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Man on Wire poster

Movies that feel likeMan on Wire (2008)

On August 7th 1974, French tightrope walker Philippe Petit stepped out on a high wire, illegally rigged between New York's World Trade Center twin towers, then the world's tallest buildings. After nearly an hour of performing on the wire, 1,350 feet above the sidewalks of Manhattan, he was arrested. This fun and spellbinding documentary chronicles Philippe Petit's "highest" achievement.

If you loved Man on Wire, the closest films we have are Dogtown and Z-Boys (2002), Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) and Grizzly Man (2005). All three share Man on Wire's contemplative feel, which is what we rank on before quality.

Seen the big three already? The under-the-radar pick below is Hands on a Hardbody: The Documentary (1997).

🍅 100% Rotten Tomatoes★ 7.7 IMDb ↗TMDB ↗dir. James Marshcontemplative
10 of 12 streaming nowAmazon Prime Video · Fandor · OVID

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If Man on Wire hit the spot, these will too

Dogtown and Z-Boys poster
Dogtown and Z-Boys
2002 · dir. Stacy Peralta
🍅 92%★ 7.6documentary

Contemplative documentary in both cases

This award-winning, thrilling story is about a group of discarded kids who revolutionized skateboarding and shaped the attitude and culture of modern day extreme sports. Featuring old skool skating footage, exclusive interviews and a blistering rock soundtrack, DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS captures the rise of the Zephyr skateboarding team from Venice's Dogtown, a tough "locals only" beach with a legacy of outlaw surfing.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi poster
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
2011 · dir. David Gelb
🍅 99%★ 7.8documentaryPrime Video

One thread runs through both: a true story

Revered sushi chef Jiro Ono strives for perfection in his work, while his eldest son, Yoshikazu, has trouble living up to his father's legacy.

Grizzly Man poster
Grizzly Man
2005 · dir. Werner Herzog
🍅 93%★ 7.8documentary

Both are built on the same subject: a true story

Follows the story of "Grizzly Man" Timothy Treadwell and what the thirteen summers in a National Park in Alaska were like in his attempt to protect the grizzly bears. The film is full of unique images and a look into the spirit of a man who sacrificed himself for nature.

Nostalgia for the Light poster
Nostalgia for the Light
2010 · dir. Patricio Guzmán
🍅 100%★ 7.6documentary

Documentary built on stillness, twice over

In Chile's Atacama Desert, astronomers peer deep into the cosmos in search for answers concerning the origins of life. Nearby, a group of women sift through the sand searching for body parts of loved ones, dumped unceremoniously by Pinochet's regime.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters poster
🍅 97%★ 8documentary

Both lean on stillness more than on documentary

In this hilarious arcade showdown, a humble novice goes head-to-head against the reigning Donkey Kong champ in a confrontation that rocks the gaming world to its processors! For over 20 years, Billy Mitchell has owned the throne of the Donkey Kong world. No one could beat his top score until now. Newcomer Steve Wiebe claims to have beaten the unbeatable, but Mitchell isn't ready to relinquish his crown without a fight. Go behind the barrels as the two battle it out in a vicious war to earn the title of the true King of Kong.

Marwencol poster
Marwencol
2010 · dir. Jeff Malmberg
🍅 98%★ 7.5documentary

Both know what they want from documentary

After a vicious attack leaves him brain-damaged and broke, Mark Hogancamp seeks recovery in "Marwencol", a 1/6th scale World War II-era town he creates in his backyard.

Cave of Forgotten Dreams poster
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
2010 · dir. Werner Herzog
🍅 96%★ 7.4documentary

Documentary approached the same way

Werner Herzog gains exclusive access to film inside the Chauvet caves of Southern France, capturing the oldest known pictorial creations of humankind in their astonishing natural setting.

Riding Giants poster
Riding Giants
2004 · dir. Stacy Peralta
🍅 93%★ 7.8documentary

The documentary is handled with the same confidence

Riding Giants is story about big wave surfers who have become heroes and legends in their sport. Directed by the skateboard guru Stacy Peralta.

We Live in Public poster
We Live in Public
2009 · dir. Ondi Timoner
🍅 80%★ 7.1documentary

Documentary in the same key

In 1999, Internet entrepreneur Josh Harris recruits dozens of young men and women who agree to live in underground apartments for weeks at a time while their every movement is broadcast online. Soon, Harris and his girlfriend embark on their own subterranean adventure, with cameras streaming live footage of their meals, arguments, bedroom activities, and bathroom habits. This documentary explores the role of technology in our lives, as it charts the fragile nature of dot-com economy.

Kumaré poster
Kumaré
2012 · dir. Vikram Gandhi
🍅 60%★ 7.5documentary

Documentary of the same temperament

The difference: The critics' underdog of the pair

A documentary about a man who impersonates a wise Indian Guru and builds a following in Arizona. At the height of his popularity, the Guru Kumaré must reveal his true identity to his disciples and unveil his greatest teaching of all.

The Cove poster
The Cove
2009 · dir. Louie Psihoyos
🍅 95%★ 8.4documentary

Both play documentary straight

The Cove tells the amazing true story of how an elite team of individuals, films makers and free divers embarked on a covert mission to penetrate the hidden cove in Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret. The shocking discoveries were only the tip of the iceberg.

Hands on a Hardbody: The Documentary poster
Hands on a Hardbody: The Documentary
1997 · dir. S.R. Bindler
🍅 84%★ 7.6documentary

The same documentary instincts

Filmmaker S.R. Bindler profiles Texas contestants trying to win a truck by keeping one hand on it longer than everyone else.

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The best-reviewed films that share Man on Wire’s defining feeling.