At Ready Steady Cut, we are constantly challenged to find the best original Netflix documentary films. Why? Because they cannot just educate but move you in ways you never expected, even expose you to a world you may have never known existed or experienced.
If you are still deciding what to watch next, bookmark this page as we list what has been deemed the Best, Highest Rated Netflix documentary films of 2023! We’ve used Rotten Tomatoes as the benchmark, but we will also share the IMDB rating to give you a sense of difference in objectivity. On top of this, if we have reviewed it on our site, we will also share the review with you.
We will update this page every two months so audiences can keep up to date on the latest best, and most popular Netflix shows as part of their subscription. If you want a broader list, check out our Best Documentary Films on Netflix of All Time.
Last Update: May 8th, 2023
Best and Highest Documentary Films on Netflix in 2023
9. Copenhagen Cowboy: Nightcall with Nicolas Winding Refn (2023)
Director Nicklas Kold Nagel accounts how Nicolas Winding Refn brought his neon-soaked fluorescent series Copenhagen Cowboy to life.
Official Premise:
“Show creator Nicolas Winding Refn and his team detail how they brought the stoic heroine and dark fairy tale version of Copenhagen’s netherworld to life.”
Director: Nicklas Kold Nagel
Rotten Tomatoes Score: N/A (0 reviews)
IMDB Rating: 6.6/10
8. Caught Out: Crime, Corruption, and Cricket (2023)
Firstpost says, “This documentary isn’t about gods or religions or temples, it’s about humans, it’s about human flaws, correction, human sins.”
Official Premise:
“India’s biggest match-fixing scandal, the icons caught in its web and the journalists
who uncovered the corruption.”
Director: Supriya Sobti Gupta
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 0% (not listed)
IMDB Rating: 5.9/10
7. Making All Quiet on the Western Front (2023)
Director Ingo Becker shot an informative and entertaining documentary short/featurette on the making of the acclaimed Netflix German war film, All Quiet on the Western Front. You get some real insight into Edward Berger’s vision, including a German perspective. The short film includes shooting locations, military training, and mind-blowing prosthetic use throughout the eighteen-minute documentary.
Official Premise:
“Go behind the scenes of Edward Berger’s WWII epic and see how the cast and crew crafted its amazing authenticity – from the sets to the STX prosthetics.”
Director: Ingo Becker
Rotten Tomatoes Score: N/A (0 reviews)
IMDB Rating: 6.5/10
6. Longest Third Date (2023)
At Ready Steady Cut, we said, “Longest Third Date is a beautiful example that maybe not everything was so bad during the pandemic. In a time that was dour and hopeless, both Matt and Khani used a terrible situation to find love in one another.”
Official Premise:
“When Matt and Khani match on Hinge, sparks fly. They spontaneously fly to Costa Rica for their third date and get stuck as the world shuts down in March 2020. An extended stay in paradise becomes the ultimate test of compatibility.”
Director: Brent Hodge
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80% (5 reviews)
IMDB Rating: 6.4/10
5. Money Shot: The Pornhub Story (2023)
Here at Ready Steady Cut, we said, “Pornhub has a sexy, smutty history laid bare in this documentary. Complicated and compelling, it’s a must-watch.”
Official Premise:
“Follow the rise of the most famous adult entertainment platform and the recent backlash it has received.”
Director: Suzanne Hillinger
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83% (30 reviews)
IMDB Rating: 5.4/10
4. Mumbai Mafia: Police vs. the Underworld (2023)
Netflix has offered some fascinating true crime documentary films and docuseries over the past few years. The majority is detailing the dark and gruesome look at some of the country’s most feared and notorious serial killers. Mumbai Mafia vs. the Underworld is a fascinating untold story about a city’s crime lords with untapped potential that is a “scary and extraordinary part of India’s history.”
Official Premise:
“In 1990s Mumbai, a crime boss and his network wield unchecked power over the city — until the rise of “encounter cops,” who brazenly kill their targets.”
Director: Raaghav DarFrancis Longhurst
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100% (1 review)
IMDB Rating: 6.4/10
3. The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker (2023)
I remember the news stories of The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker, but this documentary exposes the man behind the clickbait trappings. A “wild and sad story” that has to be seen to be believed.
Official Premise:
“This shocking documentary chronicles a happy-go-lucky nomad’s ascent to viral stardom and the steep downward spiral that resulted in his imprisonment.”
Director: Colette Camden
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92% (12 reviews)
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
2. Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now (2023)
The London Evening Standard says, “Capaldi has never been one to shy away from his emotions in his songs, but his openness in this raw and unflinching documentary is a step beyond that, both brave and inspiring..”
Official Premise:
“This intimate, all-access documentary chronicles Lewis Capaldi’s journey from a scrappy teen with a viral performance to a Grammy-nominated pop star.”
Director: Joe Pearlman
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98% (9 reviews)
IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
1. Pamela, a Love Story (2023)
Pamela, a Love Story may be the first film that will have feminists and male chauvinist pigs unite in defense of the most celebrated blonde bomb shells since Marylyn Monroe. Here at Ready Steady Cut, we called director Ryan White’s film “unflinching and painfully human.”
Official Premise:
“Follows the life of pop culture icon Pamela Anderson, including never-before-seen archival footage and personal journals.”
Director: Ryan White
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98% (45 reviews)
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
And that completes our list of the Best and Highest Documentary Films on Netflix in 2023. What’s your favorite in this list? Comment below.
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