Entertainment
They say truth is often stranger than fiction, and the 2018 film Three Identical Strangers perfectly demonstrates this long-held sentiment. The documentary tells the bizarre true story of three teenagers, who after first meeting during a chance encounter, discover that they're actually identical triplets and were separated at birth. The twists and turns of this critically acclaimed release went onto captivate audiences around the world, and luckily for us, there are plenty other equally gripping docs out there to delve into. So, here are documentaries like Three Identical Strangers UK viewers can watch because when it comes to outlandish true-life tales, there's a lot more where that came from.
A group of brothers completely cut-off from the outside world, a seemingly friendly neighbourhood kidnapper, and an expert internet catfish are each the premise of some frankly unbelievable true-stories-turned-documentaries — all of which you can expect to stumble across whilst scrolling through the most popular streaming platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, and beyond.
So if you're looking to escape into some of the strangest realms of reality, there's an impressive library of content available for you to power through, and I've hand-picked some of the very best for your viewing pleasure.
1
'Tell Me Who I Am'
This 2019 doc follows the story of twin brothers Marcus and Alex Lewis, the latter of whom lost his memory at the age of 18 following a motorcycle accident. In the years after the incident, Alex is gifted some idyllic childhood memories from his brother, who helps recreate the past he'd previously lost. However, some horrifying family secrets eventually come to light, and the tone of this true story takes a dark and unexpected turn.
2
'Abducted In Plain Sight'
An all-American suburban family fall victim to the predatory behaviours of a trusted next door neighbour — who goes on to abduct their teenage daughter not once but twice. This 2017 true-crime film explores the mindset and criminal actions of an expert manipulator and has to be seen to be believed.
3
'Catfish'
The documentary that inspired MTV's investigative series Catfish centres around New York City filmmaker Yaniv "Nev" Schulman, who forges a romantic relationship with a woman he met on Facebook. However, when cracks in her story begin to emerge, Nev sets out to on a mission to discover the truth.
4
'The Wolfpack'
The Wolfpack follows the story of six brothers who were confined to the four walls of a New York City apartment. Their only connection to the outside world were the movies their father brought home to watch. However, after defying strict instructions to stay indoors, the siblings are introduced to an entirely different reality.
5
'Finders Keepers'
The hilarious and captivating Finders Keepers details the real story of John Wood, and his quest to retrieve his own mummified leg from Shannon Whisnant — who discovered the leg within a barbecue grill he took home after a storage unit auction.
6
'Voyeur'
The terrifying exploits of Colorado motel owner Gerald Foos are the centre of Netflix's Voyeur. The doc uncovers Foos' deepest and darkest secret, which allegedly involved spying on guests within a specially made observation room situated in the motel's attic.
7
'Capturing The Friedmans '
This Academy Award-nominated documentary focuses on the investigation of Arnold and Jesse Friedman. The film offers a behind-closed-doors peek inside the life of the seemingly polite Friedman family, who were allowed to remain at home as they awaited trial for child molestation charges.
8
'The Rachel Divide'
Rachel Dolezal, a Caucasian woman who posed as African American, sparked a national debate when details of her true racial identity and ancestry were exposed. Netflix's The Rachel Divide explores the aftermath of the revelations, which led to the downfall of a once respected activist.
9
'Searching For Sugar Man'
Following the release of his debut album, Detroit-born folk singer Sixto Rodriguez faded into obscurity, and was completely unaware that his music had profoundly impacted a generation of South Africans.
10
'Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness'
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness has quickly become one of Netflix's most talked about releases — and for good reason. This insane docuseries follows the crazy chronicles of big cat zoo owner Joe Exotic, who is accused of plotting the murder of his archnemesis, Carole Baskin.
