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Movies Based On True Events

Stockholm 2018 Movie Ethan Hawke as Lars Nystrom holding a gun and wearing a cowboy hat

Stockholm [2018]

Thriller
If you want to know how the term Stockholm syndrome came to be, check out this easygoing heist movie based on incredible true events.
The Siege of Jadotville 2016 Movie Jamie Dornan as Patrick Quinlan and Jason O'Mara as Jack Prendergast

The Siege of Jadotville [2016]

Action
Suspenseful and personal, The Siege of Jadotville tells a story of an intentionally forgotten real battle without melodrama, amplified by great acting.

Vault [2019]

Thriller
Featuring appealing visuals and an incredible story, Vault is a mediocre heist movie with a couple of redeeming qualities that make it worth watching.

Last Rampage [2017]

Thriller
Deceptively vibrant and almost cheerful, Last Rampage is an intense thriller based on true events following a group of criminals after a prison break.
Into The Wild 2007 Movie Image Emile Hirsch as Chris McCandless in a shirt and shorts walking through the forest

Into the Wild [2007]

Drama
Based on the life of Christopher McCandless, Into the Wild is a wanderlust epic firmly rooted in reality with powerful performances and cinematography.
Stuart A Life Backwards 2007 Movie Tom Hardy as Stuart Shorter on the streets of Cambridge

Stuart: A Life Backwards [2007]

Drama
As one of the best movies you've never heard of, Stuart: A Life Backwards is a surprisingly vibrant and entertaining masterpiece based on true events.
Silk Road 2021 Movie Nick Robinson as Ross Ulbricht and Alexandra Shipp as Julia looking at his laptop

Silk Road [2021]

Thriller
If you haven't heard of the Silk Road, an illegal online marketplace this easygoing and vibrant movie with great performances is a good place to start.
Le Trou 1960 Movie Philippe Leroy, Raymond Meunier, Marc Michel and Jean Keraudy with his back to us during a cell inspection

Le Trou AKA The Hole [1960]

Thriller
Compelling and intense, Le Trou is without a shadow of a doubt the best prison escape movie based on a true story and with an engaging atmosphere.
Les Lyonnais 2011 Movie Gรฉrard Lanvin as Momon Vidal

Les Lyonnais [2011]

Thriller
Based on the life of French criminal Edmond Vidal, Les Lyonais is an engaging crime thriller driven by Gรฉrard Lanvin's compelling performance.
The Nile Hilton Incident 2017 Movie Fares Fares as Police Commander Noredin Mostafa looking at the body of a dead woman in the hotel

The Nile Hilton Incident [2017]

Thriller
Once you've watched The Nile Hilton Incident, a neo-noir masterpiece with an exotic setting and dark and gritty atmosphere, you'll be left speechless.
The Outpost 2020 Movie Scott Eastwood as SSG Clint Romesha charging towards the camera

The Outpost [2019]

Action
Based on a true story of the Battle of Kamdesh, The Outpost is an intense war movie with a foreboding atmosphere soon exploding into non-stop action.
Escape From Pretoria 2020 Movie Daniel Radcliffe and Daniel Webber watching Mark Leonard Winter lighting a cigarette inside the prison

Escape from Pretoria [2020]

Thriller
Incredibly intense and nerve-wracking, Escape From Pretoria is a prison break movie based on true events taking place during Apartheid in South Africa.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 2020 Movie Police forces lining up in front of the police station where Eddie Redmayne as Tom Hayden is being held

The Trial of the Chicago 7 [2020]

Thriller
Emotionally both satisfying and infuriating, A Trial of Chicago 7 is an important movie about an important event that will remain relevant for a long time.
Richard Jewell 2019 Movie Paul Walter Hauser dressed in a security guard shirt with his pass

Richard Jewell [2019]

Drama
Directed by Clint Eastwood, Richard Jewell is a gripping character study based on real events with an important story that needs to be heard and understood.
Control 2007 Movie Sam Riley as Ian Curtis singing in a studio

Control [2007]

Drama
Emotional and personal, Control is a different type of biopic, both telling the story of Ian Curtis, singer of Joy Division, and talking about depression.
Get on Up 2014 Movie Chadwick Boseman as James Brown in a golden onesie talking to the camera

Get on Up [2014]

Drama
With a stellar performance of Chadwick Boseman as James Brown, Get on Up is a fun biopic with a lot of music and non-linear storytelling worth watching.

The Best of Enemies [2019]

Drama
Based on a true story, this is one of those dramas with a really good and engaging atmosphere. The story unfolds matter-of-factly, without melodramatic moments or forced scenes. And it is a crazy story, a story that might seem stranger than fiction, but it is nevertheless true.

Hillbilly Elegy [2020]

Drama
With a slow and steady pace, Hillbilly Elegy is not the grand Oscar bait but a straight-forward story about the American Dream based on real events.
The Serpent and the Rainbow 1988 Movie Amazon shaman wearing bright and colorful feathers smiling as Bill Pullman is hallucinating

The Serpent and the Rainbow [1988]

Horror
Wes Craven's The Serpent and the Rainbow is an atmospheric, original, and gritty slow-burner exploring the mystery behind the voodoo zombie myth.
The Dirt 2019 Movie Daniel Webber as Vince Neil on stage singing as we follow the show from Tommy Lee's perspective or point of view

The Dirt [2019]

Comedy
Unashamedly entertaining, shallow, and hedonistic, The Dirt encapsulates that wild spirit of the eighties fueled by sex, drugs, alcohol, and great music.
Dark Waters 2019 Mark Ruffalo as Rob Bilott and Bill Camp as Wilbur Tennant looking at poisoned lake in Parkersburg

Dark Waters [2019]

Drama
A slow-burner drama/thriller based on actual events about one of the biggest pollution cases in the world that will make you question human society.

Jungle [2017]

Thriller
Based on true events, Jungle is a mixture of an adventure and survival movie, much like The Edge or The Revenant with great cinematography and acting.

Tolkien [2019]

Drama
Witness me, brothers! Mediocre! Not until recently have I realized that Nicholas Hoult, who’s starring in this biopic about J.R.R....

The Reef [2010]

Thriller
Based on true events, this shark movie with an incredibly intense atmosphere and great underwater scenes is one of the best in this sub-genre
Instant Family 2018 Movie Mark Wahlberg as Pete and Rose Byrne as Ellie dinner scene

Instant Family [2018]

Comedy
Heart-warming comedy with great performances based on the director's own experiences after he and his wife decided to adopt three kids.
The Bank Job 2008 Movie Jason Statham planning robbery with friends

The Bank Job [2008]

Thriller
Starring young Jason Statham, The Bank Job is based on one of the strangest heists ever pulled off. Engaging and thrilling, it's a must-see!
Thor Heyerdahl and his friends leaving from Peru on their expedition to find Polynesian islands

Kon-Tiki [2012]

Action
A heart-warming adventure movie based on true events that will make you rediscover your inner explorer and binge all other adventure movies out there!
In the Heart of the Sea [2015] Whaling ship Essex

In the Heart of the Sea [2015]

Action
Sea epic based on true events that served as an inspiration for the novel Moby Dick. Follows the whaling ship Essex and its sinking by a giant white whale.
Kill The Messenger 2014 movie Jeremy Renner as Gary Webb scene

Kill the Messenger [2014]

Thriller
A very engaging and authentic movie based on the life of Gary Webb, an investigative journalist who broke the story about the US involvement in Nicaragua.
Blue Caprice [2013] Movie Review Recommendation

Blue Caprice [2013]

Drama
An atmospheric indie drama about the 2002 Beltway sniper attacks. It tries to chronicle the path of the shooter and reasons why this attack happened.
Behind the Candelabra [2013] Movie Michael Douglas as Liberace on stage playing piano

Behind the Candelabra [2013]

Drama
An honest look into the life of one of the most famous performers of the sixties and seventies with a great script and very strong cast.
The Frozen Ground [2013] Movie Nicolas Cage as Jack Halcombe sitting and thinking in his office scene

The Frozen Ground [2013]

Thriller
An intense thriller based on a real-life Alaskan serial killer Robert Hansen with a great script and disturbing atmosphere without much gore.
Yip Man 2008 Movie Donnie Yen as IP Man working in a factory but getting ready for a fight with Japanese occupying forces scene

Ip Man [2008]

Action
Based on a life of IP Man, Bruce Lee's teacher, this movie is not just a phenomenally choreographed fight extravaganza but also a period movie about China.
Empire State [2013] Movie Review Recommendation

Empire State [2013]

Thriller
While we’re in the whole heist subgenre, lets take a closer look at Empire State. Based on true events, where...
The Conjuring [2013] Movie Review Recommendation

The Conjuring [2013]

Horror
James Wan, James Wan, wait a minute, I know that guy! Yeah, he directed Insidious [2010] and already a cult...
Pain & Gain [2013] Movie Review Recommendation

Pain & Gain [2013]

Comedy
Although the genre that I selected for this movie is comedy, there are a lot of things in Pain &...
Snitch [2013] Movie Review Recommendation

Snitch [2013]

Thriller
The Rock is The Man. Who knew that a professional wrestler, looking like that, could pull off such a performance,...
Compliance 2012 Movie Scene Ann Dowd as Sandra on the phone with a man who says he's a police officer

Compliance [2012]

Thriller
Based on a bizarre true story, Compliance is a gripping tale of power, human nature, and our society unfolding in real-time.
Hitchcock [2012] Movie Review Recommendation

Hitchcock [2012]

Drama
I was putting off this movie for quite some time, expecting it to be more like Lincoln or any other...
The Impossible 2012 Movie Scene A small boy holding a red ball next to a pool looking at an incoming tsunami wave hitting the resort

The Impossible [2012]

Thriller
Based on actual events, The Impossible is a different kind of a disaster movie offering a gripping narrative and stunning visuals.
La Caja 507 2002 Movie Antonio Resines as Modesto Pardo laying on the floor of the bank all tied up

La Caja 507 AKA Box 507 [2002]

Thriller
Suspenseful and engaging, La Caja 507 is a well-crafted Spanish thriller with an impressive cast, beautiful cinematography, and captivating story.
L Assaut AKA The Assault 2010 Movie Two members of GIGN, the elite counter-terrorism unit of the French National Gendarmerie returning fire aboard the airplane

The Assault AKA L’assaut [2010]

Action
Based on true events, The Assault AKA L'assaut is an intense French thriller about an airplane hijacking and brave special forces attempt to retake it.
Bernie 2011 Movie Scene Jack Black as Bernie Tiede working as a mortician

Bernie [2011]

Comedy
Using dark humor to tell a true but bizarre story, Bernie is one hell of a movie with an amazing cast and an even better director.
Zero Dark Thirty 2012 Movie Scene Jessica Chastain as Maya pointing on the map where she thinks Osama bin Laden is hiding

Zero Dark Thirty [2012]

Thriller
Compelling and intense, Zero Dark Thirty details the 10-year hunt for Osama bin Laden, including the infamous raid on his compound.
Hysteria 2011 Movie Scene A woman enjoying a pelvic massage she's receiving from a doctor

Hysteria [2011]

Comedy
Hysteria is an easygoing British romantic comedy about not just the invention of the first vibrator but also about our society.
Goon 2011 Movie Scene Seann William Scott as Doug Glatt after a fight

Goon [2011]

Comedy
You don't have to know anything about hockey to enjoy Goon, a feelgood comedy based on true events that's dumb and smart at the same time.
A Dangerous Method 2011 Movie Scene Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung in a psychoanalytical session with Keira Knightley as Sabina Spielrein

A Dangerous Method [2011]

Drama
Intellectual but approachable, A Dangerous Method is a gripping character study set in the early days of psychoanalysis.
Burke and Hare 2010 Movie Scene Simon Pegg as Burke, Andy Serkis as Hare and Tom Wilkinson as Doctor Robert Knox looking at a contorted corpse on a table

Burke and Hare [2010]

Comedy
Based on a bizarre true story, Burke and Hare is a British black comedy about two guys who found a way to make money off dead people.
50/50 [2011] Movie Review Recommendation

50/50 [2011]

Drama
If you wanna be scared to shit of cancer you might wanna check out this movie, especially because it’s based...