You might have heard of the saying that reality is often stranger than fiction, and we believe that’s the case. Over the years, some of the finest films ever made have been based on real-life events. There’s something insanely satisfying about a movie when it is based on true events. It adds a sense of rawness and realism to the film and if done right, it can make the film much more immersive and entertaining. Seeing the words ‘Based on a True story’ can be fascinating and make you wonder several things, it builds up intrigue in your mind, and you can’t stop yourself from Googling about the said true event. Great stories are what stay with you a long time after the credits roll, and we have made a list of the Best Movies Based On Real Life Stories.
Best Movies Based On Real-life Stories
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Schindler’s List
This American historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, tells the story of Oskar Schindler (a Nazi businessman) who with the help of his wife saves the lives of over 1000 Jews from the Holocaust by employing them in his factories during World War II. The film was shot in black and white and Steven Spielberg approached the film as a documentary. The film was extremely well received with critics praising the direction, performances and atmosphere. The film was also a box office success, earning $322 million worldwide on a $22 million budget. The film won seven Academy Awards, and is regarded as one of the most influential films and was elected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
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12 Years a Slave
An adaptation of the 1853 slave memoir Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup, 12 Years a Slave tells the story of a young African-American man who gets kidnapped in Washington in 1841 and is sold into slavery. Directed by Steve McQueen, the film was released to critical acclaim in 2013 and went on to win several accolades including 3 Academy Awards and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture in Drama. The film was praised for its brutal and honest look at American slavery, and its take on several heavy topics such as racism, inequality and sexual and physical abuse. The film went on to earn over $187 million worldwide and was named as the 44th greatest film since 2000 in a BBC poll.
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Midnight Express
This prison neo-noir drama film directed by Alan Parker, based in 1977 non-fiction book Midnight Express, tells the real-life story of Billy Hayes, a young American student sent to a Turkish prison for trying to smuggle hashish out of Turkey. Though the film is not 100% accurate to the source material, and portrays Turkish characters in a bad light, for which it was heavily criticized. The film is still an emotional roller-coaster ride, full of twists and turns that will you on the edge of your seat throughout its runtime. Brad Davis delivers one of his all-time great performance in his portrayal of Billy Hayes, and the pacing and direction of the film are top-notch. If you are looking for Prison film based on a true story, then you could not go wrong with Midnight Express.
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Catch me if you can
Based on the life of Frank Abagnale, Catch Me If You Can biographical crime film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks in the lead roles as the film tells the story of the Notorious con artist Frank Abagnale, who cons people millions of dollars with his masterful art of deception. The film strictly follows the plot of Abagnale’s 1980 book of the same name and is historically accurate for most of the time. Spielberg wanted complete accuracy in the relationships and actual scams that took place, thus making the film an honest representation of the Novel. The film was a critical and commercial success and was nominated for 2 Academy Awards.
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Goodfellas
Easily one of the greatest films of all time, Goodfellas is a crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, based on the 1985 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, The film tells the real-life story of Henry Hill and his friends, and their rise to the top of the American crime syndicate from 1955 to 1980. The film is full of charm and style, the film does a great job of telling Henry Hill’s story, right from his childhood, to his rise in the world of organized crime, and his downfall. The film has everything that you would want in a gangster film; great storytelling, phenomenal acting, tight screenplay and a soothing background score. The film rightly deserves its place as one of the most influential and significant films. According to Henry Hill, the film was about 90-95 per cent accurate to the real-life events that he and his gangster friends went through, which makes this legendary film even more impressive.
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The Imitation Game
Based on the 1983 biography Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges, The Imitation Game is a historical drama film directed by Morten Tyldum. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role, as the film tells the story of British cryptanalyst Alan Turing who decrypted German intelligence messages for the British government during the Second World War. Made on a budget of $14 Million, the film quickly became the highest-grossing independent film of 2014 and was met with tremendous reception both critically and commercially. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, and three 21st Screen Actors Guild Awards.
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The Pursuit Of Happyness
The Pursuit of Happyness is a biographical drama film directed by Gabriele Muccino, based on the best-selling 2006 memoir of the same name written by Gardner with Quincy Troupe. The film stars Will Smith in the lead role, as the film tells the story Chris Gardner, and his nearly one-year struggle being homeless as a salesman in San Fransisco. The film became somewhat of a cult classic and is regarded as one of the most inspiring and motivational films of all time. The film was praised for its direction, storytelling and acting. Will Smith’s portrayal received acclaim, and he was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Actor.
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