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Movies like Chainspotting (1997)

The best movies like Chainspotting (1997) are A Toxic Love Story (2026), Out of Thin Air (2017) and Con Mum (2025). If Chainspotting hooked you with its documentary and action, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. A 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

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  2. Out of Thin Air (2017)

    Set within the stark Icelandic landscape, OUT OF THIN AIR examines the 1976 police investigation into the disappearance of two men in the early 1970s.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

  3. Con Mum (2025)

    A chef's life is upended when a jet-setting, champagne-sipping, hotel-hopping woman claims to be his long-lost mother.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  4. Come See Me in the Good Light (2025)

    In 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.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  5. Voyeur (2017)

    Legendary journalist Gay Talese unmasks a motel owner who spied on his guests for decades. But his bombshell story soon becomes a scandal of its own.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

  6. To 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 this
  7. Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap (2012)

    SOMETHING FROM NOTHING: THE ART OF RAP is a feature length performance documentary about the runaway juggernaut that is Rap music. At the wheel of this unstoppable beast is the film's director and interviewer Ice-T. Taking us on a deeply personal journey Ice-T uncovers how this music of the street has grown to dominate the world. Along the way Ice-T meets a whole spectrum of Hip-Hop talent, from founders, to new faces, to the global superstars like Eminem, Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West. He exposes the roots and history of Rap and then, through meeting many of its most famous protagonists, studies the living mechanism of the music to reveal 'The Art Of Rap'. This extraordinary film features unique performances from the entire cast, without resorting to archive material, to build a fresh and surprising take on the phenomenon that is Rap.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  8. Father Soldier Son (2020)

    When Sgt. First Class Brian Eisch is critically wounded in Afghanistan, it sets him and his sons on a journey of love, loss, redemption and legacy.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  9. The 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 documentary

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  10. Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten (2007)

    As the front man of the Clash from 1977 onwards, Joe Strummer changed people's lives forever. Four years after his death, his influence reaches out around the world, more strongly now than ever before. In "The Future Is Unwritten", from British film director Julien Temple, Joe Strummer is revealed not just as a legend or musician, but as a true communicator of our times. Drawing on both a shared punk history and the close personal friendship which developed over the last years of Joe's life, Julien Temple's film is a celebration of Joe Strummer - before, during and after the Clash.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  11. Roger Waters: Us + Them (2019)

    Filmed in Amsterdam on the European leg of his 2017 – 2018 Us + Them tour which saw Waters perform to over two million people worldwide, the film features songs from his legendary Pink Floyd albums (The Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall, Animals, Wish You Were Here) and from his last album, Is This The Life We Really Want?

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  12. Maternal Instinct (2026)

    Police 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.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  13. The Accountant of Auschwitz (2018)

    Oskar Gröning, known as the "Accountant of Auschwitz," was charged with the murder of 300,000 Jews. When he took the stand in 2015, at the age of 94, his trial made headlines worldwide.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  14. Tupac: Resurrection (2003)

    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.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  15. Heroin(e) (2017)

    This documentary follows three women — a fire chief, a judge, and a street missionary — as they battle West Virginia's devastating opioid epidemic.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  16. Night Will Fall (2014)

    When Allied forces liberated the Nazi concentration camps in 1944-45, their terrible discoveries were recorded by army and newsreel cameramen, revealing for the first time the full horror of what had happened. Making use of British, Soviet and American footage, the Ministry of Information’s Sidney Bernstein (later founder of Granada Television) aimed to create a documentary that would provide lasting, undeniable evidence of the Nazis’ unspeakable crimes. He commissioned a wealth of British talent, including editor Stewart McAllister, writer and future cabinet minister Richard Crossman – and, as treatment advisor, his friend Alfred Hitchcock. Yet, despite initial support from the British and US Governments, the film was shelved, and only now, 70 years on, has it been restored and completed by Imperial War Museums under its original title "German Concentration Camps Factual Survey".

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  17. Whitney: Can I Be Me (2017)

    The life and tragic death of Whitney Houston.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  18. Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022)

    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 journey into a new light.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  19. McQueen (2018)

    Alexander McQueen's rags-to-riches story is a modern-day fairy tale, laced with the gothic. Mirroring the savage beauty, boldness and vivacity of his design, this documentary is an intimate revelation of McQueen's own world, both tortured and inspired, which celebrates a radical and mesmerizing genius of profound influence.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  20. ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke (2019)

    This investigation examines the mysterious shooting of soul icon Sam Cooke, whose death silenced one of the most vital voices in the civil rights movement.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  21. Last Chair, First Run (2021)

    Mountain bikers Jaxson Riddle and Carson Storch, and snowboarders Luke Winkelmann and Sean Fitzsimmons create a unique course that sees them ride alongside and over each other on dirt and snow trails.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & documentary

  22. Kilimanjaro: Mountain of Greatness (2018)

    Hans Rey, Danny MacAskill and Gerhard Czerner head out on the mountain bike journey of a lifetime. Facing intense altitude challenges and health risks, this team attempt to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro on two wheels.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & action

  23. New World Disorder 1 (2000)

    The start of a legacy. The first of the New World Disorder series which stopped at the 10th film. The movie was one of only a few documenting the mountain bike disciplines of free riding, trails and downhill. The filming is incredible for the time while the music is hard rock of the late 90's. Added bonuses include the most impressive unicyclist you'll ever have seen and a pair of mountain boardera. Also included is fourwheel mountain biking with Trevair sending it big and Stacy Kohut seding it stylie. The most iconic part of this film is the "Jah Drop" that Josh Bender attempts. The Jah Drop is a 55ft. cliff located in Kamloops, Canada.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & documentary

  24. The Bits of Baco (2014)

    The entertaining and often hilarious story of BacoVision, a video series created by demented BMXers from Wisconsin.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  25. Red Bull Monserrate Cerro Abajo (2022)

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action

  26. Follow Me (2010)

    Deep in the coast mountains of BC, a small crew of filmmakers has spent the last eleven months huddled together, planning, scheming and brain-storming to come up with a concept for a new company and mountain bike film. The hard work has paid off and Anthill Films is stoked to announce the release of their premier film FOLLOW ME...

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  27. Won't Back Down (2014)

    From his humble beginnings in his hometown of Sheffield, England, Steve Peat has established himself as one of the worlds most iconic cyclists. Peaty has been competing at the top level in his chosen sport of downhill mountain bike racing for the past 23 years, longer than the lifetime of many of his current competitors. Through 20 years of archival footage and photos and intimate interviews with Steve, his family, close friends and competitors, Won’t Back Down takes viewers on a captivating tour of the history of the sport of downhill mountain bike racing and offers a never-before-seen view into the life and legacy of this enduring icon.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  28. Blood Road (2017)

    Follows the journey of ultra-endurance mountain bike athlete Rebecca Rusch and her Vietnamese riding partner, Huyen Nguyen, as they pedal 1,200 arduous miles along the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail through the dense jungles of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Their goal: to reach the newly discovered crash site and final resting place of Rebecca’s father, a US Air Force pilot shot down over Laos some 40 years earlier.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  29. Along the Smugglers' Trail (1990)

    Pierluca Rossi's Lungo La Pista Dei Contrabbandieri (1990) is an adventure documentary about a mountain bike crossing of the 700 km between the towns of Tamarasset and Djanet in the southern Algerian Sahara, from the Hoggar mountain range to the Tassili n'Ajjer. This crossing, supported by a 4x4 truck and a motorcycle, and never before undertaken by bicycle, emphasizes the rediscovered dimension of slowness, similar to the caravans of the Tuareg, in contrast to the unnatural speed of mechanized desert travel in the 1990s, which was considered the norm at the time due to the distorted image provided by the Paris-Dakar Rally and other similar events.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  30. Mountain Biking: The Untold British Story (2016)

    This is a story that has never been told and is MTB history in the making. The film has been made by international and Bafta winning filmmakers, Pip Piper and Michael Clifford. A co production between Blue Hippo Media and SINGLETRACK magazine , Europes leading MTB magazine and website. Its headline sponsors are Orange Bikes : Hope Technology and Islabikes. The film features some of the stars and unsung heroes of mountain biking including Dan ,Gee and Rachel Atherton / Martyn Ashton / Gary Fisher / Geoff Apps / Tracy Moseley / Steve Peat / Rob Warner / Isla Rowntree and internet sensation Danny Macaskill plus loads of others connected to this amazing story. We also have amazing archive and stories taking us from the mid 50's through to the present day. A story full of passion and emotion that will take you on the untold story of British mountain biking.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

Like Chainspotting and something else?

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Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like Chainspotting?

The closest matches to Chainspotting are A Toxic Love Story (2026), Out of Thin Air (2017) and Con Mum (2025). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after Chainspotting?

Start with A Toxic Love Story (2026), the closest match to Chainspotting.

What is the highest-rated movie like Chainspotting?

Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022), rated 8.4/10 by 624 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like Chainspotting?

A Toxic Love Story (2026) is the most recent release on this list.

Are there English movies like Chainspotting?

Yes: A Toxic Love Story (2026), Out of Thin Air (2017) and Con Mum (2025).

How are movies similar to Chainspotting chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Chainspotting, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.

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