6 Documentaries That Could Change Your Life

6) Exit Through the Gift Shop

Movies and TV shows that explore and play with the ambiguity of reality are all the rage today. It used to be that viewers wanted desperately to know whether something was a character’s dream or actually took place in the reality of the world of the story. Now, after movies like Inception where we conclude without knowing whether someone is actually awake or dreaming and it doesn’t really matter all that much, or shows like Louie that don’t bother telling us whether something is happening in a character’s head or whether they’re actually seeing it with their waking eyes, this is less of an issue. The thrill of not knowing is becoming more and more popular. Three years ago, street artist Banksy fostered in this thrill with his either too good to be true or truth is stranger than fiction movie, Exit Through the Gift Shop.

In it, we are introduced to the artist now known as Thierry Guetta, also known as Mr. Brainwash. Formerly a clothing shop owner, Guetta becomes an emerging street artist, eventually staging his own exhibitions in Los Angeles and selling pieces to various celebrities. The documentary is better the less you know about it; I didn’t know who Banksy was at the time and had forgotten he was the director, so when his name came up in the movie as this secretive person it was totally compelling to me. Still, knowing he’s the one behind it makes the movie’s themes of art and commerce more immediate and forces you to contemplate them throughout. It causes a viewer to question what art is in the first place, and when it becomes unclear whether the story itself is a real documentary subject or a fictional mockumentary movie, the questions multiply. That only makes it more entertaining.

Are there any documentaries that have had a lasting effect on your life? Share your picks in the comment section below.