They say truth is stranger than fiction, and, sometimes, that’s true. There’s something about movies based on true events that makes them that much more thrilling. Whether it’s learning about history or just reveling in a real person’s successes, these fifteen movies based on true events offer something no other genre can produce.
Elvis
Austin Butler might have been a weird call to portray the King, but he absolutely nailed it. His absurdly accurate impersonation of Elvis is so spot-on that it’s genuinely spooky, and watching him disappear into the role is the film’s main draw.
Hacksaw Ridge
Hacksaw Ridge is one of the most historically accurate war films ever made. It’s also an extremely gripping drama. One of the most interesting (and impressive) things about this movie is how it doesn’t need to embellish the truth at all to tell a compelling and inspiring story of human determination.
Captain Phillips
Tom Hanks puts on an acting tour de force in Captain Phillips, a movie based on the true story of the first American vessel captured by pirates in over a century. When Captain Phillips’ merchant vessel is taken by Somali pirates, the captain’s quick thinking and bravery are all that stand between his crew and terrible fate.
Goodfellas
Incredibly, the film Goodfellas is based on a nonfiction book. Wiseguy, by Nicholas Pileggi, recounts the true story of mob associate Henry Hill. Much of Hill’s life is known to the public because, after his 1980 arrest, he became an FBI informant. If you want to know more, you should watch Goodfellas.
Argo
Argo fudges a few details to trim the story down for the big screen. However, for the most part, it accurately retells the harrowing journey of Tony Mendez, a CIA operative who helps smuggle American hostages out of Iran under the cover of filming a sci-fi movie.
Moneyball
Michael Lewis’s nonfiction book Moneyball was adapted into a movie of the same name, and it’s a compelling watch. Featuring the usual blockbuster suspects (Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Chris Pratt), it’s a delightful retelling of the 2002 Oakland Athletics and how Billy Beane made them competitive on a shoestring budget.
Zodiac
The Zodiac Killer was never caught, but that hasn’t stopped authors and filmmakers from retelling the harrowing story of this real-world murderer. The film Zodiac smartly makes the investigation into the murders the star of the show, rather than definitively claiming that any suspect in particular was responsible. The case remains open to this day, a fact the film reminds viewers of.
The Founder
Biopic The Founder stars a captivating Michael Keaton as businessman Ray Kroc and his endeavor to create a successful fast-food chain. The resulting business, McDonald’s, goes on to become the biggest fast-food restaurant in the world. It’s a very interesting watch, offering equal doses of history lesson and drama.
Dog Day Afternoon
In 1972, John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile robbed a Chase Manhattan branch in Brooklyn, taking several hostages in a chaotic afternoon. Producer Martin Bregman found the story so fascinating that he bankrolled a movie, Dog Day Afternoon, that loosely adapted the events of the robbery.
Into the Wild
The movie Into the Wild is an adaptation of the nonfiction book of the same name, a biography of outdoorsman Christopher McCandless. This heartfelt and affecting story documents McCandless’s life, and tragic death, as an adventurer who sought freedom in the wilderness.
Glory
The Civil War film Glory offers an unflinching vision of the brutal violence that characterized the era. It focuses on Captain Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, which was one of the first all-black regiments in the Union Army.
Apollo 13
Apollo 13 is a spine-tingling thriller about the real-life failure of the eponymous space mission. Astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Hais were supposed to be on the third mission to land on the moon, but an on-board explosion rendered them low on oxygen and deprived of power. Their ensuing journey home gripped the nation.
Black Hawk Down
The 2001 film Black Hawk Down is based on the true story of the Battle of Mogadishu. During that battle, a Black Hawk helicopter was shot down in southern Somalia and beset by militia forces. The resulting standoff is harrowing and portrays the bleak realities of war.
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Ford vs Ferrari
Who doesn’t love to see cars zooming around at dangerous speeds? The Le Mans race in 1966 saw Henry Ford II cobble together a racing team to finally unseat the dominant Italian team Scuderia Ferrari. It’s a rousing sports movie that finds the human drama at the center of the famous historical race.
Read More: From Underdogs to Legends: 10 Inspirational Sports Movies
Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer isn’t a horror movie, but it’s still one of the scariest motion pictures released so far in the 21st Century. It’s a chilling recounting of the life of its title character, the father of the atomic bomb. The film grapples with Oppenheimer’s legacy as a scientist and what his invention has meant for the future of the human race.
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