Movies Like Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat
If you liked Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat (2018), a documentary movie directed by Sara Driver, 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

Welcome to Chechnya (2020)
★ 7/10Also documentaryThis searing investigative work shadows a group of activists risking unimaginable peril to confront the ongoing anti-LGBTQ program raging in the repressive and closed Russian republic. Unfettered access and a…
- 2

Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures (2016)
★ 6.9/10Also documentaryNude men in rubber suits, close-ups of erections, objects shoved in the most intimate of places—these are photographs taken by Robert Mapplethorpe, known by many as the most controversial photographer of the twentieth…
- 3

Come See Me in the Good Light (2025)
★ 7.1/10Also documentaryIn 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.
- 4

Struggle: The Life and Lost Art of Szukalski (2018)
★ 7.5/10Also documentaryArtists in LA discover the work of forgotten Polish sculptor Stanislav Szukalski, a mad genius whose true story unfolds chapter by astounding chapter.
- 5

Shawn Mendes: In Wonder (2020)
★ 8.1/10Also documentaryA portrait of singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes' life, chronicling the past few years of his rise and journey.
- 6

McQueen (2018)
★ 7.4/10Also documentaryAlexander McQueen's rags-to-riches story is a modern-day fairy tale, laced with the gothic. Mirroring the savage beauty, boldness and vivacity of his design, this documentary is an intimate revelation of McQueen's own…
- 7

Gilbert (2017)
★ 6.7/10Also documentaryThe life and career of one of comedy's most inimitable modern voices, Mr. Gilbert Gottfried.
- 8

The Beach Boys (2024)
★ 6.7/10Also documentaryA 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.
- 9

A Toxic Love Story (2026)
★ 6.4/10Also documentaryA string of threatening emails escalates into a revenge plot involving a newly married US marshal and his ex-girlfriend.
- 10

Fuck (2006)
★ 6.4/10Also documentaryA documentary on the expletive's origin, why it offends some people so deeply, and what can be gained from its use.
- 11

LA Originals (2020)
★ 6.8/10Also documentaryPhotographer Estevan Oriol and artist Mister Cartoon turned their Chicano roots into gritty art, impacting street culture, hip hop and beyond.
- 12

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008)
★ 6.9/10Also documentaryFueled by a raging libido, Wild Turkey, and superhuman doses of drugs, Thompson was a true "free lance, " goring sacred cows with impunity, hilarity, and a steel-eyed conviction for writing wrongs. Focusing on the good…
- 13

Louis Theroux: Louis and the Nazis (2003)
★ 7.2/10Also documentaryLouis Theroux travels to California to meet the man dubbed "the most dangerous racist in America"; Tom Metzger. Louis meets him, his family and his publicity manager as well as following him to skinhead rallies and on…
- 14

The Curse of the Dragon (1993)
★ 7.2/10Also documentaryA 1993 documentary film about Bruce Lee. The film includes interviews from some of his fellow students and opponents who worked alongside him in his movies.
- 15

Tupac: Resurrection (2003)
★ 7.9/10Also documentaryHome 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.
- 16

Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese (2019)
★ 7/10Also documentaryPart 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.
- 17

Girl Rising (2013)
★ 7/10Also documentaryNine filmmakers each profile a young girl from a different part of the world to weave a global tapestry of youth in the 21st century.
- 18

Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022)
★ 8.4/10Also documentaryAfter 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…
- 19

Matangi / Maya / M.I.A. (2018)
★ 7.5/10Also documentaryDrawn from a never before seen cache of personal footage spanning decades, this is an intimate portrait of the Sri Lankan artist and musician who continues to shatter conventions.
- 20

Disclosure (2020)
★ 7.8/10Also documentaryAn investigation of how Hollywood's fabled stories have deeply influenced how Americans feel about transgender people, and how transgender people have been taught to feel about themselves.