Movies Like Bitchin': The Sound and Fury of Rick James

If you liked Bitchin': The Sound and Fury of Rick James (2021), a documentary and drama movie directed by Sacha Jenkins, 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
David Bowie: Five Years (2013)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and music
Featuring a wealth of previously unseen archive, this film looks at how Bowie continually evolved: from Ziggy Stardust to the Soul Star of Young Americans, to the ‘Thin White Duke’. It explores his regeneration in…
2
20,000 Days on Earth (2014)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary and drama
A semi-fictionalized documentary about a day in the life of Australian musician Nick Cave's persona.
3
Shawn Mendes: In Wonder (2020)
★ 8.1/10Also music and documentary
A portrait of singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes' life, chronicling the past few years of his rise and journey.
4
Matangi / Maya / M.I.A. (2018)
★ 7.5/10Also music and documentary
Drawn 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.
5
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…
6
Whitney (2018)
★ 7.3/10Also music and documentary
Examines the life and career of singer Whitney Houston. Features never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive recordings, rare performances and interviews with the people who knew her best.
7
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…
8
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…
9
The Velvet Underground (2021)
★ 6.8/10Also documentary and music
Experience the iconic rock band's legacy in the first major documentary to tell their story. Directed with the era’s avant-garde spirit by Todd Haynes, this kaleidoscopic oral history combines exclusive interviews with…
10
Thriller 40 (2023)
★ 8.7/10Also documentary and music
Forty years after the release of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller,’ the best-selling album of all-time, director Nelson George takes fans back in time to the making of a pop masterpiece, featuring never-before-seen footage…
11
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.
12
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…
13
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.
14
Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon (2011)
★ 8.1/10Also documentary and music
See Michael Jackson, one of the most recognizable and popular entertainers of all time, like never before in the feature-length tribute Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon. Known to millions of fans worldwide for his…
15
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.
16
The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2006)
★ 7.7/10Also documentary and music
This 2005 documentary film chronicles the life of Daniel Johnston, a manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist, from childhood up to the present, with an emphasis on his mental illness and how it manifested…
17
Avicii: True Stories (2017)
★ 8/10Also music and documentary
Documentary about the arena-packing Swedish DJ, chronicling his explosive rise to fame and surprising decision to retire from live performances in 2016.
18
Whitney: Can I Be Me (2017)
★ 6.6/10Also music and documentary
The life and tragic death of Whitney Houston.
19
End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones (2003)
★ 7.6/10Also documentary and music
A years-in-the-making documentary on the legendary punk band the Ramones. Through a mixture of archival footage, archival and new interviews with all members of the band's various lineups, and new interviews with a…
20
OLIVIA RODRIGO: driving home 2 u (a SOUR film) (2022)
★ 7.8/10Also music and documentary
Grammy® winner singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo takes a familiar road trip from Salt Lake City, where she began writing her debut album “SOUR,” to Los Angeles. Along the way, Rodrigo recounts the memories of writing…