When a movie begins by telling you that it is based on a true story, emotions are heightened and excitements ignited. Some of the greatest films ever made have been based in truth, and in those honest retellings of actual events, we are transported to a whole new world – but a real world, all at the same time.
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In looking at the best movies based on true stories,users on Letterboxd have chosen theseto top their list. They scale the worlds of war, criminal activity, social connection websites, and even murder. These films are considered the best, and that is entirely for a reason. That reason being simple: They are the best, and that is an agreed upon fact.
‘The Social Network’ (2010)
Facebook, we all know it. We likely all have a love/hate relationship with it, as well. There was so much drama that went on behind the scenes with the creation of the most popular social networking site on the internet, and this film does a great job of laying it all out for the world to see.
With an amazing cast ofJesse Eisenberg,Andrew Garfield,Justin Timberlake, andDakota Johnson, it is no wonder this movie was so well received. Not only did it shed light on the wildly successful world within Facebook, but it helped to jumpstart and continue the careers of these amazing actors.
‘Zodiac’ (2007)
In the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1960s and 1970s,there was a serial killer who terrorizedthe police with letters, bloody clothing of their victims, known as theZodiackiller. This film portrays the events of those murders and the subsequent manhunt and police investigations into the unsolved case.
Starring an incredible cast ofRobert Downey, Jr.,Jake Gyllenhaal,Mark Ruffalo, thisDavid Fincherdirected film opened the eyes of a whole new generation about the mystery that remains unsolved to this day. This film reignited interest in the unknowns of this case and brought awareness to the wild nature of what happened.
‘Spotlight’ (2015)
Spotlight, loosely based on a series of stories originally published byThe Boston Globein the early 2000s about the possible and widespread child sexual abuse within the Boston area by several Roman Catholic priests. While a taboo topic to address in film, this really shows the behind the scenes and hard work that was done to help bring to light and stop those heinous acts.
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The film follows Mark Ruffalo,Michael Keaton,Rachel McAdams,Stanley Tucci,Billy Crudup,Liev Schriberand several others as the various involved parties. Winning over sixty acclaimed awards, Spotlight definitely shined a light on a topic that needed to be seen and helped the world to know how to better approach this difficult and painful situation.
‘Schindler’s List’ (1993)
Based on a 1982 novel,Schindler’s Listfollows a German industrialist who saved more than a thousandJewish refugees from the Holocaustby giving them jobs in his factories during WWII. Shot universally in black and white (except for a little girl’s red coat), this film portrays the deafeningly dark and dire time and circumstance.
Leading the amazingly diverse case isLiam Neeson,Ben Kingsley, andRalph Fiennes. The film made such an impact that it won over twenty awards, including seven Academy Awards for Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Film Editing, Cinematography, and Art Direction. This beautiful film brought this story to life in a way that hadn’t been done before.
‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ (2013)
Following the life of stockbroker,Jordan Belfortand his career of rampant corruption and fraud, leading to his ultimate downfall. Leading the cast isLeonardo DiCaprio,Jonah Hill, andMargot Robbie. While the film received varied criticism, it was a universally successful film, making over $400 million.
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Despite the negative audience reaction to the film, Belfort himself has stated that he believes the film did a great job at depicting his life at the time and the relationships he made. And while he doesn’t necessarily agree with some of the oversimplifications, he understands their necessity for the film to be made an appropriate length.
‘12 Years a Slave’ (2013)
This amazing film follows the life of Solomon Northup, an African-American man, as he is kidnaped and sold into slavery for over a decade before being released to freedom. Despite countless setbacks and roadblocks, Northup continues pressing forward through painful hardship to get back to his family.
Comprised of an all-star castofChiwetel Ejiofor,Michael Fassbender,Lupita Nyong’o,Paul Dano,Benedict Cumberbatch,Brad Pitt, and many others, as well as winning almost one hundred forty acclaimed awards, this cinematic account of real life is beyond amazing in every way.
‘Goodfellas’ (1990)
Based on the life of Henry Hill, a mafia associate who eventually turned into an informant,Goodfellasstars an absolutely incredible cast:Robert De Niro,Ray Liotta,Joe Pesci, andSamuel L. Jackson. It chronicles the rise and fall of Hill as well as every nitty-gritty detail in between.
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Winning critical acclaim and over two dozen awards,Goodfellashas stood the test of time and shown that this genre of film is not only beloved, but sought after. The world often enjoys getting to peek behind the curtains to see the inner workings of these wild stories.
‘Dunkirk’ (2017)
Depicting the events of Operation Dynamo, the evacuation ofDunkirkduring World War II, this film is a masterclass in war films, perfected by the amazingChristopher Nolan. With only a few A-list celebs rounding out the cast, Nolan brought a lot of fresh faces in to make this piece perfect for the viewer.
The film received praise for its universally accurate portrayals of the events that took place, and additionally has received a few dozen awards, including three Academy Awards.Nolan is an absolute master at his craft, and this film is an amazing testament to his abilities.
‘Catch Me If You Can’ (2002)
In DiCaprio’s second appearance on this list, we see him portraying Frank Abagnale in the 2002 crime dramedy,Catch Me If You Can. Abagnale, a world-renowned con artist, claims to have performed millions of dollars' worth of cons posing as various career professionals. The film follows Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), an FBI agent chasing Abagnale down.
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With the supporting cast ofChristopher Walken,Martin Sheen,James Brolin, and a youngAmy Adams, there is never a dull scene throughout. The film has sustained great critical and audience acclaim and has continued to grow as a cult classic over the years. It is definitely a film worth watching, even if some of the details might be a little bit off.
All the President’s Men (1976)
Everyone knows Richard Nixon’s famous quote of “I am not a crook”, but not necessarily everyone knows all the details that surround his reason for saying that.All the President’s Menfollows the ins and outs of the Watergate scandal investigation within the Washington Post.
Dustin HoffmanandRobert Redfordlead this film to absolute beautiful tension. Learning the behind-the-scenes aspects of this infamous time in political history is an invaluable vantage point to have and one that should be watched by any movie or political science buff.
