Movies Like What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)

What Happened, Miss Simone? is a 2015 documentary, music film from Liz Garbus with a MovieMagicScore of 7.4/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Personal Velocity and Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool.

Documentary Music

Personal Velocity

2002

In a series of three vignettes, three women in turn struggle to free themselves from the men who restrict their personal freedom.

5.8

MagicScore

Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

2019

An immersive look at the eventful life and brilliant artistic career of visionary American jazz trumpeter Miles Davis (1926-1991).

7.2

MagicScore

Enough

2002

Working-class waitress Slim thought she was entering a life of domestic bliss when she married Mitch, the man of her dreams. After the arrival of their first child, her picture perfect life is shattered when she discovers Mitch's hidden possessive dark side, a controlling and abusive alter ego that can turn trust, love and tranquility into terror. Terrified for her child's safety, Slim flees with her daughter. Relentless in his pursuit and enlisting the aid of lethal henchmen, Mitch continually stalks the prey that was once his family.

6.7

MagicScore

'Til Death Do Us Part

2017

Michael and Madison Roland planned to spend the rest of their lives together, but Michael's controlling ways turn their perfect marriage into an abusive roller-coaster ride that no woman could survive. With the help of her best friend, Madison fakes her death to escape and start a new life — but soon realizes it's impossible to outwit her obsessive husband.

5.9

MagicScore

The Concert for Bangladesh

1972

A film about the first benefit rock concert when major musicians performed to raise relief funds for the poor of Bangladesh. The Concert for Bangladesh was a pair of benefit concerts organised by former Beatles guitarist George Harrison and Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar. The shows were held at 2:30 and 8:00 pm on Sunday, 1 August 1971, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, to raise international awareness of, and fund relief for refugees from East Pakistan, following the Bangladesh Liberation War-related genocide.

7.9

MagicScore

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody

2022

The joyous, emotional, heartbreaking celebration of the life and music of Whitney Houston, the greatest female R&B pop vocalist of all time. Tracking her journey from obscurity to musical superstardom.

7.0

MagicScore

What's Love Got to Do with It

1993

Singer Tina Turner rises to stardom while mustering the courage to break free from her abusive husband Ike.

7.1

MagicScore

The Color Purple

2023

A decades-spanning tale of love and resilience and of one woman's journey to independence. Celie faces many hardships in her life, but ultimately finds extraordinary strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.

7.0

MagicScore

Bird

2024

12-year-old Bailey lives with her single dad Bug and brother Hunter in a squat in North Kent. Bug doesn’t have much time for his kids, and Bailey, who is approaching puberty, seeks attention and adventure elsewhere.

7.2

MagicScore

#10

Priscilla

2023

When teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis Presley at a party, the man who is already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a vulnerable best friend.

6.8

MagicScore

#11

Untold: Deal with the Devil

2021

Christy Martin broke boundaries and noses as she rose in the boxing world, but her public persona belied personal demons, abuse and a threat on her life.

6.9

MagicScore

#12

A Vigilante

2019

A once-abused woman devotes herself to ridding victims of their domestic abusers while hunting down the one she must kill to be truly free.

5.4

MagicScore

#13

China Moon

1994

Detective Kyle Bodine falls for Rachel Munro who is trapped in a violent marriage. After she shoots her husband, Kyle relucantly agrees to help hide the body, but his partner is showing an unusual flair for finding clues.

6.1

MagicScore

#14

Poor Things

2023

Brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist, a young woman runs off with a lawyer on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, she grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.

7.7

MagicScore

#15

Chasing Trane

2017

An account of the life of the brilliant jazz musician John Coltrane (1926-67), a gifted saxophonist, an extraordinarily talented thinker whose original, avant-garde work has impacted and influenced people all over the world. A story about music's ability to entertain, inspire and transform.

7.3

MagicScore

#16

Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars

2018

An unflinching and deeply personal journey into the life and work of guitarist Eric Clapton told through his own words and songs.

7.4

MagicScore

#17

Boyhood

2014

The film tells a story of a divorced couple trying to raise their young son. The story follows the boy for twelve years, from first grade at age 6 through 12th grade at age 17-18, and examines his relationship with his parents as he grows.

7.5

MagicScore

#18

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

2020

Tensions rise when the trailblazing Mother of the Blues and her band gather at a Chicago recording studio in 1927. Adapted from August Wilson's play.

6.6

MagicScore

#19

Ticket Out

2011

A desperate mother is forced to break the law in order to protect her children from her abusive ex-husband, and rely on the kindness of strangers who help battered spouses to escape their tyrannical mates via an elaborate "underground railway" system.

5.6

MagicScore

#20

Country Strong

2010

Soon after the rising young singer-songwriter Beau Williams gets involved with a fallen, emotionally unstable country star Kelly Canter, the pair embark on a career resurrection tour helmed by her husband/manager James and featuring a beauty queen-turned-singer Chiles Stanton. Between concerts, romantic entanglements and old demons threaten to derail them all.

6.1

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like What Happened, Miss Simone??

The top films similar to What Happened, Miss Simone? by MovieMagicScore are Personal Velocity (5.8), Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool (7.2), Enough (6.7). Each shares documentary/music themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is What Happened, Miss Simone? worth watching?

What Happened, Miss Simone? holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.4/10 from 379 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is What Happened, Miss Simone??

What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015) is a documentary, music film directed by Liz Garbus, starring Nina Simone, Lisa Simone, Dick Gregory.

Where can I find more recommendations like What Happened, Miss Simone??

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more documentary recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Personal Velocity Movies like Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool Movies like Enough Movies like 'Til Death Do Us Part Movies like The Concert for Bangladesh Movies like Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody

About movies like What Happened, Miss Simone?

This ranked list pairs What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015), a documentary and music film from Liz Garbus, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Nina Simone take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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