Movies Like Instrument (1999)

Instrument is a 1999 documentary, music film from Jem Cohen with a MovieMagicScore of 6.9/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with What We Do Is Secret and Dont Look Back.

Documentary Music

What We Do Is Secret

2007

The true-life story of Darby Crash, who became an L.A. punk icon with his band The Germs. Along with Lorna Doom, Pat Smear, and Don Bolles, Darby Crash completely transformed the L.A. punk scene, while sacrificing everyone he loved, his career, and ultimately his life.

5.1

MagicScore

Dont Look Back

1967

In this wildly entertaining vision of one of the twentieth century’s greatest artists, Bob Dylan is surrounded by teen fans, gets into heated philosophical jousts with journalists, and kicks back with fellow musicians Joan Baez, Donovan, and Alan Price.

7.4

MagicScore

The Driller Killer

1979

An artist slowly goes insane while struggling to pay his bills, work on his paintings, and care for his two female roommates, which leads him taking to the streets of New York after dark and randomly killing derelicts with a power drill.

5.2

MagicScore

The Go-Go's

2021

As the first all-female band to play their instruments, write their songs and have a No. 1 album, The Go-Go’s made history. Underpinned by candid testimonies, this film chronicles the meteoric rise to fame of a band born in the LA punk scene who became a pop phenomenon.

7.2

MagicScore

Rock 'n' Roll High School

1979

A group of rock-music-loving students, with the help of the Ramones, take over their school to combat its newly installed oppressive administration.

6.4

MagicScore

Masked and Anonymous

2003

A nation wracked with civil war and social unrest anticipates a giant charity concert, organized by deceptive promoter Uncle Sweetheart, who plans on raking in huge sums for himself from the event. Headlining is legendary musician Jack Fate, whose prison time is cut short with Sweetheart's help. Meanwhile, journalist Tom Friend investigates the corrupt concert and sets out to unmask the truth to the public.

5.0

MagicScore

U2: Vertigo 2005 - Live from Chicago

2005

23 electric performances, with songs drawn from across the bands entire career - from first album fan favorites such as "Electric Co," through U2 classics such as "Pride...," "New Years Day" and "Where the Streets Have No Name" and right up to date with "Vertigo" the smash hit that launched this years #1 studio album "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb."

7.9

MagicScore

The Punk Singer

2013

A look at the life of activist, musician, and cultural icon Kathleen Hanna, who formed the punk band Bikini Kill and pioneered the "riot grrrl" movement of the 1990s.

7.2

MagicScore

A Band Called Death

2013

Before Bad Brains, the Sex Pistols or even the Ramones, there was Death. Formed in the early '70s by three teenage brothers from Detroit, Death is credited as being the first black punk band, and the Hackney brothers, David, Bobby, and Dannis, are now considered pioneers in their field. But it wasn’t until recently — when a dusty 1974 demo tape made its way out of Bobby’s attic nearly 30 years after Death’s heyday — that anyone outside a small group of punk enthusiasts had even heard of them.

7.2

MagicScore

#10

The Decline of Western Civilization

1981

The Los Angeles punk music scene circa 1980 is the focus of this film. With Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline, Circle Jerks, Fear, Germs, and X.

7.1

MagicScore

#11

Punk: Attitude

2005

From London's 1970 mod scene to Sonic Youth, punk music has always been about attitude and anarchy. This comprehensive rockumentary traces the roots of punk, from The Velvet Underground and the New York Dolls to the Sex Pistols and The Clash.

7.0

MagicScore

#12

The Other F Word

2011

What happens when a generation's ultimate anti-authoritarians — punk rockers — become society's ultimate authorities — dads? With a large chorus of punk rock's leading men — Blink-182's Mark Hoppus, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, Rise Against's Tim McIlrath — The Other F Word follows Jim Lindberg, 20-year veteran of skate punk band, Pennywise, on his hysterical and moving journey from belting his band's anthem, "Fuck Authority", to embracing his ultimately pivotal authoritarian role in mid-life, fatherhood.

6.4

MagicScore

#13

Punk's Not Dead

2007

On the edge of the 30th anniversary of punk rock, Punk's Not Dead takes you into the sweaty underground clubs, backyard parties, recording studios, shopping malls and stadiums where punk rock music and culture continue to thrive.

6.1

MagicScore

#14

Nana

2005

Two girls named Nana meet on a train to Tokyo. Nana K. aims to reunite with her boyfriend and Nana O. hopes to make it big in the music business. Despite their differences, the pair hit it off and become roommates.

6.7

MagicScore

#15

Hard Core Logo

1996

Bruce Macdonald follows punk bank Hard Core Logo on a harrowing last-gasp reunion tour throughout Western Canada. As magnetic lead-singer Joe Dick holds the whole magilla together through sheer force of will, all the tensions and pitfalls of life on the road come bubbling to the surface.

6.5

MagicScore

#16

Times Square

1980

When a 13-year-old girl befriends a defiant antisocial child of the streets, the mismatched runaways set off to the Big Apple to find their own adventure.

6.4

MagicScore

#17

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains

1982

Corrine Burns retreats far into plans for her band, The Fabulous Stains, after her mother's death.

6.2

MagicScore

#18

Queen: Days of Our Lives

2011

In 1971, four college students got together to form a rock band. Since then, that certain band called Queen have released 26 albums and sold over 300 million records worldwide. The popularity of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon is stronger than ever 40 years on. But it was no bed of roses. No pleasure cruise. Queen had their share of kicks in the face, but they came through and this is how they did it, set against the backdrop of brilliant music and stunning live performances from every corner of the globe. In this film, for the first time, it is the band that tells their story. Featuring brand new interviews with the band and unseen archive footage (including their recently unearthed, first ever TV performance), it is a compelling story told with intelligence, wit, plenty of humor and painful honesty.

8.1

MagicScore

#19

Persepolis

2007

In 1970s Iran, Marjane 'Marji' Satrapi watches events through her young eyes and her idealistic family of a long dream being fulfilled of the hated Shah's defeat in the Iranian Revolution of 1979. However as Marji grows up, she witnesses first hand how the new Iran, now ruled by Islamic fundamentalists, has become a repressive tyranny on its own.

7.9

MagicScore

#20

Sid and Nancy

1986

January 1978. After their success in England, the punk rock band Sex Pistols venture out on their tour of the southern United States. Temperamental bassist Sid Vicious is forced by his band mates to travel without his troubled girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, who will meet him in New York. When the band breaks up and Sid begins his solo career in a hostile city, the turbulent couple definitely falls into the depths of drug addiction.

6.7

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Instrument?

The top films similar to Instrument by MovieMagicScore are What We Do Is Secret (5.1), Dont Look Back (7.4), The Driller Killer (5.2). Each shares documentary/music themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Instrument worth watching?

Instrument holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.9/10 from 25 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Instrument?

Instrument (1999) is a documentary, music film directed by Jem Cohen, starring Ian MacKaye, Brendan Canty, Joe Lally.

Where can I find more recommendations like Instrument?

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 What We Do Is Secret Movies like Dont Look Back Movies like The Driller Killer Movies like The Go-Go's Movies like Rock 'n' Roll High School Movies like Masked and Anonymous

About movies like Instrument

This ranked list pairs Instrument (1999), a documentary and music film from Jem Cohen, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Ian MacKaye 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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