Hulu’s documentary lineup is small but mighty, leaning on Oscar contenders and festival standouts. These are the ones worth your time, led by Free Solo, Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), and Minding the Gap, each a documentary I’ve reviewed or ranked among the best of its year.
Every pick links to where it’s streaming, and the list gets refreshed as titles come and go.
Critics and Audience scores from Rotten Tomatoes; ratings from IMDb. Scores as of October 2026.
FREE SOLO (2018)
A powerful, white-knuckle documentary about fear, passion, and humanity, Free Solo is a thrilling ascent into mountaineering mania fastened by a complicated figure in free-climbing fanatic Alex Honnold. Prepare thyself for the sweatiest palms of 2018.▶ Streaming on Hulu · Read the full review
SUMMER OF SOUL (…OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED) (2021)
Questlove creates a toe-tapping and revolutionary documentary that’ll have audiences foaming at the mouth for more. The lineup of talent is simply insane, the performances eye-popping, the talking-head commentary on Black culture and music’s place within it is poignant and relevant today without stopping the contagious upbeat energy. An absolute must-see.▶ Streaming on Hulu · Read the full review
MINDING THE GAP (2018)
Bing Liu turns the camera on himself and two skateboarding friends in Rockford, Illinois, as they navigate adulthood, fatherhood, and the cycles of family violence they grew up in. It’s a raw, beautifully observed coming-of-age story that earned an Oscar nomination.▶ Streaming on Hulu
FIRE OF LOVE (2022)
Sara Dosa tells the love story of French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, who chased eruptions around the world with their cameras until a 1991 eruption killed them both. Built from their own breathtaking footage, it’s romantic, playful, and awe-inspiring.▶ Streaming on Hulu
JANE (2017)
Brett Morgen builds a portrait of Jane Goodall from more than 100 hours of newly unearthed footage of her early work with chimpanzees in Tanzania. Set to a stirring Philip Glass score, it’s gorgeous, intimate, and quietly thrilling.▶ Streaming on Hulu
WEWORK: OR THE MAKING AND BREAKING OF A $47 BILLION UNICORN (2021)
Jed Rothstein charts the rise and spectacular fall of WeWork and its messianic co-founder Adam Neumann, a startup that sold office space as a spiritual movement. It’s a brisk, damning look at hype and hubris in the startup world.▶ Streaming on Hulu
SPERMWORLD (2024)
Lance Oppenheim dives into the Facebook groups where women hoping to get pregnant connect with men offering free sperm donations, and the result is strange, funny, and surprisingly tender. It’s a compassionate portrait of loneliness and longing in a hidden corner of the internet.▶ Streaming on Hulu
FAQ
What is the best documentary on Hulu right now?
Right now, Free Solo leads the list, followed by Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) and Minding the Gap.
How often is this list updated?
Picks are refreshed every few weeks as titles come and go from Hulu.
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By: Matt Oakes
Started blogging about film in college when the university paper wouldn’t have him. Dislikes your consensus film Twitter favorites. Devotee of horror movies that make him die a little inside. Catches films at festivals when he can. Proud SFCS and OFCS member and Tomatometer-approved critic. Editor-in-chief of Silver Screen Riot.
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