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If you enjoy watching realistic stories, follow our complete guide on the Best Movies Based on Real Events.
Certainly, there are films that move, surprise and, above all, inspire for a simple reason: they really happened.
However, films based on real events have a different impact on the viewer, as they tell stories that have come from the pages of newspapers, history books or from the accounts of ordinary people who faced the extraordinary.
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So, in this article, we have put together a selection of the best movies based on real events, spanning different genres and eras, with inspiring dramas, remarkable biographies and historical events masterfully portrayed in cinema.
So, get your popcorn ready and check out this unmissable list!
1. The Theory of Everything (2014)
Firstly, inspired by the life of physicist Stephen Hawking, the film shows his struggle against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), diagnosed when he was still a young student.
The work also portrays his brilliant scientific career and his deep relationship with Jane Wilde, his first wife.
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Eddie Redmayne's performance is moving as it shows Hawking's physical deterioration over the years, contrasting with his intellectual and human growth.
🎬 Directed by: James Marsh
🌟 Starring: Eddie Redmayne (Oscar for Best Actor)
2. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
Then based on the autobiography of Solomon Northup, a free black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the southern United States in the 19th century.
The film is a raw and moving portrait of the brutality of slavery and the resilience of the human spirit.
The narrative leads us to question the history of humanity and highlights the value of freedom.
🎬 Directed by: Steve McQueen
🌟 Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong'o, Michael Fassbender
3. The Imitation Game (2014)
The plot follows the true story of Alan Turing, a British mathematician who helped decipher the codes of the Nazis' Enigma machine during World War II.
Thus, in addition to showing his genius, the film also exposes the prejudice against his sexuality and the tragic fate he suffered after being convicted by the British justice system.
Ultimately, it is a belated tribute to one of the least recognized heroes of the 20th century.
🎬 Directed by: Morten Tyldum
🌟 Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley
4. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Based on the memoirs of Jordan Belfort, the film shows the meteoric rise (and fall) of a stockbroker involved in corruption schemes and financial fraud.
However, with a fast pace and plenty of acid humor, the work exposes the excesses of the financial market, with extravagant parties, drugs and excessive ambition.
🎬 Directed by: Martin Scorsese
🌟 Protagonist: Leonardo DiCaprio
5. Unbroken (2014)
It tells the story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and US Air Force pilot during World War II, who survives a plane crash, being adrift in the ocean, and imprisonment in a Japanese concentration camp.
A tale of perseverance, courage and the human capacity to endure the worst horrors of war.
🎬 Directed by: Angelina Jolie
🌟 Cast: Jack O'Connell, Domhnall Gleeson
6. Erin Brockovich (2000)
The incredible true story of a woman who, without legal training, managed to take a powerful energy company to court for polluting a city's water.
Erin, played by Julia Roberts, is a portrait of persistence and the fight for justice, facing challenges with courage and empathy.
🎬 Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
🌟 Starring: Julia Roberts (Oscar for Best Actress)
7. Spotlight (2015)
It shows the journalistic investigation by the Boston Globe newspaper that revealed a scandal of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests and the systematic cover-up by the Church.
A faithful and impactful account of investigative journalism and the importance of freedom of the press in the search for truth and justice.
🎬 Directed by: Tom McCarthy
🌟 Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams
8. Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
It tells the story of the legendary band Queen and its lead singer Freddie Mercury, showing their meteoric rise, personal challenges and the iconic show at Live Aid in 1985.
Rami Malek delivers an intense and transformative performance, bringing to life the charismatic Freddie and his struggles with fame and sexuality.
🎬 Directed by: Bryan Singer
🌟 Starring: Rami Malek (Oscar for Best Actor)
9. Lion: A Journey Home (2016)
Based on the incredible story of Saroo Brierley, an Indian child who gets lost from his family, is adopted by an Australian couple and, years later, decides to rediscover his origins through Google Earth.
In short, a moving story about identity, memory and reunion.
🎬 Directed by: Garth Davis
🌟 Cast: Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman
10. The Blind Side (2009)
Finally, inspired by the story of Michael Oher, a young man in a vulnerable situation who, after being taken in by a family, becomes a professional American football player.
After all, the work is moving as it shows the importance of solidarity and unconditional love to transform lives.
🎬 Directed by: John Lee Hancock
🌟 Starring: Sandra Bullock (Oscar for Best Actress), Quinton Aaron
Conclusion
Ultimately, films based on real events have the power to move us because they connect us with reality.
Thus, each of these works brings valuable lessons about overcoming, courage, justice, love and redemption.
Therefore, when watching these stories, we are not only entertained, but we also reflect on the world and the human capacity to transform adversity into achievement.
So, choose one from the list, press play and be inspired by these narratives that show that real life can be even more impactful than fiction.
