Best On Netflix

The 17 Best Documentaries On Netflix With The Highest Rotten Tomatoes Scores

By Claire Spellberg @c_spellberg

Published March 5, 2019, 8:30 a.m. ET

photo collage of Amy, Jim & Andy and Blackfish — Ranked by their Rotten Tomatoes Critic Scores!Photo: Everett Collection; Illustration: Dillen Phelps

Yance Ford in Strong Island — ***Strong Island***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
*Strong Island* is a force to be reckoned with. The doc tells the story of William Ford, Jr., a black man (and director Yance Ford's brother) who was murdered in cold blood by Mark Reilly, a white auto mechanic, in Long Island in 1992. What follows is an intimate look at a family torn apart by racism and violence, as well as a reminder that we're all complicit in perpetuating systemic oppression.
[Stream Strong Island on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

***Shirkers***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
What would you do if you created a film, only to have it stolen right from under you? That's the motivation behind *Shirkers*, a 2018 doc that follows author Sandi Tan as she travels to Singapore to find footage of her 1992 film of the same name. As Tan attempts to return to the film, she embarks on a journey across Singapore that is not to be missed by cinephiles.
[Stream Shirkers on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

***The Square***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
This Emmy-winning account of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution captures the uprising that led to the collapse of multiple regimes around the Middle East. *The Square* does what cable news could not at the time -- interview those fighting in the streets -- to provide an immersive, nuanced picture of a nation at a crossroads.
[Stream The Square on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

***Jiro Dreams of Sushi***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%
Foodies will love *Jiro Dreams of Sushi*, a doc about Jiro Ono, widely considered to be the world's greatest sushi chef. The doc hinges on Jiro's relationship with his food and his son, Yoshikazu, who struggles to live up to his father's storied legacy. Part family drama, part food doc, *Jiro Dreams of Sushi* will make any sushi fan crave a spicy tuna roll (or maybe something a little fancier).
[Stream Jiro Dreams of Sushi on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

***Faces Places***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%
Originally titled *Visages, Villages*, this doc follows French New Wave filmmaker Agnes Varga and muralist JR as they travel through France plastering giant portraits of people they meet along the way. The unlikely friends make for great traveling companions, and their journey is sure to charm you. As Jade Budowski wrote at in her initial review, *Faces Places* "will restore your faith in humanity."
[Stream Faces Places on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

***20 Feet From Stardom***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%
*A Star Is Born* may not be on Netflix, but if you're interested in an inside-look at the music industry, check out *20 Feet From Stardom*, a doc about backup singers for iconic music stars. These unsung heroes spend decades harmonizing for others, often sacrificing their own career dreams for a chance to be on stage with legends. Boasting interviews with top backup singers, as well as lead acts including Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, and more, *20 Feet From Stardom* is a must-see for those interested in how the musical sausage gets made.
[Stream 20 Feet From Stardom on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

Blackfish whale — ***Blackfish***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
You'll never look at SeaWorld the same way after watching *Blackfish*. Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite's chilling expose follows Tilikum, a whale that has killed several people while in captivity. But is Tilikum really to blame, or is the system surrounding him at fault? If *Blackfish* is to be believed, it's entirely the latter.
[Stream Blackfish on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

Anvil: The Story of Anvil — ***Anvil! The Story of Anvil***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
If you're a fan of Canadian heavy metal, you're in luck. *Anvil! The Story of Anvil* follows rock group Anvil, who sold millions of records in 1982 but faded into obscurity almost immediately after. This doc tracks the group as they attempt to cope with obscurity, a state made worse by a disastrous tour and flailing follow-up album.
[Stream Anvil! The Story of Anvil on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

Trophy giraffes — ***Trophy***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
Animal lovers may want to steer clear of *Trophy*, which explores the consequences of rampant big-game hunting in Africa. Hunting is a lucrative business, and as such, it's causing certain species to go extinct or become endangered. But conservationists won't go down without a fight: *Trophy* follows their efforts to protect the animals, no matter the cost.
[Stream Trophy on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

Ai Wei Wei: Never Sorry — ***Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
An intimate at China's art scene, *Ai Weiwei: Never Back Down* follows artist and activist Ai Weiwei for two years from 2008 to 2010. The artist routinely stirs up political controversy with his art, which has made him a public target of persecution by the Chinese government. Director Alison Klayman went on to win the Special Jury Prize at Sundance for the film, so if you're in the mood for a moving, politically-minded doc, be sure to check this one out.
[Stream Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

13th talking head — ***13th***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
If *Strong Island* explores the personal toll of racism, *13th* interrogates prejudice on a macro level. Directed by Ava DuVernay, the doc traces the various ways minority groups have been suppressed by society and the U.S. government since the Civil War. Through interviews with activists, TV personalities, and academics, *13th* presents the American story in a way you won't soon forget.
[Stream 13th on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

***I Called Him Morgan***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
In February 1972, jazz musician Lee Morgan was shot and killed by his wife Helen while performing at a club in New York. Helen went to prison for murder, and now, decades later, she's speaking publicly about the incident. Boasting in-depth interviews with Helen, this 2016 documentary retraces the Morgans' relationship and reflects upon the jazz community, Lee's legacy, and more.
[Stream I Called Him Morgan on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

The B Side: Elsa Dorfman's Portrait Photography — ***The B-Side: Elsa Dofrman's Portrait Photography***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
No one does documentaries quite like Errol Morris. In his 2017 feature, Morris dives into the life and work of portrait photographer Elsa Dorfman, who captured hundreds of people on her polaroid camera over the years. As Dorfman's retirement approaches, she and Morris revisit some of her best -- and least -- known work, as well as her impressive archive of memories, all captured on camera.
[Stream The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman's Portrait Photography on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

***Cave of Forgotten Dreams***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
If *The B-Side* deals with modern art, Werner Herzog's *Cave of Forgotten Dreams* focuses on ancient art. Herzog's 2011 film follows an exclusive expedition into the Chauvet Cave in France, home to the oldest visual art ever created by man. The paintings are believed to be 30,000 years old, but in order to see them, you must travel into the cave -- a nearly impossible feat.
[Stream Cave of Forgotten Dreams on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

***The Look of Silence***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
One of the most powerful documentaries on Netflix, Joshua Oppenheimer's *The Look of Silence* follows the brother of an Indonesian genocide victim, Adi, as he interrogate's his brother's killers. In a society where perpetrators are in power and victims have been terrorized into silence, Adi's commitment to confronting the killers is downright heroic. Watch this documentary ASAP.
[Stream The Look of Silence on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

Jim Carrey in 'Jim & Andy' — ***Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond - Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
In 1999, Jim Carrey won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of comedian Andy Kaufman in hit film *Man on the Moon*. Almost 20 years later, director Chris Smith turned Carrey's performance into a documentary that captures the parallel journeys of Kaufman and Carrey, two of the most eccentric performers of their time. Come for Carrey's Kaufman impression, stay for his ruminations on life, identity, and fame.
[Stream Jim & Andy on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

***Amy***
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
A fascinating (and devastating) portrait of the dark side of fame, *Amy* tells the story of late musician Amy Winehouse. Winehouse's once-in-a-generation talent and unique personality made her a star, but her years-long battle with substance abuse often stole the spotlight. No matter how familiar you are with Winehouse's story, *Amy* will leave you reeling, particularly as it recounts her tragic final days.
[Stream Amy on Netflix]Photo: Netflix

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There’s nothing quite like settling in with a riveting documentary. No matter your interest, a good doc will be able to teach you something — and likely move you along the way. If you’re looking to binge-watch you’re way through the documentary kingdom, you’re in luck: Netflix’s library is chock-full of docs, and critically-acclaimed ones, at that!

Have you been on a nature and science kick? Check out Trophy, a doc about the dangers of big-game hunting, or Blackfish, Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s chilling expose of animals in captivity. Trust us, you’ll never think about SeaWorld the same way again. Are you a music lover? Don’t miss Amy Winehouse deep-dive Amy, backup-singer tale 20 Feet From Stardom, or jazz-murder crossover I Called Him Morgan. And if the news has got you feeling some type of way, be sure to stream politically-minded docs The Square, 13th, Strong Island, and more. Regardless of your interests, Netflix has just the film for you.

But first, a quick note. There are hundreds (hundreds, we say!) of documentaries on Netflix, and quite a few of them have 100% fresh ratings, but 10 or less reviews. In order to help you find the best docs to stream on Netflix, we’ve narrowed down this list to films that have at least 40 reviews — the same standard that Rotten Tomatoes uses to qualify something as Certified Fresh. If every film on our Best Documentaries list has a 100%, how are you supposed to know what to stream first?

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. The best of the best. The cream of the documentary streaming crop. These are the 17 best documentaries on Netflix, ranked by their Rotten Tomatoes Critic Scores.