Skip to content

Movies like Before it gets dark (2019)

The best movies like Before it gets dark (2019) are My Mom Jayne (2025), 180° South (2010) and Cameraperson (2016). If Before it gets dark hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. My 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 this
  2. 180° 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 this
  3. Cameraperson (2016)

    As 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 emerges is an elegant meditation on the relationship between truth and the camera frame, as Johnson transforms scenes that have been presented on Festival screens as one kind of truth into another kind of story—one about personal journey, craft, and direct human connection.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  4. Nothing Like a Dame (2018)

    BBC Arena's documentary on the Dames of British Theatre and film featuring Maggie Smith, Eileen Atkins, Judi Dench and Joan Plowright on screen together for the first time as they reminisce over a long summer weekend in a house Joan once shared with Sir Laurence Olivier.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  5. Naqoyqatsi (2002)

    A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  6. David Byrne's American Utopia (2020)

    A filmed version of David Byrne's Broadway show, a unifying musical celebration that inspires audiences to connect to each other and to the global community.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  7. Ex 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 this
  8. The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story (2019)

    A documentary chronicling Queen and Lambert's incredible journey since they first shared the stage together on "American Idol" in 2009.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  9. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (2024)

    Christopher Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films and played dozens of other roles that displayed his talent and range as an actor, before being injured in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down. After becoming a quadriplegic, he became a charismatic leader and activist in the quest to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, as well as a passionate advocate for disability rights and care.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  10. Finding Vivian Maier (2014)

    Vivian Maier's photos were seemingly destined for obscurity, lost among the clutter of the countless objects she'd collected throughout her life. Instead these images have shaken the world of street photography and irrevocably changed the life of the man who brought them to the public eye. This film brings to life the interesting turns and travails of the improbable saga of John Maloof's discovery of Vivian Maier, unravelling this mysterious tale through her documentary films, photographs, odd collections and personal accounts from the people that knew her. What started as a blog to show her work quickly became a viral sensation in the photography world. Photos destined for the trash heap now line gallery exhibitions, a forthcoming book and this documentary film.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  11. Who Are You, Charlie Brown? (2021)

    Lupita 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 Charlie Brown on a quest.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  12. Audrey (2020)

    An unprecedented and intimate look at the life, work and enduring legacy of British actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993).

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  13. Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear (2022)

    Explore the evolution of Buzz Lightyear from toy to human in the making of Pixar’s Lightyear. Dive into the origin and cultural impact of everyone’s favorite Space Ranger, the art of designing a new “human Buzz,” and the challenges faced by the Lightyear crew along the way.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  14. The 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 this
  15. Baraka (1992)

    A paralysingly beautiful documentary with a global vision—an odyssey through landscape and time—that attempts to capture the essence of life.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  16. Elstree 1976 (2015)

    A documentary about ten very different lives connected by having appeared onscreen wearing masks or helmets in Star Wars.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  17. The September Issue (2009)

    A documentary chronicling Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour's preparations for the 2007 fall-fashion issue.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  18. Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home (2022)

    JB Smoove and Martin Starr host a celebration of 20 years of "Spider-Man" movies, from the Sam Raimi trilogy to Marc Webb's movies and the trio from Jon Watts.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  19. Heart of a Dog (2015)

    Musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson reflects on the deaths of her husband Lou Reed, her mother and her beloved dog.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  20. Our Planet: Behind the Scenes (2019)

    Years spent recording footage of creatures from every corner of the globe is bound to produce a bit of drama. Here's a behind-the-scenes look.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  21. Luis Humberto: The Possible Gaze (2019)

    A poetic and intimate look at the life and work of photographer Luis Humberto.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  22. Whereabouts of Sound (2022)

    As they play carefree music, their musicianship is met with surprise, wonder, and sometimes even laughter. Captivating all who watch, Otoasobi Project’s rich variety of expression reshapes the concept of improvised music. Formed in 2005 in Kobe, Japan, Otoasobi Project has some 50 members, including people with intellectual disabilities, musicians, and music therapists, who pursue music and well-being through improvised performances. After many years of numerous workshops, concerts, and other activities, they even held their first tour in the UK in September 2013. The movie “Whereabouts of Sound” depicts the appeal of the improvised music Otoasobi creates, and the beauty of its natural, honest expression.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  23. Larapinta: End to End (2024)

    Four adventurers with disability test their limits as they set out on an expedition through some of Australia's harshest terrain.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  24. The Dead Nation (2017)

    A documentary-essay which shows Costică Axinte's stunning collection of pictures depicting a Romanian small town in the thirties and forties. The narration, composed mostly from excerpts taken from the diary of a Jewish doctor from the same era, tells the rising of the antisemitism and eventually a harrowing depiction of the Romanian Holocaust.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  25. El universo en una caja (2022)

    An account of the life and work of the multidisciplinary Spanish artist Mariano Fortuny Madrazo (1871-1949), textile and fashion designer, set designer, photographer, painter and engraver, known as the Leonardo Da Vinci of the 20th century.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  26. Oreka, au-delà du possible (2026)

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  27. Is There Anybody Out There? (2023)

    While navigating daily discrimination, a filmmaker who inhabits and loves her unusual body searches the world for another person like her, and explores what it takes to love oneself fiercely despite the pervasiveness of ableism.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  28. Alex Lewis Mountain (2023)

    Quadruple amputee Alex Lewis sets out to prove to his son that anything is possible by attempting to cross the Simien Mountain wilderness and climb Ethiopia's highest peak using the world's first solar-powered, mobility hand-cycle.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  29. Voices from the Shadows (TBA)

    ‘Voices from the Shadows’ shows the brave and sometimes heartrending stories of five ME patients and their carers, along with input from Dr Nigel Speight, Prof Leonard Jason and Prof Malcolm Hooper. These were filmed and edited between 2009 and 2011, by the brother and mother of an ME patient in the UK. It shows the devastating consequences that occur when patients are disbelieved and the illness is misunderstood. Severe and lasting relapse occurs when patients are given inappropriate psychological or behavioural management: management that ignores the severe amplification of symptoms that can be caused by increased physical or mental activity or exposure to stimuli, and by further infections. A belief in behavioural and psychological causes, particularly when ME becomes very severe and chronic, following mismanagement, is still taught to medical students and healthcare professionals in the UK. As a consequence, situations similar to those shown in the film continue to occur.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  30. Thriving with Cerebral Palsy: The Cordell Brown Story (2018)

    This documentary chronicles the inspirational story of a man who would not accept "no" for an answer. Born with cerebral palsy, Cordell Brown faced many challenges and most believed he would amount to nothing. Despite the odds stacked against him, Cordell proves that with heartfelt determination he can make a difference in the world.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

Like Before it gets dark and something else?

Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like Before it gets dark?

The closest matches to Before it gets dark are My Mom Jayne (2025), 180° South (2010) and Cameraperson (2016). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after Before it gets dark?

Start with My Mom Jayne (2025), the closest match to Before it gets dark.

What is the highest-rated movie like Before it gets dark?

Baraka (1992), rated 8.2/10 by 733 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like Before it gets dark?

Oreka, au-delà du possible (2026) is the most recent release on this list.

How are movies similar to Before it gets dark chosen?

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

↑ ↓ to move · Enter to open · Full search page