Movies like Roots: The Ruth Croft Story (2026)
The best movies like Roots: The Ruth Croft Story (2026) are The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young (2014), To Kill a Tiger (2023) and In the Realms of the Unreal (2004). If Roots: The Ruth Croft Story hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest rated14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible (2021)7.3/10 from 415 votes
- NewestA Toxic Love Story (2026)Released 2026
The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young (2014)
In its first 25 years only 10 people have finished The Barkley Marathons. Based on a historic prison escape, this cult like race tempts people from around the world to test their limits of physical and mental endurance in this documentary that contemplates the value of pain.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisTo Kill a Tiger (2023)
Ranjit, a farmer in India, takes on the fight of his life when he demands justice for his 13-year-old daughter, the victim of a brutal gang rape. His decision to support his daughter is virtually unheard of, and his journey unprecedented.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisIn the Realms of the Unreal (2004)
In 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 with hundreds of paintings depicting The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is Known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glodeco-Angelinnian War Storm, Cased by the Child Slave Rebellion.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like this180° South (2010)
The film follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMy Mom Jayne (2025)
Through 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 complex woman.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisMountain (2017)
An epic cinematic and musical collaboration between SHERPA filmmaker Jennifer Peedom and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, that explores humankind's fascination with high places.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Crystal Calls - Making The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019)
Go behind the scenes with stars, puppeteers and creators as they bring Jim Henson's magical world of Thra back to life in a sweeping fantasy series.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBirth of the Living Dead (2013)
A behind the scenes look into George Romero's groundbreaking horror classic Night of the Living Dead.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEx Libris: The New York Public Library (2017)
A documentary about how a dominant cultural and demographic institution both sustains their traditional activities and adapts to the digital revolution.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like this14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible (2021)
In 2019, Nepalese mountain climber Nirmal “Nims” Purja set out to do the unthinkable by climbing the world’s fourteen highest summits in less than seven months. (The previous record was eight years). He called the effort “Project Possible 14/7” and saw it as a way to inspire others to strive for greater heights in any pursuit. The film follows his team as they seek to defy naysayers and push the limits of human endurance.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisA Toxic Love Story (2026)
A string of threatening emails escalates into a revenge plot involving a newly married US marshal and his ex-girlfriend.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOne Child Nation (2019)
Through interviews with both victims and instigators, Nanfu Wang, a first-time mother, breaks open decades of silence on a vast, unprecedented social experiment that shaped — and destroyed — countless lives in China.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisA Love Song for Latasha (2019)
A dreamlike conversation with the past and the present, reimagining Latasha Harlins' story by excavating intimate memories shared by those who loved her.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like this28 Up (1985)
Just two years away from turning 30, participants in Michael Apted's documentary series are facing serious questions of identity and purpose, wondering whether they've found their place in the world.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPowaqqatsi (1988)
An exploration of technologically developing nations and the effect the transition to Western-style modernization has had on them.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Summers of It - Chapter Two: It Ends (2019)
This documentary focuses on the actors and their journey over two summers to create the remake to the original IT, by Stephen King. The documentary originally released as bonus material, bundled with IT: Chapter Two.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHalloween: 25 Years of Terror (2006)
Follow the evolution of the 'Halloween' movies over the past twenty-five years. It examines why the films are so popular and revisits many of the original locations used in the films - seeing the effects on the local community. For the first time, cast, crew, critics and fans join together in the ultimate 'Halloween' retrospective.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like this21 Up (1977)
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 during the last seven years.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMetal: A Headbanger's Journey (2005)
The film discusses the traits and originators of some of metal's many subgenres, including the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, power metal, Nu metal, glam metal, thrash metal, black metal, and death metal. Dunn uses a family-tree-type flowchart to document some of the most popular metal subgenres. The film also explores various aspects of heavy metal culture.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCapital in the Twenty-First Century (2019)
Film adaptation of French economist Thomas Piketty's ground-breaking global bestseller of the same name: an eye-opening journey through wealth and power.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHot Air (2014)
In the years since New Zealand politicians began to grapple with climate change our greenhouse gas emissions have burgeoned. Alister Barry’s doco draws on TV archives and interviews with key participants to find out why.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Niue: This Is Your Land (2003)
A third generation NZ born Niuean Female surfer, visits her Island of heritage for the first time only to discover there is no surf on Niue. But Mella's visit opens her eyes to the island's other beautiful qualities, the magical water, warm people, and clean unpolluted land. However she also discovers the low population has left the countries future hanging by a thread. This documentary is a record of Mella's journey to regaining her identity and first steps at becoming part of the solution in Niue's restoration of itself.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Unfiltered (2025)
Unfiltered is an intimate portrait of Renee McGregor, a leading sports dietitian and eating disorder specialist trusted by elite athletes and Olympians. As an ultra runner and trustee of Black Trail Runners, Renee is also working to change who feels welcome in the outdoors. But behind her professional success lies a deeply personal story. Growing up in West London, Renee experienced trauma that shaped her relationship with food, identity and self worth. For years she struggled with disordered eating, before building a career helping others recover. Through running and the community she has helped create, Renee begins to confront her past and reclaim a sense of belonging in spaces where she once felt unseen. Honest and deeply personal, Unfiltered explores recovery, identity and the refuge found in the mountains.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Antarctica in a Warming World (2026)
This documentary exposes Antarctica's dramatic climate shifts, from melting ice to rising seas, showing how changes at the world's edge threaten Earth's shared future.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Poor Man's Spitfire (2026)
Some projects grab you and don't let go. Following Chipmunk 65 back to the sky has been one of those - two years of patient work, problem-solving, and persistence, captured alongside the people who know these aircraft best.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Max Gimblett: Original Mind (2017)
Max Gimblett: Original Mind documents the life and process of eccentric, creative genius Max Gimblett. One of New Zealand’s most successful and internationally prominent living painters, Gimblett has been working in America since 1962. The filmmakers spent a week in Gimblett’s Soho loft where he and his devoted studio assistants generously revealed the techniques and philosophy behind his beautiful art.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Edge of Possible: A Barkley Marathons Tale (2025)
The Edge of Possible: A Barkley Marathon Tale takes you deep inside the legendary Barkley Marathons, the world’s most elusive and punishing ultramarathon. Set in the unforgiving terrain of Frozen Head State Park, this film follows elite ultrarunner Harvey Lewis as he battles the course, his limits, and time itself. Halfway through, we meet Jasmin Paris, whose grit and endurance add another layer to this epic test of human resilience. With insights from race founder Lazarus Lake, past Barkley finisher John Kelly, Gary Robbins and others, this documentary is an unprecedented look at the fine line between ambition and impossibility.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Barkley Strikes Again (2026)
The 2026 Barkley Marathons featured one of the deepest and most accomplished fields in race history. With elite ultrarunners like Mathieu Blanchard, John Kelly, Max King, Damian Hall, and Sébastien Raichon all on the start line, many wondered if this would finally be the year the course was conquered again. Coming off a brutal 2025 edition that produced no finishers and only a single Fun Run from John Kelly, expectations were uncertain. The talent was undeniable. The preparation was meticulous. But would it be enough to beat this version of the Barkley? In this film, we follow the unfolding drama loop by loop, combining on-the-ground race coverage with historical context and insight from key voices in the Barkley ecosystem, including Lazarus Lake, Keith Dunn, and Carl Laniak. As the race develops, a deeper reality emerges. At Barkley, fitness alone is never the whole story.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Finisher (2025)
In 2024, Jasmin Paris made history by becoming the first woman to finish the Barkley Marathons, widely known as one of the hardest races in the world and a defining test in ultrarunning and trail running. With over 100 miles of brutal terrain, cryptic course markings, and a near-impossible success rate, the Barkley has long been considered the ultimate challenge in endurance sports. This film chronicles Jasmin’s extraordinary three-year journey (2022–2024) to achieve this groundbreaking feat and features exclusive interviews with legendary race director Lazarus Lake, ultrarunning icons Courtney Dauwalter, Amelia Boone, and Jared Campbell, as well as rare insights from Jasmin herself. Through never-before-seen footage from her home mountains in Scotland, in-depth analysis of her Barkley race strategy, and a deep dive into her endurance athlete mindset, this documentary reveals the resilience and determination behind one of the greatest achievements in ultrarunning history.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Streets to the Peaks (2023)
Twelve young inner city athletes are here to change the world, defy the odds, and show that nothing is impossible. From city streets to the epic alpine trail race at UTMB, this documentary capture their emotive and powerful journey to inspire change.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Roots: The Ruth Croft Story?
The closest matches to Roots: The Ruth Croft Story are The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young (2014), To Kill a Tiger (2023) and In the Realms of the Unreal (2004). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Roots: The Ruth Croft Story?
Start with The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young (2014), the closest match to Roots: The Ruth Croft Story.
What is the highest-rated movie like Roots: The Ruth Croft Story?
14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible (2021), rated 7.3/10 by 415 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Roots: The Ruth Croft Story?
A Toxic Love Story (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Roots: The Ruth Croft Story?
Yes: The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young (2014), To Kill a Tiger (2023) and In the Realms of the Unreal (2004).
How are movies similar to Roots: The Ruth Croft Story chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Roots: The Ruth Croft Story, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.