Top 10 Movies Inspired From Real Life Events
#10 – Public Enemies
The 2009 crime drama film is an adaptation of the non-fiction book “Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave & the Birth of the FBI”, and the action of the movie is set throughout the Great Depression. The action is centered on the infamous bank robber John Dillinger (played by Johnny Depp) and although the movie is not 100% accurate from a historical point of view, most of the scenes are depicted from real acts. “If it was 100% accurate, you would call it a documentary” said Bryan Burrough, the author of the book who was impressed by the fictional facts added.
#9 – Jobs
Jobs only managed to score a 5.9 rating on IMDb. The biographical drama film is based on the life of Steve Jobs, tech guru and co-founder of Apple. Playboy Ashton Kutcher plays Steve Jobs in the movie (we bet he’s rolling in his grave right now at the thought of Kutcher portraying his genius mind in a movie), but he was not chosen for his incredible acting abilities, but rather because of his incredible resemblance to Steve Jobs in his youth.
#8 – The Blind Side
The Blind Side was a box office success back in 2009 when it grossed more than $300 million. Well-received by the critics, who commended Sandra Bullock’s performance (she won an Oscar for Best Actress and a Golden Raspberry Award that same year for “All About Steve” – now that’s what we call a multifaceted actress), the movie’s overall IMDb rating is 7.7. The semi-biographical film was inspired from the book “The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game” written by Michael Lewis, and it is centered on the tumultuous upbringing of Michael Oher, a real American football player for the NFL. In the photo (on the left) we also have Leigh Anne Tuohy, the adoptive mother of the famous football player.
#7 – Lincoln
With an IMDb rating of 7.5, Lincoln is a 2012 drama centered on the actions of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States played by Daniel Day-Lewis. Produced by Steven Spielberg, it received widespread critical acclaim. Lincoln was nominated for 12 Academy Awards out of which it won two – Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis and Best Production Design.
#6 – Wolf of Wall Street
The Wolf of Wall Street was a 2013 phenomenon with an international gross of nearly $380 million. The movie is more like a black comedy, and it is based on a memoir by Jordan Belfort, a New York stockbroker. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role. DiCaprio plays the Wall Street broker who engages in all the excesses of the 1990s, including corruption and security fraud. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, and was controversial because of the sex, drugs, and vulgarity.
#5 – Captain Phillips
This 2013 movie is a thriller starring Tom Hanks in the title role. Directed by Paul Greengrass, it relates the true story of the hijacking of the cargo ship the Maersk Alabama in the Indian Ocean. During the incident, Captain Phillips (Hanks) was taken hostage by the pirates. The movie achieved both commercial and critical success. It was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, but did not win any.
#4 – 12 Years A Slave
This British-American film is a historical drama based on the 1853 memoir of the same name. Released in 2013, it tells the story of Solomon Northup, a free born African American man who was kidnapped and sold as a slave. He had to work on the Louisiana plantations for 12 years before he regained his freedom. The film was directed by Steve McQueen, and stars Chiwetel Ejiofor in the title role. Supporting cast includes notables such as Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Brad Pitt. The movie won many awards, including Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture.
#3 – American Hustle
This 2013 American film is a crime caper that is part comedy, part drama. The film is based on FBI operation ABSCAM, which took place in the 1970s and 1980s,when con artists were co-opted by the FBI and forced to create a sting operation to catch corrupt politicians. Starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Bradley Cooper, the movie was directed by David Russell. It was nominated for ten Academy Awards, but did not win any. It did win three Golden Globe awards.
#2 – Dallas Buyers Club
The Dallas Buyers Club is a biographical story that tells the story of AIDS patient Ron Woodroof, played in the movie by Matthew McConaughey. Ron finds unapproved drugs that seemed to be effective for his symptoms, but because the FDA doesn’t want the drugs to be used by the people, he took matters into his own hands – Ron began smuggling them into Texas, where he provided them to other AIDS sufferers via the buyers club. The film was critically acclaimed, winning Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor (played by Jared Leto).
#1 – Argo
This 2012 American film was directed by Ben Affleck, who also stars in the movie. It is a political thriller, based on true events involving the rescue of US diplomats from Iran during the 1979 hostage crisis. Affleck stars as Tony Mendez, who orchestrated the rescue. Some people have criticized the movie for minimizing the Canadian involvement, but it achieved great success. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards, and won three, including Best Film Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture. Courtesy of
