The 100 Best Movies Based on True Stories Ever Filmed

Best Movies Based on True Stories

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It’s amazing how much more interesting individual stories are precisely because they are real. The films gain special significance because of the plot so it’s an added plus that it’s about a story that really happened. A lot of people agree with the fact that they are happy with the film and that the story intrigued them when after watching the film, base on a true event, they googled and better explore the story. Then it can be said that the movie is really successful!

The very knowledge that we have taken note of the fact that these are real people and events, that what we are watching really happened to someone, makes us look at the film not only more serious but also makes us ask if life could prepare a similar drama for ourselves. Subconsciously, we take away the importance of those films that are mere fiction, no matter how magnificent, because they are only actors and the rich imagination of the screenwriter and the extraordinary skills of the director. We find it easier to identify with those filmed after true events, and we connect the experiences of the heroes with our own.

And indeed, some of the greatest achievements in the history of film were created based on true events, and we bring you a selection of the 100 best achievements inspired by real experiences and events. Of course, this choice is subjective, it cannot be completely honest and each of us has his favorites. Those who did not get on the list are no less valuable, the list is only the result of the personal preferences of the author of the text.

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

Zero Dark Thirty (2012) Poster
Annapurna Pictures

Genre: Drama, History, Thriller, True Story

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce, Juan Minujín

A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L.s Team 6 in May 2011.

The Two Popes (2019)

The Two Popes (2019) Poster
Rideback

Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama, True Story

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce, Juan Minujín

At a key turning point for the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI unexpectedly befriends the future Pope Francis. Inspired by true events.

American Sniper (2014)

American Sniper (2014) Poster
Warner Bros. Pictures

Genre: Action, Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Luke Grimes

Navy special forces sniper Chris Kyle is having record numbers of hit targets in Iraq, while his life at home is slowly falling apart.

In the Heart of the Sea (2015)

In the Heart of the Sea (2015) Poster
Warner Bros. Pictures

Genre: Action, Adventure, Biography, True Story

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy

In this story of a true event (inspired by the novel “Moby Dick”), the crew of a New England whaler fights for their lives after a giant whale sinks their ship.

Coach Carter (2005)

Coach Carter (2005) Poster
Paramount Pictures

Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport, True Story

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Rob Brown, Robert Ri’chard

Controversial basketball coach Ken Carter prioritizes school over sports and puts his undefeated high school team on the bench because of poor grades in school.

Zodiac (2007)

Zodiac (2007) Poster
Paramount Pictures

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, True Story

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr.

In this thriller based on a true story, a political cartoonist, a crime journalist and two police officers investigate the Zodiac, a notorious murderer from San Francisco.

Goodfellas (1990)

Goodfellas (1990) Poster
Winkler Films

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci

Former mobster Henry Hill recalls his colorful but violent rise and fall in a New York mafia family. The realization of the dream turned into a paranoid nightmare.

Eat Pray Love (2010)

Eat Pray Love (2010) Poster
Columbia Pictures

Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance, True Story

Starring: Julia Roberts, James Franco, Javier Bardem

Liz decides to change her life after the divorce and travels the world in search of good food, spirituality and true love.

Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

Seven Years in Tibet (1997) Poster
TriStar Pictures

Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Brad Pitt, David Thewlis, BD Wong

During World War II, the escaped prisoner of war reaches Tibet, where he meets the Dalai Lama, whose friendship completely changes his outlook on life.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) Poster
DreamWorks Pictures

Genre: Drama, History, Thriller, True Story

Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

The peaceful protest turned into a violent clash with police. What followed was one of the most notorious trials in history.

Moneyball (2011)

Moneyball (2011) Poster
Columbia Pictures

Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport, True Story

Starring: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Frustrated that his baseball club can’t afford expensive players, Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane is trying out a new revolutionary strategy.

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Dog Day Afternoon (1975) Poster
Warner Bros. Pictures

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Al Pacino, John Cazale, Charles Durning

To obtain money for her lover’s gender reassignment surgery, a married man teams up with an assistant to rob a New York bank on a hell of a summer day.

Glory (1989)

Glory (1989) Poster
Freddie Fields Productions

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman

The first regiment, entirely composed of African Americans in the American Civil War, attacks the Confederate army fort in the middle of a sea of ​​prejudice and bloodshed.

The Social Network (2010)

The Social Network (2010) Poster
Columbia Pictures

Genre: Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake

Director David Fincher’s biographical drama is a chronicle of Facebook owner Mark Zuckerberg’s meteoric rise from a Harvard student to an Internet superstar.

Hillbilly Elegy (2020)

Hillbilly Elegy (2020) Poster
Imagine Entertainment

Genre: Drama, True Story

Starring: Amy Adams, Glenn Close, Gabriel Basso

The Yale law student is returning to his hometown in Ohio due to an emergency, where he will have to think about three generations of family history and his own future.

Mank (2020)

Mank (2020) Poster
Netflix International Pictures

Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama, True Story

Starring: Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Charles Dance

Meet Hollywood in the 1930s through the eyes of witty screenwriter and alcoholic Herman J. Mankiewicz, who is trying to complete a screenplay for “Citizen Kane”.

Wonder (2017)

Wonder (2017) Poster
Lionsgate

Genre: Drama, Family

Starring: Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Jacob Tremblay

After a lifetime of schooling at home, a boy with a genetic facial disorder begins attending a traditional school, where he has to find friends among bullies.

The Dig (2021)

The Dig (2021) Poster
Clerkenwell Films

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, Lily James

On the eve of World War II, a British widow hires a self-taught archaeologist to excavate mysterious formations on her property, leading to an incredible discovery.

A Dog’s Way Home (2019)

A Dog's Way Home (2019) Poster
Columbia Pictures

Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family, True Story

Starring: Ben Ratner, Jonah Hauer-King, Spencer Drever

A loyal female dog who misses home embarks on a dangerous journey through Central America in search of her owner.

Cep Herkülü: Naim Süleymanoglu (2019)

Cep Herkülü: Naim Süleymanoglu (2019) Poster
Dijital Sanatlar

Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport, True Story

Starring: Hayat Van Eck, Selen Öztürk, Yetkin Dikinciler

This biographical film about Naim Süleymanoğlu shows how this Olympian, defector, outsider and weightlifter struggled despite adversity to strengthen his community.

Sergio (2020)

Sergio (2020) Poster
Black Rabbit Media

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Wagner Moura, Ana de Armas, Brían F. O’Byrne

Passions, ideals and bitter realities intertwine when charismatic UN diplomat Sergio Vieira de Mello finds himself trapped in a life-threatening situation in Iraq.

The Last Sentence (2012)

The Last Sentence (2012) Poster
Filmlance International

Genre: Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Jesper Christensen, Pernilla August, Ulla Skoog

As the Nazis approach the Swedish border, journalist Torgny Segerstedt resists the indifference of his nation and speaks out against the growing threat.

Mosul (2019)

Mosul (2019) Poster
WebStringers

Genre: Action, Drama, War, True Story

Starring: Suhail Dabbach, Adam Bessa, Is’haq Elias

After a renegade Iraqi unit saves his life, a young police officer joins them in the fight against ISIS in a devastated Mosul.

Rose Island (2020)

Rose Island (2020) Poster
Groenlandia

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, True Story

Starring: Elio Germano, Matilda De Angelis, Tom Wlaschiha

An idealistic engineer builds an island off the coast of Italy and declares it a state, thus attracting the attention of the world … and the government.

Young Andersen (2005)

Young Andersen (2005) Poster
Nordisk Film Denmark

Genre: Drama, True Story

Starring: Simon Dahl Thaulow, Peter Steen, Stine Fischer Christensen

The young H. C. Andersen ends up in a boarding school, where he immediately confronts his strict tutor, who is also the principal.

Notes for My Son (2020)

Notes for My Son (2020) Poster
Pampa Films

Genre: Drama, True Story

Starring: Valeria Bertuccelli, Esteban Lamothe, Julián Sorín

Suffering from incurable cancer, a woman fills a unique notebook for her son with thoughts of life, death and love so he can remember it. Recorded according to a true story.

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Catch Me If You Can (2002) Poster
Parkes/MacDonald Productions

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken

Barely 21 yet, Frank is a skilled forger who has passed as a doctor, lawyer and pilot. FBI agent Carl becomes obsessed with tracking down the con man, who only revels in the pursuit.

The King (2019)

The King (2019) Poster
Plan B Entertainment

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Tom Glynn-Carney, Gábor Czap, Tom Fisher

Hal, wayward prince and heir to the English throne, is crowned King Henry V after his tyrannical father dies. Now the young king must navigate palace politics, the war his father left behind, and the emotional strings of his past life.

Erin Brockovich (2000)

Erin Brockovich (2000) Poster
Jersey Films

Genre: Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, David Brisbin

An unemployed single mother becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city’s water supply.

Julie & Julia (2009)

Julie & Julia (2009) Poster
Columbia Pictures

Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance, True Story

Starring: Amy Adams, Meryl Streep, Chris Messina

Julia Child’s story of her start in the cooking profession is intertwined with blogger Julie Powell’s 2002 challenge to cook all the recipes in Child’s first book.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019) Poster
Participant

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Maxwell Simba, Felix Lemburo

Against all the odds, a thirteen-year-old boy in Malawi invents an unconventional way to save his family and village from famine.

The Duchess (2008)

The Duchess (2008) Poster
Pathé Renn Productions

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Dominic Cooper

A chronicle of the life of 18th-century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who was reviled for her extravagant political and personal life.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) Poster
Blueprint Pictures

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell

A mother personally challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter’s murder when they fail to catch the culprit.

Victoria & Abdul (2017)

Victoria & Abdul (2017) Poster
Working Title Films

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Tim Pigott-Smith

Queen Victoria strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young Indian clerk named Abdul Karim.

The Imitation Game (2014)

The Imitation Game (2014) Poster
Bristol Automotive

Genre: Biography, Drama, Thriller, True Story

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode

During World War II, the English mathematical genius Alan Turing tries to crack the German Enigma code with help from fellow mathematicians.

The Irishman (2019)

The Irishman (2019) Poster
Tribeca Productions

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci

An old man recalls his time painting houses for his friend, Jimmy Hoffa, through the 1950-70s.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019) Poster
Ninjas Runnin' Wild Productions

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Lily Collins, Zac Efron, Angela Sarafyan

A chronicle of the crimes of Ted Bundy from the perspective of Liz, his longtime girlfriend, who refused to believe the truth about him for years.

Lost Girls (2020)

Lost Girls (2020) Poster
Archer Gray

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller, True Story

Starring: Amy Ryan, Thomasin McKenzie, Gabriel Byrne

When Mari Gilbert’s daughter disappears, police inaction drives her own investigation into the gated Long Island community where Shannan was last seen. Her search brings attention to over a dozen murdered sex workers.

Come Sunday (2018)

Come Sunday (2018) Poster
Endgame Entertainment

Genre: Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Gerard Catus, Allie McCulloch

Evangelist Carlton Pearson is ostracized by his church for preaching that there is no Hell.

The Laundromat (2019)

The Laundromat (2019) Poster
Anonymous Content

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Gary Oldman, Antonio Banderas, AJ Meijer

A widow investigates an insurance fraud, chasing leads to a pair of Panama City law partners exploiting the world’s financial system.

Walk. Ride. Rodeo. (2019)

Walk. Ride. Rodeo. (2019) Poster
Poker Productions

Genre: Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Spencer Locke, Missi Pyle, Bailey Chase

A courageous teenager is determined to resume competitive rodeo months after her paralyzing spinal cord injury.

First They Killed My Father (2017)

First They Killed My Father (2017) Poster
Bophana Production

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Sareum Srey Moch, Phoeung Kompheak, Sveng Socheata

Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung recounts the horrors she suffered as a child under the rule of the deadly Khmer Rouge.

Kiss and Cry (2017)

Kiss and Cry (2017) Poster
Mythic Productions

Genre: Biography, Drama, Music, True Story

Starring: Sarah Fisher, Luke Bilyk, Chantal Kreviazuk

A romantic drama based on the story of Carley Allison, a promising 18-year-old figure skater and singer who made medical history in her fight against a rare 1 in 3.5 billion type of sarcoma.

The Highwaymen (2019)

The Highwaymen (2019) Poster
Casey Silver Productions

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Kevin Costner, Woody Harrelson, Kathy Bates

The untold true story of the legendary detectives who brought down Bonnie and Clyde.

22 July (2018)

22 July (2018) Poster
Scott Rudin Productions

Genre: Crime, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Anders Danielsen Lie, Jonas Strand Gravli, Jon Øigarden

A three-part story of Norway’s worst terrorist attack in which over seventy people were killed. 22 July looks at the disaster itself, the survivors, Norway’s political system and the lawyers who worked on this horrific case.

The Most Hated Woman in America (2017)

The Most Hated Woman in America (2017) Poster
Brownstone Productions

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Melissa Leo, Brandon Mychal Smith, Juno Temple

The life of Madelyn Murray O’Hair, the outspoken activist and founder of American Atheists.

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Dolemite Is My Name (2019) Poster
Davis Entertainment

Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama, True Story

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps

Eddie Murphy portrays real-life legend Rudy Ray Moore, a comedy and rap pioneer who proved naysayers wrong when his hilarious, obscene, kung-fu fighting alter ego, Dolemite, became a 1970s Blaxploitation phenomenon.

The Little Hours (2017)

The Little Hours (2017) Poster
Destro Films

Genre: Comedy, Romance, True Story

Starring: Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Kate Micucci

In the Middle Ages, a young servant fleeing from his master takes refuge at a convent full of emotionally unstable nuns. Introduced as a deaf mute man, he must fight to hold his cover as the nuns try to resist temptation.

Brain on Fire (2016)

Brain on Fire (2016) Poster
Denver & Delilah Productions

Genre: Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Thomas Mann, Richard Armitage

A young, capable professional cannot explain her newly erratic behavior.

Escape from Alcatraz (1979)

Escape from Alcatraz (1979) Poster
Paramount Pictures

Genre: Action, Biography, Crime, True Story

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Patrick McGoohan, Roberts Blossom

Alcatraz is the most secure prison of its time. It is believed that no one can ever escape from it, until three daring men make a possible successful attempt at escaping from one of the most infamous prisons in the world.

Snowden (2016)

Snowden (2016) Poster
KrautPack Entertainment

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo

The NSA’s illegal surveillance techniques are leaked to the public by one of the agency’s employees, Edward Snowden, in the form of thousands of classified documents distributed to the press.

Concussion (2015)

Concussion (2015) Poster
Columbia Pictures

Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport, True Story

Starring: Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks

In Pittsburgh, accomplished pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu uncovers the truth about brain damage in football players who suffer repeated concussions in the course of normal play.

The Dirt (2019)

The Dirt (2019) Poster
10th Street Entertainment

Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama, True Story

Starring: Douglas Booth, Iwan Rheon, Machine Gun Kelly

Based on the bestselling autobiography from Mötley Crüe, the film is an unflinching tale of success and excess as four misfits rise from the streets of Hollywood to the heights of international fame.

Girl, Interrupted (1999)

Girl, Interrupted (1999) Poster
Columbia Pictures

Genre: Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Clea DuVall

Based on writer Susanna Kaysen’s account of her 18-month stay at a mental hospital in the late 1960s.

Papillon (1973)

Papillon (1973) Poster
Allied Artists Pictures

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman, Victor Jory

A man befriends a fellow criminal as the two of them begin serving their sentence on a dreadful prison island, which inspires the man to plot his escape.

Papillon (2017)

Papillon (2017) Poster
Red Granite Pictures

Genre: Adventure, Biography, Crime, True Story

Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Damijan Oklopdzic, Christopher Fairbank

Wrongfully convicted for murder, Henri Charriere forms an unlikely relationship with fellow inmate and quirky convicted counterfeiter Louis Dega, in an attempt to escape from the notorious penal colony on Devil’s Island.

Molly’s Game (2017)

Molly's Game (2017) Poster
The Mark Gordon Company

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner

The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target.

A River Runs Through It (1992)

A River Runs Through It (1992) Poster
Columbia Pictures

Genre: Drama, True Story

Starring: Craig Sheffer, Brad Pitt, Tom Skerritt

The story about two sons of a stern minister — one reserved, one rebellious — growing up in rural Montana while devoted to fly fishing.

The Post (2017)

The Post (2017) Poster
20th Century Fox

Genre: Drama, True Story

Starring: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson

A cover-up spanning four U.S. Presidents pushes the country’s first female newspaper publisher and her editor to join an unprecedented battle between press and government.

The Blind Side (2009)

The Blind Side (2009) Poster
Alcon Entertainment

Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport, True Story

Starring: Quinton Aaron, Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw

The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All-American football player and first-round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.

Lion (2016)

Lion (2016) Poster
The Weinstein Company

Genre: Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, Rooney Mara

A five-year-old Indian boy is adopted by an Australian couple after getting lost hundreds of kilometers from home. 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.

All the President’s Men (1976)

All the President’s Men (1976) Poster
Wildwood Enterprises

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jack Warden

“The Washington Post” reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncover the details of the Watergate scandal that leads to President Richard Nixon’s resignation.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) Poster
20th Century Fox

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross

Wyoming, early 1900s. Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid are the leaders of a band of outlaws. After a train robbery goes wrong they find themselves on the run with a posse hard on their heels. Their solution – escape to Bolivia.

Spotlight (2015)

Spotlight (2015) Poster
Participant

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams

The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.

12 Years a Slave (2013)

12 Years a Slave (2013) Poster
New Regency Pictures

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Kenneth Williams, Michael Fassbender

In the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.

The Sound of Music (1965)

The Sound of Music (1965) Poster
20th Century Fox

Genre: Biography, Drama, Family, True Story

Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker

A woman leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the children of a Naval officer widower.

Schindler’s List (1993)

Schindler's List (1993) Poster
Amblin Entertainment

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley

In German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.

The French Connection (1971)

The French Connection (1971) Poster
20th Century Fox

Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider, Fernando Rey

A pair of NYC cops in the Narcotics Bureau stumble onto a drug smuggling job with a French connection.

Selma (2014)

Selma (2014) Poster
Pathé

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Oprah Winfrey

A chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965.

Apocalypse Now (1979)

Apocalypse Now (1979) Poster
United Artists

Genre: Drama, Mystery, War, True Story

Starring: Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall

A U.S. Army officer serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassinating a renegade Special Forces Colonel who sees himself as a god.

300 (2006)

300 (2006) Poster
My Poetic Works 300 Yen

Genre: Action, Drama, True Story

Starring: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham

King Leonidas of Sparta and a force of 300 men fight the Persians at Thermopylae in 480 B.C.

The Pianist (2002)

The Pianist (2002) Poster
Bac Films

Genre: Biography, Drama, Music, True Story

Starring: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay

A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II.

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

A Beautiful Mind (2001) Poster
Universal Pictures

Genre: Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly

After John Nash, a brilliant but asocial mathematician, accepts secret work in cryptography, his life takes a turn for the nightmarish.

Spartacus (1960)

Spartacus (1960) Poster
Universal Pictures

Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons

The slave Spartacus leads a violent revolt against the decadent Roman Republic.

Midnight Express (1978)

Midnight Express (1978) Poster
Columbia Pictures

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Brad Davis, Irene Miracle, Bo Hopkins

Billy Hayes, an American college student, is caught smuggling drugs out of Turkey and thrown into prison.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Lawrence of Arabia (1962) Poster
Horizon Pictures

Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Peter O’Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn

The story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.

Into the Wild (2007)

Into the Wild (2007) Poster
Paramount Vantage

Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Vince Vaughn, Catherine Keener

After graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters that shape his life.

Gotta Kick It Up! (2002)

Gotta Kick It Up! (2002) Poster
Walt Disney Television

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family, True Story

Starring: Camille Guaty, America Ferrera, Jhoanna Flores

A school dance team get a new lease of life thanks to a teacher who lets them in on the secret of Latin rhythms for a big competition.

Seabiscuit (2003)

Seabiscuit (2003) Poster
Universal Pictures

Genre: Drama, History, Sport, True Story

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Elizabeth Banks

True story of the undersized Depression-era racehorse whose victories lifted not only the spirits of the team behind it but also those of their nation.

Capote (2005)

Capote (2005) Poster
United Artists

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Clifton Collins Jr., Catherine Keener

In 1959, Truman Capote learns of the murder of a Kansas family and decides to write a book about the case. While researching for his novel In Cold Blood, Capote forms a relationship with one of the killers, Perry Smith, who is on death row.

Milk (2008)

Milk (2008) Poster
Groundswell Productions

Genre: Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch

The story of Harvey Milk and his struggles as an American gay activist who fought for gay rights and became California’s first openly gay elected official.

127 Hours (2010)

127 Hours (2010) Poster
Fox Searchlight Pictures

Genre: Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: James Franco, Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara

A mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive.

Lincoln (2012)

Lincoln (2012) Poster
DreamWorks Pictures

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn

As the American Civil War continues to rage, America’s president struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on the decision to emancipate the slaves.

American Hustle (2013)

American Hustle (2013) Poster
Annapurna Pictures

Genre: Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper

A con man, Irving Rosenfeld, along with his seductive partner Sydney Prosser, is forced to work for a wild F.B.I. Agent, Richie DiMaso, who pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and the Mafia.

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) Poster
Red Granite Pictures

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie

Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.

Wild (2014)

Wild (2014) Poster
bob industries

Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Gaby Hoffmann

A chronicle of one woman’s one thousand one hundred mile solo hike undertaken as a way to recover from a recent personal tragedy.

The Theory of Everything (2014)

The Theory of Everything (2014) Poster
Working Title Films

Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance, True Story

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Tom Prior

A look at the relationship between the famous physicist Stephen Hawking and his wife.

Hidden Figures (2016)

Hidden Figures (2016) Poster
Fox 2000 Pictures

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe

The story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program.

Dunkirk (2017)

Dunkirk (2017) Poster
Warner Bros. Pictures

Genre: Action, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Fionn Whitehead, Barry Keoghan, Mark Rylance

Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.

The Last Full Measure (2019)

The Last Full Measure (2019) Poster
Foresight Unlimited

Genre: Drama, War, True Story

Starring: Sebastian Stan, Alison Sudol, Asher Miles Fallica

Thirty-four years after his death, Airman William H. Pitsenbarger, Jr. (“Pits”) is awarded the nation’s highest military honor, for his actions on the battlefield.

I Still Believe (2020)

I Still Believe (2020) Poster
Kevin Downes Productions

Genre: Biography, Drama, Music, True Story

Starring: K.J. Apa, Britt Robertson, Nathan Parsons

The true-life story of Christian music star Jeremy Camp and his journey of love and loss that looks to prove there is always hope.

Resistance (2020)

Resistance (2020) Poster
Warner Bros. Film Productions Germany

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, True Story

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Clémence Poésy, Matthias Schweighöfer

The story of mime Marcel Marceau as he works with a group of Jewish boy scouts and the French Resistance to save the lives of ten thousand orphans during World War II.

Bad Education (2019)

Bad Education (2019) Poster
Sight Unseen Pictures

Genre: Biography, Comedy, Crime, True Story

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Ray Romano, Welker White

The beloved superintendent of New York’s Roslyn school district and his staff, friends and relatives become the prime suspects in the unfolding of the single largest public school embezzlement scandal in American history.

Miss Virginia (2019)

Miss Virginia (2019) Poster
Moving Picture Institute

Genre: Drama, True Story

Starring: Matthew Modine, Aunjanue Ellis, Vanessa Williams

A struggling inner-city mother sacrifices everything to give her son a good education. Unwilling to allow her son to stay in a dangerous school, she launches a movement that could save his future – and that of thousands like him.

On the Basis of Sex (2018)

On the Basis of Sex (2018) Poster
Participant

Genre: Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux

The true story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, her struggles for equal rights, and the early cases of a historic career that lead to her nomination and confirmation as U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice.

Hustlers (2019)

Hustlers (2019) Poster
STXfilms

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles

Inspired by the viral New York Magazine article, Hustlers follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients.

Just Mercy (2019)

Just Mercy (2019) Poster
Warner Bros. Pictures

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, True Story

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, Brie Larson

World-renowned civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson works to free a wrongly condemned death row prisoner.

Cadillac Records (2008)

Cadillac Records (2008) Poster
Parkwood Entertainment

Genre: Biography, Drama, Music, True Story

Starring: Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Beyoncé

Chronicles the rise of Chess Records and its recording artists.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) Poster
TriStar Pictures

Genre: Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Chris Cooper

Based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Lloyd Vogel.

Harriet (2019)

Harriet (2019) Poster
Stay Gold Features

Genre: Action, Biography, Drama, True Story

Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Monáe, Leslie Odom Jr.

The extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes, whose courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history.

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