie, you could just ask around or post on social media to reach out for help. Alternatively, if you’ve got a cinephile friend who knows a ton about movies, you could reach out to them and describe the film to see if they know it.
   • You might call your friend and say, “Hey, can you help me find my movie? You and I watched it a few years ago—there was a guy stranded on an island. He had a volleyball for a friend. You remember it?”

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8

Check your viewing history.

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1. {“smallUrl”:”https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/27\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-8.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-8.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”\/images\/thumb\/2\/27\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-8.jpg\/v4-728px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-8.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=\”mw-parser-output\”><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>”} If you saw the film online recently, go through your history. If you saw it in theatres, search your browsing history—the odds are high you looked up reviews or showtimes for it. If you saw the film on Netflix, click here to pull up a list of the films you watched. For Amazon Prime, click here. ^{[5] X Research source}
   • On Hulu, your watch history is actually buried in your “Keep Watching” collection on the home screen.^{[6] X Research source}
   • Unfortunately, Max (formerly known as HBO Max) and Disney+ do not allow you to access your viewing history.

9

Flip through a streaming service’s catalogue.

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1. {“smallUrl”:”https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/4d\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-9.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-9.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”\/images\/thumb\/4\/4d\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-9.jpg\/v4-728px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-9.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=\”mw-parser-output\”><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>”} Even if Netflix or Max don’t have it, this may jog your memory. Peruse whatever streaming service you have and just look at the movies. Netflix, Max, Amazon Prime, and the other platforms have thousands of films, and it’s possible that you’ll stumble on your film if you keep browsing. Even if you don’t though, you may stumble on a similar movie, actor/actress, or keyword that jogs your memory and helps you recall the name of the movie you’re thinking of! ^{[7] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School’s Educational Site for the Public Go to source}
   • Even looking at the thumbnails of the movie posters can help you remember.
   • It’s pretty easy to find a movie if you can identify one actor or actress in it, since you can pull up their filmography. Keep an eye out for actors and actresses on the thumbnails—you may recognize a familiar face.

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10

Go through the plot in your head.

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1. {“smallUrl”:”https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/6f\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-10.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-10.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”\/images\/thumb\/6\/6f\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-10.jpg\/v4-728px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-10.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=\”mw-parser-output\”><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>”} This is a way of quizzing yourself, which can help jog your memory. Try to picture the opening scene in your head and then keep asking yourself, “What happened next?” Go through the film’s narrative in your mind and you just might uncover the film’s title. If that doesn’t work, try summarizing it out loud or sharing it with a friend. The deeper you go into your description, the higher the odds that you’ll remember. ^{[8] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School’s Educational Site for the Public Go to source}

11

Picture where you were when you saw it.

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1. {“smallUrl”:”https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/17\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-11.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-11.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”\/images\/thumb\/1\/17\/Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-11.jpg\/v4-728px-Find-a-Movie-That-I-Can%27t-Remember-Step-11.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=\”mw-parser-output\”><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>”} If you’re just barely holding on to a scrap of info, this may help you learn more. Try to remember the details. Where were you sitting? How old were you? Who was with you? How did the film make you feel? Close your eyes and try to feel what it was like when you first saw the movie. By revisiting the experience, you may uncover more details that you’d forgotten about. ^{[9] X Research source}

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Tips

• It may also help to search the box office history for a certain year, if you know around which year the movie was made. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

• I use a site called Moviescraper, which allows you to find the name of a movie with a few lines from a clip or that you remember. It’s still in it’s beta phase but I works pretty well. Here’s the link: https://moviescraper.netlify.app/.
• If you remember the name of a song that was in the movie, Google “(name of song) what movie was it in.” Or, find the name of the song first, then work form there.

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