I see a lot of people search for “documentaries like Three Identical Strangers” (the amazing doc about triplets separated at birth…who then randomly find each other).
So, I found 12 docs similar to Three Identical Strangers.
Namely, these docs share the themes of identity and family secrets.
In case you haven’t watched 3 Identical Strangers yet, below is a trailer and a link to a more in-depth page that has ways to watch it.
Enjoy!
Here’s my full review: “Three Identical Strangers Review” (including options to watch it).
Documentaries Like ‘Three Identical Strangers’
1) Tell Me Who I Am
“Tell Me Who I Am” echoes “Three Identical Strangers” in its exploration of sibling bonds and hidden truths.
It hit the screens in 2019, an intense 85-minute journey into the heart of memory and identity.
Picture this: Alex, 18, wakes up.
His past? Gone, wiped out by an accident. His twin, Marcus, is all he’s got.
But Marcus, he’s holding back a dark secret.
Their connection? It’s deep, it’s complex. Alex trusts Marcus, completely.
But when the truth hits, it’s like a punch to the gut. It’s a moment that shakes you.
Director Ed Perkins weaves this tale with a delicate hand.
It’s about trauma, the power of twins, and the maze of memory. It’s a narrative that grabs you, doesn’t let go.
Watching “Tell Me Who I Am,” you’re more than a spectator. You’re right there with them.
It’s got shades of “Three Identical Strangers”: the mystery of family, the quest for identity, the shock of the unknown.
This doc probes what makes us who we are, much like the story of the triplets separated at birth.
It’s a deep dive into the power and complexity of sibling relationships and the truths they can hide.
Watch “Tell Me Who I Am” on Netflix at https://www.netflix.com/title/80214706
2) Twinsters
Twinsters and Three Identical Strangers share a surreal premise: long-lost siblings reunited.
“Twinsters,” released in 2015, runs for a heartwarming 89 minutes.
It starts with a YouTube discovery.
Samantha, an American actor, finds Anaïs, a French fashion student.
They look identical. Turns out, they’re twins, adopted separately. Their reunion? It’s like watching a fairytale come to life.
Like “Three Identical Strangers,” “Twinsters” dives into the nature versus nurture debate.
Samantha and Anaïs, though raised worlds apart, share startling similarities.
Their mannerisms, their laughs, even their tastes. It’s uncanny.
The doc captures their journey with warmth and honesty.
You’re not just watching a reunion; you’re part of their discovery.
“Twinsters” isn’t just about finding a twin. It’s about finding yourself in someone else.
A delightful, uplifting watch.
You can watch “Twinsters” by renting it on Amazon, Apple TV and most major paid streamers. Check here for options.
3) The Imposter
“The Imposter” is a mind-bender, like “Three Identical Strangers” with a con twist.
It hit the screens in 2012, a 99-minute deep dive into identity and deception.
Meet Frédéric Bourdin, a real-life chameleon.
He’s not just playing Nicholas Barclay, a kid missing for three years; he becomes him.
Bourdin, 23, French, spins a web that even the missing boy’s Texas family falls into.
Now, here’s the twist. The family, they take him in.
Blue-eyed Nicholas, now brown-eyed Bourdin.
Why? The doc teases out family secrets, echoing “Three Identical Strangers'” own family mystery.
Bart Layton, the director, he’s a maestro here.
The reenactments? They’re not just for show. They blur the lines between fact and fiction, just like the triplets’ tale.
You get interviews, raw and unfiltered. Bourdin, the family, they lay it all out. It’s not just a con story.
It’s a look at grief, identity, and our need to believe in something, anything.
“The Imposter” and “Three Identical Strangers” share this: they’re both about the stories families tell themselves. About the truth, lies, and the gray space in between.
Watch “The Imposter” for free on Kanopy (with library/student ID) or free (with ads) on Freevee, Plex, Pluto and Roku. Or rent it on Amazon, Apple TV, etc. Check here for all streaming options.
4) The Accidental Twins
Release date: June 20, 2024
What happens when two sets of twins are switched at birth?
“The Accidental Twins,” directed by Alessandro Angulo, tells the jaw-dropping story of Jorge, William, Carlos, and Wilber—two pairs of identical twins accidentally swapped in a Colombian hospital.
For 25 years, they lived completely separate lives until a chance encounter revealed the truth.
The 84-minute documentary digs deep into the emotional impact on these men as they unravel the confusion of their real identities.
Angulo masterfully blends personal interviews and a rich cultural backdrop, examining how nature and nurture shape who we are.
Watching their relationships evolve is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
You can’t make this $hit up: A butcher in Bogotá unknowingly stood face to face with his biological twin every day!
Watch “The Accidental Twins” on Netflix at https://www.netflix.com/title/81627034
5) Little White Lie
“Little White Lie,” like “Three Identical Strangers,” uncovers a family’s hidden truth.
Released in 2014, it’s a 66-minute journey into identity and family secrets.
The documentary follows Lacey Schwartz.
Raised in a white Jewish family, she uncovers her African-American heritage.
It’s a personal quest, revealing deep family secrets.
Both docs reveal shocking family truths.
In “Three Identical Strangers,” it’s about triplets separated at birth.
In “Little White Lie,” it’s about Lacey’s true parentage and identity. Both movies explore the impact of these revelations on their lives.
Lacey’s story is intimate, probing into themes of race and identity. It questions how family narratives shape us.
Like the triplets in “Three Identical Strangers,” Lacey confronts her past to understand her present.
Watch “Little White Lie” for free on Kanopy (with library card/school ID) or on Amazon Prime. Check here for streaming options.
6) Sam Now
Release date: April 7, 2023
What happens when a boy grows up searching for his missing mom?
In “Sam Now,” director Reed Harkness follows his half-brother Sam over 25 years, capturing their search for Jois, the mother who vanished.
As Sam matures, the film digs into his emotional scars and the deep trauma her disappearance left behind.
Like Three Identical Strangers, this doc dives into the tangled mess of family bonds and hidden truths.
Both films question how family secrets shape our identities.
But where Three Identical Strangers is about sudden reunion, Sam Now is about the slow burn of unresolved loss.
Their road trip turns into a journey of self-discovery as Sam, now an adult, comes to grips with his mother’s abandonment.
The heart-wrenching twists are softened by the brothers’ playful use of a wetsuit-wearing superhero alter ego, “Blue Panther,” to process their pain.
You can’t make this $hit up: Sam’s superhero persona, “Blue Panther,” leaps into frame as a way to cope with the weight of searching for his mom
Here are streaming options you can watch it on: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/sam-now
I love this doc so much that I wrote a deeper review on it here: https://dailydoc.com/sam-now/ (it’s also where I’ll update the links to watch it if they change).
7) Stories We Tell
“Stories We Tell” and “Three Identical Strangers” share a compelling theme: the elusive nature of family secrets, identity and truth.
Released in 2012, “Stories We Tell” is 108 minutes of family mysteries.
Director Sarah Polley turns the lens on her own family. She unravels secrets about her mother, Diane. It’s personal, yet universally relatable.
This doc uses home movies, interviews, and reenactments. It blends storytelling and reality.
The line between them blurs. You’re not just watching a family’s history.
You’re exploring the nature of stories themselves.
Polley’s quest to understand her mother is heart-touching. The family’s different perspectives add depth.
Each version of Diane’s story is different. It shows how subjective memory can be.
“Stories We Tell” is more than a family portrait. It’s a meditation on memory, truth, and how we narrate our lives.
It’s thoughtful, beautifully crafted. A standout in the world of documentaries.
Watch it for free on Kanopy or (with ads) on Freevee and Roku It’s also available to rent on Amazon, Apple TV and other streamers. See here for all streaming options.
8) I Am Another You
“I Am Another You” kicks off like a road trip, with a twist. Think “Three Identical Strangers” meets wanderlust.
Released in 2017, this 80-minute doc packs a punch.
Nanfu Wang, a Chinese filmmaker, meets Dylan, a magnetic drifter. His world?
A stark contrast to her own. Just like “Three Identical Strangers,” it’s a dive into the unknown.
Dylan’s life is freedom personified.
No rules, no expectations. It’s captivating, a bit wild. Wang’s journey with him?
It’s like peeling an onion. Every layer reveals something new.
Both docs get you thinking. “Three Identical Strangers” is about discovering roots. “I Am Another You”? It’s about choosing your own path.
They’re two sides of the same coin.
Wang’s movie isn’t just a story. It’s a question. What does freedom really mean? It’s a head-scratcher, a conversation starter.
Watch “I Am Another You” for free on Kanopy or for free (with ads) on Roku, Plex and Vudu. Or you can rent it for $ on the major streamers. Check here for full streaming options.
9) A Family Affair
“A Family Affair” is a family riddle, wrapped in a mystery.
It’s got the same ‘can-this-be-real’ vibe as “Three Identical Strangers.”
Think family secrets with a twist.
Tom Fassaert points his camera at his grandmother, Marianne.
She’s a character, full of charm and secrets. Like “Three Identical Strangers,” you start thinking it’s one thing.
Then, bam, it’s another.
This 110-minute doc from 2015 is a rollercoaster.
You’ve got love, betrayal, and a family puzzle.
Fassaert’s journey to understand Marianne is like unwrapping a surprise gift. You’re never sure what’s next.
Both docs? They’re about digging up the past. “Three Identical Strangers” has long-lost brothers.
“A Family Affair” has long-hidden truths.
They both show how family stories can be more twisted than fiction.
Fassaert’s doc isn’t just a family album. It’s a detective story, a look into how families tick. It’s captivating, sometimes uncomfortable, always fascinating.
I don’t see any streaming options to watch “A Family Affair”. So check back here (JustWatch).
10) Adam & Ida – Almost a Fairytale
Release date: 2022
“Adam & Ida — Almost a Fairytale” tells the gripping story of Jewish twins separated during the Holocaust. Adam and Ida Paluch were split at age three—Adam survived a concentration camp, while Ida was hidden by a Polish family.
For 53 years, they lived apart, feeling something was missing. Then, a random newspaper photo led to their incredible reunion.
Like Three Identical Strangers, this film explores identity, lost family bonds, and the emotional impact of rediscovery.
Both docs capture the shock of learning you’ve lived a parallel life without your twin.
You can’t make this $hit up: Ida recognized Adam from a newspaper photo after 50 years apart
Where to watch? I”m sorry to say I can’t find any place to stream it. It played at the Miami Theater Center in Miami Shores, FL on January 17, 2023. But I don’t see any other record of it playing anywhere.
I only watched the trailer and ranked the doc based on that.
But I’ll keep looking for ways to watch it!
In the meantime, here’s a conversation with the doc’s director Jan Tenhaven: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZx9DKVijsc
11) The Twinning Reaction
“The Twinning Reaction” pulls you into a bizarre psychological experiment.
Twins are separated at birth and raised without knowledge of each other.
Like “Three Identical Strangers,” this doc explores the trauma caused by unethical science.
It focuses on four sets of twins and one set of triplets—all subjects of a covert study run by child psychiatrists Peter Neubauer and Viola Bernard.
The goal? To study nature vs. nurture, but at an unconscionable human cost.
The 54-minute documentary, directed by Lori Shinseki, reveals how these families were deliberately kept in the dark.
Some children reunited, while others never met their siblings. The emotional scars run deep.
The twins recount growing up with feelings of missing something vital in their lives.
You can’t make this $hit up: An organization split twins on purpose and then never told them.
Both documentaries leave you questioning how science could exploit innocent lives so callously.
You can watch “The Twinning Reaction” for free on Tubi (last I checked) or on Magellan (with subscription). Check here for the latest streaming options: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-twinning-reaction
12) The Curious Case of Natalia Grace
What if your adopted daughter wasn’t a child but a grown woman posing as one?
This doc is like”The Imposter” meets “Mommy Dearest”.
A Ukrainian orphan adopted by an American family is abandoned just two years later—but not before allegations of fraud, lies, and danger take center stage.
The unsettling story of Natalie Grace reveals a stranger-than-fiction tale that turns a family’s life into a real-life psychological thriller.
This 16 episode series is on HBO Max and a few other places — check here for streaming options:
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac of Daily Doc