Movies like Bad Religion: Along the Way (1990)
The best movies like Bad Religion: Along the Way (1990) are The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988), The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980) and The Decline of Western Civilization (1981). If Bad Religion: Along the Way hooked you with its 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
- NewestIron Maiden: Burning Ambition (2026)Released 2026
The 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 music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980)
A rather incoherent post-breakup Sex Pistols "documentary", told from the point of view of Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, whose (arguable) position is that the Sex Pistols in particular and punk rock in general were an elaborate scam perpetrated by him in order to make "a million pounds."
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Decline of Western Civilization (1981)
The Los Angeles punk music scene circa 1980 is the focus of this film. With Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline, Circle Jerks, Fear, Germs, and X.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Decline of Western Civilization Part III (1998)
A musical study of Los Angeles in the late 90s, where homeless teens roam the streets and profess to live a punk lifestyle of music, drugs, and flouting authority.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies 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 music
Popcorn FlickMovies 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 music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Band Called Death (2013)
Before Bad Brains, the Sex Pistols or even the Ramones, there was Death. Formed in the early '70s by three teenage brothers from Detroit, Death is credited as being the first black punk band, and the Hackney brothers, David, Bobby, and Dannis, are now considered pioneers in their field. But it wasn’t until recently — when a dusty 1974 demo tape made its way out of Bobby’s attic nearly 30 years after Death’s heyday — that anyone outside a small group of punk enthusiasts had even heard of them.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRock 'n' Roll High School (1979)
A group of rock-music-loving students, with the help of the Ramones, take over their school to combat its newly installed oppressive administration.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisUncle Peckerhead (2020)
When a punk band scores their first tour, life on the road proves tough when they are joined by a man-eating demon as a roadie.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDaft Punk Unchained (2015)
Daft Punk Unchained is the first film about the pop culture phenomenon that is Daft Punk, the duo with 12 million albums sold worldwide and seven Grammy Awards. Throughout their career Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo have always resisted compromise and the established codes of show business. They have remained determined to maintain control of every link in the chain of their creative process. In the era of globalisation and social networks, they rarely speak in public and neither do they show their faces on TV. This documentary explores this unprecedented cultural revolution revealing a duo of artists on a permanent quest for creativity, independence and freedom.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both 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 music
Worth the HypeMovies 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
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 music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisAmerican Hardcore (2006)
Inspired by Steven Blush's book "American Hardcore: A tribal history" Paul Rachman's feature documentary debut is a chronicle of the underground hardcore punk years from 1979 to 1986. Interviews and rare live footage from artists such as Black Flag, Bad Brains, Minor Threat, SS Decontrol and the Dead Kennedys.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSmithereens (1982)
A narcissistic runaway engages in a number of parasitic relationships amongst members of New York's waning punk scene.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFoo 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 music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Beach Boys (2024)
A 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.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies 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 music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Mighty Wind (2003)
Three eclectic, never-quite-famous folk bands come together for the first time in decades following the death of their manager to put on an reunion concert in his honor, at the request of his son.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBeyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970)
An all-girl rock band moves to Hollywood in the hope of achieving success, only to fall into a whirlpool of wickedness and decadence.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCrass: The Sound of Free Speech (The Story of Reality Asylum) (2023)
The film dives into 1970's Britain; the birth of punk and the formation of Crass, with an in-depth look at their art, music and ethos.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Outlawed: A Punk Rock Uprising in the Basque Country (2021)
A sonic journey through Basque punk rock and the turbulent past that defined its sound, chronicling the rise of the gaztetxe movement.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Cheap Trick Live at Red Rocks (2016)
Since the early ’70s, Cheap Trick has been blending elements of pop, punk, and even metal in a way that is instantly catchy and recognizable. Now well into their fourth decade, the band is among the most active and successful in music history with featured appearances on over 20 movie soundtracks, more than 40 international gold and platinum certifications, a myriad of awards and industry honors, and total record sales in excess of 20 million. Join this historic band with a legendary performance from Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
DEADCHAIN - Kawakami Forever (TBA)
A documentary showcasing a series of tributes to deceased D-beat legend, Kawakami.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Please Kill Me (2011)
Going backstage and behind closed doors to chronicle the music of sex, drugs, and power struggles that were the fabric of the punk community. Adapted for stage by Mathieu Bauer. The punk era of Television, Richard Hell, Ramones, Iggy Pop...flirting with death, drowning in art, design and a new way of communicating.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Minor Threat - Live: DC Space-Buff Hall-930 Club (2003)
Minor Threat played one of its last shows at Washington DC's 930 Club in June of 1983; they would only play once more in DC. Two years later, the tapes from the 930 show were edited together and Dischord Records released them as the Minor Threat Live VHS video in 1986. Along with the 40 minute 930 performance, the DVD includes a 1982 Minor Threat show in Camden, NJ, a clip of Minor Threat's 2nd ever show at DC Space in December 1980, and excerpts from a 1983 interview with vocalist, Ian MacKaye.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
The Rise & Decline of Punk Rock (TBA)
A group of young punk rockers get swept up into the surge of third wave emo. Spiraling through the fame, fun, & ultimately extreme fallout as the scene gives way to changing times when larger genres taint the shine of a well loved scene.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
The Go-Go's (2021)
As the first all-female band to play their instruments, write their songs and have a No. 1 album, The Go-Go’s made history. Underpinned by candid testimonies, this film chronicles the meteoric rise to fame of a band born in the LA punk scene who became a pop phenomenon.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Sex Pistols: Decade... A Look Back (Unlimited Supply) (1989)
Featuring portions of over a dozen songs, humorous British 'punk' ads, opinions, Ronnie Biggs, Malcolm McLaren (of course!), and a fantastic not-so-candid Lydon interview.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Die Toten Hosen - 3 Akkorde für ein Halleluja (1989)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Bad Religion: Along the Way?
The closest matches to Bad Religion: Along the Way are The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988), The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980) and The Decline of Western Civilization (1981). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Bad Religion: Along the Way?
Start with The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988), the closest match to Bad Religion: Along the Way.
What is the highest-rated movie like Bad Religion: Along the Way?
The Last Waltz (1978), rated 7.7/10 by 330 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Bad Religion: Along the Way?
Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Bad Religion: Along the Way?
Yes: The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988), The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980) and The Decline of Western Civilization (1981).
How are movies similar to Bad Religion: Along the Way chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Bad Religion: Along the Way, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.