Movies Like Cartoons: Before the Fact

If you liked Cartoons: Before the Fact (1974), a movie directed by Bill Brand, 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
42 Up (1999)
★ 7.6/10
Director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born adults after a 7 year wait. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.
2
The Kindergarten Teacher (2018)
★ 6.5/10
Lisa Spinelli is a Staten Island teacher who is unusually devoted to her students. When she discovers one of her five-year-olds is a prodigy, she becomes fascinated with the boy, ultimately risking her family and…
3
Tropic Thunder: Rain of Madness (2008)
★ 6.8/10
A behind-the-scenes mockumentary of Tropic Thunder.
4
How High (2001)
★ 6.4/10
Jamal and Silas, two ordinary guys who smoke something magical, pass their college entrance exams with flying colors and end up at Harvard. Ivy League ways are strange but Silas and Jamal take it in a stride -- until…
5
7 Days in Hell (2015)
★ 6.5/10
A fictional documentary-style expose on the rivalry between two tennis stars who battled it out in a 1999 match that lasted seven days.
6
Old Boys (2018)
★ 6.6/10
In the school-set re-working of Cyrano, an awkward but imaginative pupil helps the handsome but spectacularly dim school-hero pursue the fiery daughter of a visiting French teacher.
7
Fame (1980)
★ 6.4/10
A chronicle of the lives of several teenagers who attend a New York high school for students gifted in the performing arts.
8
Step Up 3D (2010)
★ 6.8/10
A tight-knit group of New York City street dancers, including Luke and Natalie, team up with NYU freshman Moose, and find themselves pitted against the world's best hip-hop dancers in a high-stakes showdown that will…
9
Making Squid Game: The Challenge (2023)
★ 8/10
Go behind the scenes and witness how the "Squid Game"-inspired reality show transformed from a scripted drama to a cutthroat, nail-biting competition.
10
Tour de Pharmacy (2017)
★ 6.7/10
A mockumentary that chronicles the prevalence of doping in the world of professional cycling.
11
21 Up (1977)
★ 7.4/10
After another 7 year wait, director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born children from Seven Up! and 7 Plus Seven. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives…
12
You Can See Everything (2026)
★ 9.1/10
Thirty-four days before she's sent to prison, notorious Silicon Valley founder Elizabeth Holmes invites a skeptical film crew to document her every move. What begins as an intimate portrait of an enigmatic felon…
13
Extraordinary Measures (2010)
★ 6.3/10
Working-class father John Crowley is finally on the fast track to corporate success when his two young children are diagnosed with Pompe disease—a condition that prevents the body from breaking down sugar. With the…
14
Whiplash (2014)
★ 8.4/10
Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity.
15
The Rainmaker (1997)
★ 7/10
Fresh out of law school and desperate for work, idealistic rookie Rudy Baylor takes on a powerful insurance company accused of denying a dying boy’s claim. Teaming up with a scrappy, unlicensed paralegal, he finds…
16
The Mouse That Roared (1959)
★ 6.4/10
The Duchy of Grand Fenwick decides that the only way to get out of their economic woes is to declare war on the United States, lose and accept foreign aid. They send an invasion force (in chain mail, armed with bows…
17
Don't Think Twice (2016)
★ 6.4/10
An improv group deals with several crises, including the loss of their lease and one member hitting the big time.
18
Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm (1999)
★ 7.5/10
Mock documentary about Seinfeld writer Larry David featuring contributions from his friends and colleagues. Larry makes a return to stand-up comedy and prepares to film a television special for HBO. This is the…
19
35 Up (1991)
★ 7.6/10
Director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born adults after a 7 year wait. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.
20
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
★ 7.2/10
The residents of San Francisco are becoming drone-like shadows of their former selves, and as the phenomenon spreads, two Department of Health workers uncover the horrifying truth.