Movies Like A Well Spent Life

If you liked A Well Spent Life (1971), a documentary and music movie directed by Skip Gerson and Les Blank, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Muscle Shoals (2013)
★ 7.2/10Also documentary and music
In a tiny Alabama town with the curious name of Muscle Shoals, something miraculous sprang from the mud of the Tennessee River. A group of unassuming, yet incredibly talented, locals came together and spawned some of…
2
Boys State (2020)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary
This raucous journey into the heart of democracy captures an unusual rite of passage: 1,100 teenage boys from across Texas coming together to build a representative government from the ground up.
3
Neil Young: Heart of Gold (2006)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and music
In March 2005, Neil Young was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. Four days before he was scheduled for a lifesaving operation, he headed to Nashville, where he wrote and recorded the country folk album Prairie Wind with…
4
Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary and music
Experience the meteoric rise of Oasis through rare footage and untold stories as the band reunites for Oasis Live '25, chronicling their journey from Manchester streets to global rock stardom.
5
The Last Repair Shop (2024)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and music
In a warehouse in the heart of Los Angeles, a dwindling handful of devoted craftspeople maintain more than 80,000 student musical instruments, the largest remaining workshop in America of its kind. Meet four…
6
Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022)
★ 8.4/10Also documentary and music
After years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness. This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year…
7
Keith Richards: Under the Influence (2015)
★ 6.8/10Also documentary and music
A portrait of Keith Richards that takes us on a journey to discover the genesis of his sound as a songwriter, guitarist and performer.
8
Travis Scott: Look Mom I Can Fly (2019)
★ 6.8/10Also documentary and music
While crafting his Grammy-nominated album "Astroworld," Travis Scott juggles controversy, fatherhood and career highs in this intimate documentary.
9
Echo in the Canyon (2019)
★ 6.8/10Also documentary and music
A look at the roots of the historic music scene in L.A.'s Laurel Canyon featuring the music of iconic music groups such as The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield, and The Mamas and the Papas.
10
Selena y Los Dinos: A Family's Legacy (2025)
★ 8.9/10Also documentary and music
Never-before-seen footage and intimate interviews celebrate the life and legacy of iconic Mexican American singer Selena Quintanilla and her family band.
11
Biggie & Tupac (2002)
★ 6.4/10Also music and documentary
In 1997, rap superstars Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (aka Biggie Smalls, The Notorious B.I.G.) were gunned down in separate incidents, the apparent victims of hip hop's infamous east-west rivalry. Nick…
12
Tupac: Resurrection (2003)
★ 7.9/10Also music and documentary
Home movies, photographs, and recited poetry illustrate the life of Tupac Shakur, one of the most beloved, revolutionary, and volatile hip-hop MCs of all time.
13
Supersonic (2016)
★ 7.4/10Also music and documentary
Supersonic charts the meteoric rise of Oasis from the council estates of Manchester to some of the biggest concerts of all time in just three short years. This palpable, raw and moving film shines a light on one of the…
14
Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese (2019)
★ 7/10Also documentary and music
Part documentary, part concert film, part fever dream, this film captures the troubled spirit of America in 1975 and the joyous music that Dylan performed during the fall of that year.
15
A Toxic Love Story (2026)
★ 6.4/10Also documentary
A string of threatening emails escalates into a revenge plot involving a newly married US marshal and his ex-girlfriend.
16
The Beach Boys (2024)
★ 6.7/10Also documentary and music
A celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music, and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come.
17
Come See Me in the Good Light (2025)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary
In an intimate and joyful story of love in the face of loss, celebrated poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley find strength—and unexpected hilarity—in what might be their final year together.
18
Gimme Danger (2016)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary and music
No other band in rock'n'roll history has rivaled The Stooges' combination of heavy primal throb, spiked psychedelia, blues-a-billy grind, complete with succinct angst-ridden lyrics, and a snarling, preening leopard of…
19
Western Stars (2019)
★ 7/10Also music and documentary
The incomparable Bruce Springsteen performs his critically acclaimed latest album and muses on life, rock, and the American dream, in this intimate and personal concert film co-directed by Thom Zimny and Springsteen…
20
Zappa (2020)
★ 7.2/10Also music and documentary
With the help of more than 10,000 dedicated Zappa fans, this is the long-awaited definitive documentary project of Alex Winter documenting the life and career of enigmatic groundbreaking rock star Frank Zappa. Alex…