Movies Like Life, Unexpected
If you liked Life, Unexpected (2021), a documentary and romance movie directed by Jaime Ray Newman and Guy Nattiv, 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
Crazy Love (2007)
★ 6.5/10Also documentary and romanceFilmmaker Dan Klores examines the strange love affair of Burt Pugach and Linda Riss. Pugach is a successful attorney in 1950s New York when he meets much-younger Riss. The pair date, but Riss breaks off contact with…
- 2
A Complete History of My Sexual Failures (2008)
★ 6.2/10Also documentary and romanceThe egocentric documentary-maker Chris Waitt traces his romantic ineptitude and sexual impotence through awkward interviews with irate ex-girlfriends and stunts involving S&M parlours, Harley Street doctors and…
- 3
Maternal Instinct (2026)
★ 7.2/10Also documentaryPolice pull over a woman who claims she just gave birth. But the baby — and the blood — aren't hers. Twisted lies unravel in this true-crime documentary.
- 4
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…
- 5
Avatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/20 (2022)
★ 7.2/10Also documentaryAn inside look at one of the most anticipated movie sequels ever with James Cameron and cast.
- 6
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.
- 7
My Mom Jayne (2025)
★ 8/10Also documentaryThrough deeply personal interviews with her siblings and an examination of the photographs, letters, and belongings left behind, Mariska assembles a new portrait of her mother Jayne Mansfield, an extraordinary and…
- 8
Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012)
★ 7.1/10Also documentaryGiving fans unprecedented access to the real life of the music sensation, Katy Perry: Part of Me exposes the hard work, dedication and phenomenal talent of a girl who remained true to herself and her vision in order to…
- 9
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.
- 10
As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000)
★ 7.8/10Also documentaryA compilation of over 30 years of private home movie footage shot by Lithuanian-American avant-garde director Jonas Mekas, assembled by Mekas "purely by chance", without concern for chronological order.
- 11
Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds (2016)
★ 7.4/10Also documentaryAn intimate portrait of Hollywood royalty featuring Debbie Reynolds, Todd Fisher, and Carrie Fisher.
- 12
The Last Repair Shop (2024)
★ 7.5/10Also documentaryIn 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
In the Realms of the Unreal (2004)
★ 7.2/10Also documentaryIn the Realms of the Unreal is a documentary about the reclusive Chicago-based artist Henry Darger. Henry Darger was so reclusive that when he died his neighbors were surprised to find a 15,145-page manuscript along…
- 14
Western Stars (2019)
★ 7/10Also documentaryThe 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…
- 15
Beyoncé: Life Is But a Dream (2013)
★ 7.7/10Also documentaryLife Is But a Dream is a HBO documentary about the life of US singer Beyoncé Knowles during the years 2011 and 2012 and on the recording of her fifth album. The film was directed by Beyoncé herself. The film shows…
- 16
Cameraperson (2016)
★ 6.7/10Also documentaryAs a visually radical memoir, CAMERAPERSON draws on the remarkable footage that filmmaker Kirsten Johnson has shot and reframes it in ways that illuminate moments and situations that have personally affected her. What…
- 17
Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)
★ 6.9/10Also documentaryExperience 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.
- 18
Supersonic (2016)
★ 7.4/10Also documentarySupersonic 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…
- 19
Who Are You, Charlie Brown? (2021)
★ 6.9/10Also documentaryLupita Nyong'o narrates a documentary about Peanuts and its creator, Charles M. Schulz. Famous fans—including Drew Barrymore, Kevin Smith, and Al Roker—share its influence on them, and a new animated story finds…
- 20
Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) (2026)
★ 8.4/10Also documentaryCaptured during Billie Eilish's sold-out world tour, a concert experience from one of the most celebrated and successful artists of her generation, presented in immersive 3D.