30 Best Movies Based On True Stories And Events

Movies based on true stories sometimes feel cheesy or like Oscar bait. However, they don’t have to be. “Movies based on true events” is a broader genre than it sometimes gets credit for. From Drama to Action to Romance and even musicals, many films are based on true stories. However, popular topics especially include bio-pics, war and sports movies. Many filmmakers and writers take inspiration from the world around them and find true stories worth telling. There are hundreds of films based on true stories. While many are good, this list seeks to showcase the best of the best movies based on true events.

Top Movies Based On A True Story

Just to be clear, this list doesn’t include documentaries. It includes only narrative films based on events after the fact. It is hard to rank films on a list like this as they come from all different genres and seek to accomplish different goals. Notably, the films are not ranked by how important the story they tell is. Also, while this list doesn’t consider how close the film is to the real story in its ranking, it does omit several kinds of films that are “inspired by true events.”

This list does not include semi-autobiographical films based on the director’s (or someone close to the director’s) life, such as The 400 Blows, Roma, America America, Past Lives or The Farewell. These are all great films; however, this list prioritizes films that are directly based on true stories. Similarly, this list also tries to stay away from purposely fictionalized films. Purposely fictionalized films include movies where all the major characters are fictionalized like Titanic as well as films that are fictionalized for the purpose of commentary like Citizen Cane, Inherent the Wind or RRR. This list also seeks to stay away from films that are based on novels that include real people like Gods and Monsters or Cabaret.

30. A Night To Remember (1958)

While 1997’s Titanic doesn’t appear on this list because its main characters are fictionalized, A Night to Remember is a very realistic portrayal of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. The film, which has long been celebrated for its accuracy, is based on a nonfiction book of the same name, based on 63 survivor accounts. While many have revisited the film to compare it to Titanic, it was also was popular with audiences and critics on its release.

The film stars Kenneth More, Michael Goodliffe, Laurence Naismith, Kenneth Griffith, David McCallum and Tucker McGuire. A Night to Remember currently has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and is streaming for free on Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel and Amazon.

29. Loving Vincent (2017)

Loving Vincent is not only an animated film but also sells itself as the “world’s first fully painted film.” The film is about the life and, specifically, the death of painter Vincent Van Gogh. It is a stylish and heartbreaking film. Loving Vincent is comprised of 65,000 frames of oil painting on canvas in a similar style to Van Gogh. The film took 125 artists six years to complete

Co-directed by DK and Hugh Welchman, Loving Vincent was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The film was partially funded by the Polish Film Institute and a Kickstarter campaign. Loving Vincent stars Robert Gulaczyk, Douglas Booth, Jerome Flynn, Saoirse Ronan, Helen McCrory and Chris O’Dowd. It is currently available to rent on YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV and Amazon Prime.

28. Selena (1997)

It is surprisingly hard to make a good music bio-pic; many of them feel a bit lackluster. However, there are a couple of good ones including Ray, Get On Up, La Bamba and Walk the Line. It is hard to say if Selena is the best of this genre, but it captures something special, possibly because of the icon it is about. Selena tells the story of the rise and tragic murder of Tejano music star Selena Quintanilla-Pérez.

Directed by Gregory Nava, Selena stars Jennifer Lopez, Edward James Olmos, Jon Seda and Lupe Ontiveros. Lopez’s performance is especially notable. In 2021, it was chosen for preservation in the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” It is available for free on Tubi.

27. The 47 Ronin (1941)

Many samurai and Chanbara films are at least loosely based on true events. The 47 Ronin tells the story of the Akō incident, where a pack of swordsmen avenged the death of their lord during the Tokugawa Shogunate. The film shouldn’t be confused the 2013 film 47 Ronin (which isn’t good) or the 1958 film The Loyal 47 Ronin (which is just okay), which also tell the story of the Akō vendetta.

The film was originally supposed to be government propaganda to bolster wartime patriotism; however, director Kenji Mizoguchi took it in a far more subdued direction. It is long and did poorly at the box office. However, part of this was likely due to its release the week before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The film wasn’t shown in America until two decades later. While it wasn’t popular initially, it is a beautiful foundational film in the samurai genre. If you are looking for more great Chanbara films based (at least loosely on) true stories, When the Last Sword is Drawn, and Hiroshi Inagaki’s Samurai Trilogy are also wonderful. The 47 Ronin is free to stream on Tubi and Max with a subscription.

26. The Big Sick (2017)

Very few romcoms are based on true stories; however, The Big Sick does it well. The film tells the story of the early romance between Kumail Nanjiani and his now wife, Emily V. Gordon, as she battles adult-onset Still’s Disease. Nanjiani and Gordon co-wrote the film, and it feels very personal.

Directed by Michael Showalter, Nanjani plays himself, while Gordon is played by Zoe Kazan. The film has a lot of heart and humor and feels deeply human. While the movie received good reviews, it also drew criticism for its depiction of Desi women, something that Nanjiani has since apologized for. The film is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime.

25. Glory (1989)

War movies are a large subsection of the “based on a true story” genre; however, many of them are not great (this may also have to do with some bias against war movies by this author). Out of the subgenre of true war movies, Glory is arguably one of the better ones. The film tells the story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, a Black regiment during the Civil War.

Directed by Edward Zwick, the film stars Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick, Cary Elwes and Morgan Freeman. It is easily one of the best Civil War movies ever made, and its grandness and heart carry it. Washington’s performance is also a standout, and he won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (the film also won for Best Cinematography and Best Sound). Glory is available to rent on YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV and Amazon Prime.

24. Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Dolemite is My Name tells the story of Rudy Ray More and his character, Dolemite, who he used as a stand-up and in a series of 1970s blaxploitation films. The film is not only funny but also has a lot of heart while it tells a story about representation and low-budget filmmaking.

Directed by Craig Brewer, the film stars Eddie Murphy, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Tituss Burgess and Wesley Snipes. Murphy and Randolph especially shine; however, the entire cast delivers great performances. If you enjoy Dolemite is My Name, you should also watch 2003’s Baadasssss!, a film about Melvin Van Peebles’s challenges when making another blaxploitation classic, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song. Notably, Van Peebles’s son Mario Van Peebles wrote, directed and played his own father in Baadasssss!. Dolemite is My Name is available to stream on Netflix.

23. Pride (2014)

Pride tells the story of the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners campaign, a group of gay activists who became involved in the 1984 British miners strike in a small village in Wales. Directed by Matthew Warchus, Pride stars Ben Schnetzer, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West and Andrew Scott.

The film is incredibly earnest while still having a message about community, collective liberation and acceptance. It received the Queer Palm at the Cannes Film Festival. It is one of several very sweet but still funny queer movies based on a true story (other notable films include I Love You, Phillip Morris and Kinky Boots.) It is available to rent on YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV and Amazon Prime.

22. The Iron Claw (2023)

The Iron Claw follows the real-life story of the Von Erich brothers and World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW). It’s a heartbreaking film about wrestling, familial pressure, the bonds of brotherhood and generational curses.

The film stars Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson and Lily James. Efron’s performance is powerful and easily one of the best of his career leading many to say that he, and the film at large, were snubbed at the Oscars. The film was produced and promoted during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike because it was given special dispensation due to A24’s relationship with the Union. The Iron Claw is available to stream on Max.

21. The Big Short (2015)

The Big Short is based on Michael Lewis’s book The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine and follows how the housing bubble triggered the 2007–2008 financial crisis. Directed by Adam McKay, the film features a large ensemble cast that includes Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, John Magaro, Finn Wittrock, Hamish Linklater, Rafe Spall, Jeremy Strong and Marisa Tomei.

The film’s real strength is its ability to take a fairly dry and complicated financial story and make it engaging and often funny. It is also impressively accurate. The film was nominated for five Oscars and won for Best Adapted Screenplay. It is currently available to stream on Peacock and Paramount+.

20. Once Upon a Time in China (1991)

There are many martial arts films about Wong Fei-hung (who was both a real person and a Cantonese folk hero). However, Once Upon a Time in China is arguably the best. The film follows Wong’s fight for family, lov and his martial arts school during a period marked by the rising tide of imperialism and a rapidly modernizing way of life in late 1800s China.

Directed by Tsui Hark, Once Upon a Time in China was a breakout film for Jet Li. It is a prime example of Hong Kong’s golden age of cinema in the 1990s and it won four Hong Kong Film Awards. The film has several sequels, but the original is by far the best. Once Upon a Time in China is currently streaming on Max.

19. Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

A large part of what makes Can You Ever Forgive Me? a must-watch is the performances, especially by Melissa McCarthy (as well as co-star Richard E. Grant). The film is based on the memoir of Lee Israel and follows Israel as she forges letters from deceased celebrities as her writing career was failing.

The movie was nominated for three Oscars. Directed by Marielle Heller, the film is surprisingly funny in a dark and wry sort of way. However, more than that, it is a beautiful if quiet film about success, alcoholism and guilt that will be loved by those with queer sensibilities or appreciation for the bygone great minds of New York City. It is available to rent on YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV and Amazon Prime.

18. The Sound of Music (1965)

While The Sound of Music is directly based on the 1950s stage musical of the same name by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, it is also one of many films based on the life of Maria Von Trapp. The musical and its film adaptation are loosely based on Maria von Trapp’s 1949 memoir, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers.

The film follows Maria from her life in a convent to her time as the governess for the von Trapp family in 1930s Austria, and the family’s eventual escape from the Nazis to Switzerland. Directed by Robert Wise, the film stars Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. While the film originally garnered mixed reviews, it won five Oscars and surpassed Gone With The Wind to become the highest-grossing film of all time, a distinction it held for five years. The Sound of Music is currently streaming on Disney+.

17. Persepolis (2007)

While not many animated films are based on true stories, Persepolis is based on Marjane Satrapi’s graphic memoir of the same name. The film follows Satrapi’s life after the Iranian revolution. Co-directed by Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, the film retains the graphic memoirs in bold black-and-white style, which is very arresting.

The film won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and was also nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards. It has a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is available to rent on YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play and Apple TV.

16. Funny Girl (1968)

Funny Girl is based on a stage musical of the same name. It follows the life of comedian Fanny Brice and her relationship with gambler Nicky Arnstein (if a little loosely). The film stars Barbra Streisand and Omar Sharif. Sharif was almost replaced in the film for being Egyptian since the Six-Day War between Israel and Egypt broke out while the film was in rehearsals. However, director William Wyler and Streisand threatened to quit if executives replaced him.

Funny Girl went on to gain both critical and commercial success and earned eight Academy Award Nominations. It has also received praise for its portrayal of Jewish womanhood. It is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime.

15. A League of Their Own (1992)

“There’s no crying in baseball!” A League of Their Own maybe shouldn’t count for this list. While it is based on the true story of the All-American Girls League and the Rockford Peaches were a real team, many of the characters are fictionalized. The film follows the creation of a women’s baseball team as World War II shuts down men’s major league baseball.

Directed by Penny Marshall, the film stars Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Madonna, Lori Petty, Rosie O’Donnell, Jon Lovitz, Garry Marshall and Bill Pullman. The baseball in the film is surprisingly real. Every woman who auditioned for the film also had to learn or be able to play baseball. Davis especially had some natural talent, and learning to play for the movie led her to rediscover a love for sports. She even eventually made it to the Olympic trials for archery… talk about an arm. It is still the highest-grossing baseball movie of all time, beating out the Jackie Robinson biopic, 42. It is currently streaming on Sling TV with a premium subscription.

14. Zodiac (2007)

There are many films based on real-life serial killers. While many are not great, some stand-outs include My Friend Dahmer, Monster, In Cold Blood and Memories of Murder (which is a little too fictionalized for his list but a masterpiece of a film). However, the best of this genre is 2007’s Zodiac, which follows the search for San Francisco’s so-called zodiac killer in the late 1960s.

The subgenre of serial killer-inspired movies often suffers from either being too imagined or focusing too much on the culprit. Zodiac does neither, partially because the case it’s based on is still unsolved. The film is based on two books by Robert Graysmith, which posit an idea of who the culprit was, but there is still room for mystery. The film almost feels more like a story of a newspaperman than of a killer, but it works phenomenally as a slow-burning thriller. Directed by David Fincher, the film stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr. and Brian Cox. It is currently streaming on MGM+.

13. Milk (2008)

Milk tells the story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office in California, and who was assassinated in 1978. Directed by Gus Van Sant, the film stars Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna and James Franco.

Milk received 8 Oscars nominations, winning two for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay. It is one of many great biopics of important LBGTQ+ icons (including 2015’s Bessie, 1997’s Wilde, 2005’s Capote and 2002’s Frida) and is a must-watch in the genre. It is available to rent on Amazon Prime, Google Play and Apple TV.

12. Raging Bull (1980)

Raging Bull tells the story of middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta. The film is based on his memoir Raging Bull: My Story. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film stars Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty and Nicholas Colasanto.

Initially, De Niro wanted to make the film with Scorsese, but the director wasn’t interested. However, after a collapse while at the 1978 Telluride Film Festival (and another soon after in New York City), Scorsese connected with LaMotta’s story and agreed to make it. Raging Bull went on to be nominated for eight Oscars and currently has a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. It is available to stream for free on Amazon Prime. It is also available on Max with a subscription.

11. All The President’s Men (1976)

A quick response to the Watergate scandal, All the President’s Men is based on the 1974 non-fiction book of the same name by journalists Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. The film follows the two as they investigate the 1972 burglary of the Democratic Party Headquarters.

Directed by Alan J. Pakula, All the President’s Men stars Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Robards, Jack Warden, Martin Balsam and Hal Holbrook. It is a very well mde film, even if it was probably more striking closer to the scandal than it is now. The film was nominated for eight Oscars, winning four. In 2010, it was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress. It is available to rent on Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play and Apple TV.

10. Hustlers (2019)

Hustlers is a film based on a 2015 New York Magazine article by Jessica Pressler called “The Hustlers at Scores” about the true story of NYC strippers and their con of drugging stock traders to commit credit card fraud.

Written and directed by Lorene Scafaria, the film is darkly funny and inventive. It balances genuine emotion and bombastic crimes. Overall, it feels like part Goodfellas and part Showgirls, but in the best way possible. The film stars Constance Wu, Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Cardi B and Jennifer Lopez, who was especially praised for her performances and dancing. It is currently streaming on Hulu.

9. Schindler’s List (1993)

Schindler’s List is based on the real-life story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved more than a thousand Jews from the Nazis by employing them in his factories. Directed by Steven Spielberg, it stars Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Ben Kingsley.

While there are some key differences between the real-life story and the film, Schindler’s List is a beautiful film that had some real-world implications. The film was a commercial success, earning $322.2 million worldwide on a $22 million budget, and due to the film’s success, Spielberg founded the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation. The city of Kraków also purchased Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory and turned it into a permanent museum exhibition. The film was also nominated for 12 Oscars. Schindler’s List is available to rent on Google Play, Apple TV, Amazon Prime and YouTube.

8. Fruitvale Station (2013)

Fruitvale Station tells the story of the murder of Oscar Grant by the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) police in 2009. It is a heartbreaking film that follows the last day of Grant’s life leading up to his death on the early morning of January 1.

The film was the first feature film written and directed by Oakland filmmaker Ryan Coogler. It stars Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray, Ahna O’Reilly and Octavia Spencer. Fruitvale Station won the Grand Jury Prize and an Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival (under its original title, Fruitvale). The film feels very authentic to Oakland and the Bay Area, especially Jordan’s performance. It is currently streaming on Max.

7. Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Hotel Rwanda tells the story of Paul Rusesabagina, a man who sheltered over 1,000 refugees in his hotel in Kigali during the Rwandan Genocide. Directed by Terry George, the film stars Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Joaquin Phoenix and Nick Nolte.

The film is heartbreaking and inspiring, but more than that, it takes aim at the west and their blind eye to the horrors of genocide in Rwanda, including the failures of the U.N. While Hotel Rwanda is the most famous, there are a couple of other beautiful films about the Rwandan Genocide, including Lee Isaac Chung’s Munyurangabo and Alrick Brown’s Kinyarwanda. Hotel Rwanda is streaming for free on Tubi, Pluto TV and The Roku Channel.

6. The French Connection (1971)

While The French Connection takes some creative liberties and fictionalizes some characters, it is based on the 1969 non-fiction book of the same name. The film follows NYPD and narcotics officers as they try to track down a French Heroin kingpin. While it is probably most famous for its car chase scene under the elevated subways in Brooklyn, it is a great crime thriller throughout.

Directed by William Friedkin, the film stars Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider and Tony Lo Bianco. The French Connection was nominated for eight Oscars and won five, including Best Picture. It has been a favorite of many directors, including Akira Kurosawa. David Fincher said that it “had a profound impact” on his life. Steven Spielberg also used it as an inspiration for his film Munich. The French Connection is currently available to stream on Max.

5. Catch Me if You Can (2002)

It is hard to say how much of Catch Me if You Can actually happened; however it is based the alleged life of Frank Abagnale Jr. The story follows the conman as a teenager who carries out a check fraud scheme. Even if the real Frank Abagnale Jr. faked parts of his memoir, the film is a phenomenal look at success and dreams in the 1970s.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Nathalie Baye and Amy Adams. The film was nominated for two Oscars. It is streaming for free on Pluto TV or with a subscription on Paramount+.

4. Judas And The Black Messiah (2021)

Judas And The Black Messiah is one of several amazing films about the lives of civil rights pioneers (others include Selma and Malcom X). Directed by Shaka King, Judas and The Black Messiah is about the murder of Fred Hampton and Chicago’s Black Panther Party in the 1960s.

The film stars Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons, Dominique Fishback, Ashton Sanders and Martin Sheen. Kaluuya and Stanfield especially shine in this film, and both actors were nominated for Academy Awards for best supporting actor (Kaluuya won for his portrayal of Hampton). It perfectly captures the drama of revolution and the FBI’s fear of social change while still being a tensely watchable real-life thriller. It is currently streaming on Max.

3. Goodfellas (1990)

“We always called each other Goodfellas.” Based on Wiseguy, journalist Nicholas Pileggi’s book about Henry Hill, Goodfellas follows the rise and fall of a mob associate. The film is a master class of mixing humor, tragedy and brutality.

Directed by Martin Scorsese, Goodfellas stars Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards and won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Pesci. In 2000, the Library of Congress selected it for preservation as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The film also helped inspire The Sopranos, which featured 27 actors who appeared in Goodfellas over its six seasons. Goodfellas is currently streaming on Philo.

2. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

“Attica! Attica!” Sidney Lumet’s Dog Day Afternoon is based on a Life magazine article called “The Boys in the Bank” by P. F. Kluge and Thomas Moore. The film follows a robbery and hostage situation at a Brooklyn bank.

Dog Day Afternoon stars Al Pacino, John Cazale, James Broderick and Charles Durning. The film was a success, both with critics and at the box office, and was nominated for six Academy Awards, winning for Best Original Screenplay. It has also been reassessed (without too many spoilers) as an early important film in queer cinema. It is available to rent on YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV and Amazon Prime.

1. I, Tonya (2017)

I, Tonya takes a refreshing approach to the sports biopic by not really answering the question, “Did Tonya Harding orchestrate the 1994 assault on her figure skating rival Nancy Kerrigan?” Instead, it posits, “There’s no such thing as truth… everyone has their own truth.” I, Tonya is contradictory and full of unreliable narrators, which feels extremely fresh in a genre that usually gives a single narrative. Its meta analysis on the genre of bio-pics is what makes it stand out in all the right ways.

The film focuses on the difficult life of skating’s most controversial olympian. Directed by Craig Gillespie, the film stars Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney, Paul Walter Hauser and Bobby Cannavale. It masterfully balances humor, class commentary and tragedy and really makes you feel for a difficult woman. I, Tonya earned Robbie her first Academy Award nomination, and Janney won the Oscar, Golden Globe, SAG and BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her performance. It is currently streaming on Max.

Bottom Line

From inspiring stories to laugh out loud comedies, there are many different types of films that are based on true stories. However, all of these films capture something… well, “real.”