Movies like The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott (1996)
The best movies like The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott (1996) are Foo Fighters: Back and Forth (2011), The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel (2026) and Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition (2026). If The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott hooked you with its documentary and music, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedThe Last Waltz (1978)7.7/10 from 330 votes
- NewestOasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)Released 2026
Foo Fighters: Back and Forth (2011)
FOO FIGHTERS BACK AND FORTH chronicles the 16 year history of the Foo Fighters: from the band's very first songs created as cassette demos Dave Grohl recorded during his tenure as Nirvana's drummer, through its ascent to their Grammy-winning, multi-platinum, arena and stadium headlining status as one of the biggest rock bands on the planet.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel (2026)
Explore the formative years of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the profound influence of original bandmate Hillel Slovak.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisIron Maiden: Burning Ambition (2026)
With unprecedented access to the official archives and intimate recollections from the band, both current and past, Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition invites fans to experience one of the most iconic journeys in music history. Spanning five decades, this electrifying documentary charts the band’s rise from the pubs of East London to the world’s biggest stadiums. Featuring exclusive interviews with band members and contributors such as Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich and Chuck D, as well as all-new animated sequences of the band's legendary mascot, Eddie, the film offers a rare and intimate look at Iron Maiden’s uncompromising vision and unwavering connection with their truly global army of fans.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisThe Velvet Underground (2021)
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 dazzling archival footage.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisIron Maiden: Flight 666 (2009)
Heavy metal band Iron Maiden's 2008 Somewhere Back in Time World Tour. This concert recording accompanies the documentary film "Iron Maiden: Flight 666". The 16 songs performed were filmed live in 16 different cities giving you the full experience of the live power of Maiden and their fans all around the globe.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Last Waltz (1978)
Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from The Band's incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, and other rock legends.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisIt Might Get Loud (2008)
A documentary on the electric guitar from the point of view of three significant rock musicians: the Edge, Jimmy Page and Jack White.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEnd of the Century: The Story of the Ramones (2003)
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 number of their contemporaries, the film traces the peaks and valleys the band experienced over the course of its 20-plus year career before disbanding in 1995.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAnvil! The Story of Anvil (2008)
At 14, best friends Robb Reiner and Lips made a pact to rock together forever. Their band, Anvil, hailed as the "demi-gods of Canadian metal" influenced a musical generation that includes Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax. Following a calamitous European tour, Lips and Robb, now in their fifties, set off to record their 13th album in one last attempt to fulfill their boyhood dreams.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBad Reputation (2018)
The life and career of rock n' roll icon Joan Jett from her early years ripping it up onstage as the founder and backbone of hard-rock legends The Runaways, to her long time collaboration with Kenny Laguna as Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, and her enduring presence in pop culture as a rock pioneer and mentor. With her inimitable singles "I Love Rock n Roll," and "Bad Reputation" Joan Jett inspired a generation of young women to rock.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisColdplay: A Head Full of Dreams (2018)
An in-depth and intimate portrait of Coldplay's spectacular rise from the backrooms of Camden pubs to selling out stadiums across the planet. At the heart of the story is the band's unshakeable brotherhood which has endured through many highs and lows.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAdele One Night Only (2021)
A primetime special with performances from the superstar including Adele’s first new material in six years plus her chart-topping hits. The special will also feature an exclusive interview with Adele by Oprah Winfrey from her rose garden, in Adele’s first televised wide-ranging conversation.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSympathy for the Devil (1968)
While The Rolling Stones rehearse "Sympathy for the Devil" in the studio, an alternating narrative reflects on 1968 society, politics and culture through five different vignettes.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)
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.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNo Direction Home: Bob Dylan (2005)
A chronicle of Bob Dylan's strange evolution between 1961 and 1966 from folk singer to protest singer to "voice of a generation" to rock star.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988)
An exploration of the heavy metal scene in Los Angeles, with particular emphasis on glam metal. It features concert footage and interviews of legendary heavy metal and hard rock bands and artists such as Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Megadeth, Motörhead, Ozzy Osbourne and W.A.S.P..
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (2026)
Long-lost footage from Elvis Presley's legendary Las Vegas residency in the 1970s woven together with rare 16mm footage from Elvis on Tour, and 8mm from the Graceland archive, plus recordings of Elvis telling "his side of the story" rediscovered during Baz Luhrmann's research for his 2022 film, Elvis.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisHow the Beatles Changed the World (2017)
The fascinating story of the cultural, social, spiritual, and musical revolution ignited by the coming of the Beatles. Tracing the impact that these four band members had, first in their native Britain and soon after worldwide, it reappraises the band and follows their path from young subversives to countercultural heroes. Featuring fresh, revealing interviews with key collaborators as well as a wealth of rarely-seen archival footage, this is a bold new take on the most significant band in the history of music and their enduring impact on popular culture.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
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 & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHated: GG Allin and The Murder Junkies (1993)
An overview of the life of the most shocking, vile, and notorious of punk rock legends.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisIndigo Girls: It's Only Life After All (2024)
An intimate look into the lives of one of the most iconic folk-rock bands in America - the Indigo Girls. With never-before-seen archival and intimate vérité the film dives into the songwriting and storytelling of the music that transformed a generation.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
The Paul McCartney Special (1986)
A program originally produced for the BBC, and aired on television several times in 1986. Originally conceived as a long-form promotional piece for «Press to Play», the BBC staffer (Richard Skinner) persuades Macca to talk about much more, including one of the more in-depth interviews about Wings. All of the interview bits were done at Abbey Road studio 2, leading to some reminiscing on Paul's part. Scattered among the interview are some nice McCartney film rarities (including rarely seen promo clips/videos, concert footage from both the 1973 and 1976 tours, and even a bit of the never released "One Hand Clapping" film).
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music & documentary
Swagger of Thieves (2018)
Over a decade in the making, Swagger of Thieves follows rock band Head Like a Hole from the top of the charts to the bottom of a needle. Staring down their age, two pals and the main guts of HLAH, frontman Nigel Booga Beazley and 'co- conspirator' Nigel Regan strut the hard road out of hell, fighting to reconnect and return their band to past glory, amidst disgruntled band mates, a changed music industry, and disappointed wives. Struggling to place past addictions and sabotaged dreams behind them in their continuing quest for rock music relevance, the ever-collapsing binary stars of any Head Like a Hole lineup, are certain (not) to polish their legacy here. Swagger of Thieves captures what it means to be in a band with a reputation. Unrelentingly raw, wild and honest, to the point of being one of the most insightful music documentaries ever made. Essential viewing. New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF), Melbourne International Documentary Film Festival (MIDFF)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Taylor Swift: From the Heart (2013)
After having released her fourth album "Red" in October 2012, Taylor Alison Swift continues to tear up the charts. In this film we learn how Swift becomes one of America's biggest Country and Pop music artists.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Mogwai: If the Stars Had a Sound (2024)
Over 25 years and 10 studio albums—using powerful sonic force mixed with subtlety and grace—Mogwai have defined their own musical genre and built a cult following. The film takes us on a journey from their very beginnings, in the mid 1990s, to creating their tenth studio album in their hometown of Glasgow in 2020. While at first seemingly impossible to make, they ultimately made history with it.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Mossad L'Histoire Secrète d'Israël (2019)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Wayne's World 2 (1993)
A message from Jim Morrison in a dream prompts cable access TV stars Wayne and Garth to put on a rock concert, "Waynestock," with Aerosmith as headliners. But amid the preparations, Wayne frets that a record producer is putting the moves on his girlfriend, Cassandra, while Garth handles the advances of mega-babe Honey Hornée.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisModern Life (2008)
For ten years, Raymond Depardon has followed the lives of farmer living in the mountain ranges. He allows us to enter their farms with astounding naturalness. This moving film speaks, with great serenity, of our roots and of the future of the people who work on the land. This the last part of Depardon's triptych "Profils paysans" about what it is like to be a farmer today in an isolated highland area in France. "La vie moderne" examines what has become of the persons he has followed for ten years, while featuring younger people who try to farm or raise cattle or poultry, come hell or high water.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Wayne's World (1992)
The adventures of two amiably aimless metal-head friends, Wayne and Garth. From Wayne's basement, the pair broadcast a talk-show called "Wayne's World" on local public access television. The show comes to the attention of a sleazy network executive who wants to produce a big-budget version of "Wayne's World"—and he also wants Wayne's girlfriend, a rock singer named Cassandra. Wayne and Garth have to battle the executive not only to save their show, but also Cassandra.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLulu and Jimi (2009)
About sweeping love, rock & roll and getting rid of all that stale air of the fifties. You've got the good guys - that's Lulu and Jimi - and the bad guys: Lulu's mother Gertrud, her secret lover Schultz, the chauffeur, and a wicked old shrink, Von Oppeln, crouching in his gloomy office like a spider waiting to pounce on his prey Lulu. Light and darkness, bright garish colours, hot rock & roll and wild dance numbers mark this road movie about lovers fleeing from the evil powers of a deeply bigoted society. A drama about the relationship between a young black man and a rich German girl.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Like The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott?
The closest matches to The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott are Foo Fighters: Back and Forth (2011), The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel (2026) and Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition (2026). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott?
Start with Foo Fighters: Back and Forth (2011), the closest match to The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott.
What is the highest-rated movie like The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott?
The Last Waltz (1978), rated 7.7/10 by 330 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott?
Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott?
Yes: Foo Fighters: Back and Forth (2011), The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel (2026) and Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition (2026).
How are movies similar to The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.