'Three Identical Strangers' is latest in a string of strong docs

The trailer for the acclaimed new documentary Three Identical Strangers promises some shocking twists and revelations, and having seen it I can safely say it doesn't disappoint. As nutty as this narrative is on its face, it does get considerably weirder.

For the most part, the filmmakers just let it's remarkable story -- about identical triplets who are reunited as young men and are forced to confront the how and why of their bizarre separation. It's likely to be a buzzy, breakout film, and it's just the latest in a string of very strong true story films in theaters this year.

Perhaps the influence of Netflix -- which has its share of terrific documentary films like Wild Wild Country, or true crime podcasts, but this genre has been on fire lately.

Earlier this year, RBG, which offered a very personal and powerful look at the life and times of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was especially timely. And that was followed by the Fred Rogers tribute Won't You Be My Neighbor?, which has turned into a durable box office performer -- grossing $20 million to date. When all is said and done, it'll likely be among the top 10 highest grossing docs of all time.

It goes without saying that a great documentary can really hit emotional and philosophical notes that a traditional, scripted narrative movie never can. For instance, while often quite funny and frequently very heartwarming, Three Identical Strangers has some much more serious themes on its mind.

The film is as much an examination of what makes all of us who we are -- nature vs. nurture, as much as it about the unique circumstances of these young men's birth, separation and maturation.

There are a couple missteps -- the film pads out it screen time by showing the same archival footage  a few times too often -- but for the most part its a deeply moving examination of an out of this world series of events.

It's not surprise that there are apparently plans to make a full-length scripted, dramatized version of this story, and as terrific as this doc is I would be fascinated to see it fleshed out more. I'm hoping whoever makes it uses the same technology David Fincher did to turn Armie Hammer into the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network.

Of course, it is especially heartening that films like this can still find an audience when it feels like you are either a small prestige movie or a box office behemoth, and it often feels like there is nothing in between. Movies like this rely so much on word of mouth and aren't accessible to much of the country, even when they have a subject matter as broadly compelling as this one does.

A true story, beautifully told, can still be just as exciting as any special effect and gratifying as any big budget spectacle. Three Identical Strangers is proof of that.