Top 10 True Story Movies Based on Very Recent Events
#10: “127 Hours” (2010)
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In 2003, canyoneer and outdoorsman Aron Ralston, while on a solo descent of the Bluejohn Canyon in Utah, got trapped by a boulder and had to find a way to free himself. The terrifying incident was documented in Ralston’s 2004 memoir, “Between a Rock and a Hard Place,” which was adapted into this survival biopic just six years later. Co-written and directed by the acclaimed British director, Danny Boyle, the film starred James Franco in a mesmerizing Oscar-nominated turn as Ralston. While many biopics take creative liberties in their retelling of true events, “127 Hours” remained pretty faithful to its source material, with Ralston calling it “as close to a documentary as you can get.”
#9: “American Sniper” (2014)
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Based on the same-titled 2012 memoir, this war film dramatized the life of Chris Kyle, an American Navy SEAL, who became the deadliest sniper during the Iraq War. A husband and father of two, Kyle’s frequent tours affected his relationship with his family and left him dealing with PTSD once he was discharged from the Navy. His memoir, released one year before his unfortunate death at the hands of another veteran, became a major best-seller and was adapted into a movie by Clint Eastwood. With an ever captivating Bradley Cooper in the starring role, “American Sniper” received six Oscar nominations and became the highest-grossing war film of all time.
#8: “Hustlers” (2019)
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Featuring a star-studded ensemble cast with names like Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, and music stars, Lizzo and Cardi B, “Hustlers” detailed the aftermath of the 2008 recession. Unlike other movies focused on Wall Street, this crime comedy flick follows a crew of exotic dancers who get creative after their means of livelihood is hampered by the financial crisis. The events in the film occurred in the late 2000s and early 2010s, and were documented in a 2015 New York Magazine article, upon which the screenplay was based. Written and directed by Lorene Scafaria, the movie premiered to critical acclaim and showcased a career-best performance from Jennifer Lopez.
#7: “Captain Phillips” (2013)
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The hijacking of the Maersk Alabama cargo ship in April 2009 culminated in a hostage situation, in which the ship’s captain, Richard Phillips was captured and held by Somali pirates. The real life incident resulted in a rescue mission by the U.S. Navy which ended with the recovery of Captain Phillips, and three of the four pirates meeting their end. In this dramatized retelling of the unfortunate ordeal, Tom Hanks portrays Phillips, in an everyday hero role similar to the one he’ll play just three years later in “Sully.” “Captain Phillips,” which also starred a remarkable Barkhad Abdi in his film debut as one of the pirates, was praised for its brilliant performances and carefully staged reconstructions.
#6: “Bad Education” (2019)
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In 2004, the Roslyn area of New York was rocked with the news of an embezzlement by senior officials in its school district. With a reported $11.2 million stolen from the district, it remains the largest public school embezzlement in U.S. history. Adapted from a New York magazine article, the screenplay was researched and written by Mike Makowsky, who actually was a student in the Roslyn school district at the time of the incident. With Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney playing the two central figures convicted of the crime, the film received positive reviews for its sharp direction and witty dialogue, and won the Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie.
#5: “Moneyball” (2011)
This 2011 sports drama detailed the 2002 season of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, and its manager’s inventive approach to building a winning team of players. The strategy, which prioritized evidence-based, statistical analysis in choosing players, helped the Oakland team finish first in the American League West for that season. Co-written by Oscar-winning screenwriters, Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, the movie was adapted from a non-fiction book by financial journalist, Michael Lewis. After a tumultuous pre-production phase, involving changes in the writers and director, “Moneyball” was eventually put back on course with Bennett Miller in the director’s chair. The movie found its leads in Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, who both received Oscar nominations for their performances.
#4: “United 93” (2006)
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On America’s most harrowing day, three out of four hijacked commercial U.S. airplanes crashed into their intended targets. The fourth - United Airlines Flight 93 - crashed into a field after its passengers and crew put up a fight. The daring revolt by the courageous victims potentially prevented the deaths of thousands more, and is portrayed masterfully in this 2006 thriller. It became the first Hollywood feature film to be directly based on these infamous attacks, and was made with the permission of many of the victims’ families. For his brilliant handling of such a sensitive topic, Paul Greengrass received an Oscar nomination for Best Director.
#3: “The Big Short” (2015)
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Equal parts technical, engaging and funny as hell, “The Big Short” took a big swing at portraying the lead up to the financial crisis of 2007, and hit a home run. Based on the same-titled 2010 book, also by financial journalist Michael Lewis, the film takes an unconventional route in achieving its goal. Featuring a lot of financial jargon, the movie employs fourth wall breaks and cameo appearances from celebrities such as Margot Robbie and Selena Gomez to simplify the pretty complicated concepts. The already brilliant screenplay was made even better by the film’s superb ensemble cast, including Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Brad Pitt, and Christian Bale, who nabbed an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
#2: “The Social Network” (2010)
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Today, Mark Zuckerberg is one of the biggest names in tech, owning multiple social media giants under his parent company, Meta. His rise to that status, however, wasn’t all that rosy, fielding claims of intellectual property theft and several lawsuits. In this 2010 classic, acclaimed director David Fincher details Zuckerberg’s astronomical rise, from a Harvard student obsessed with building things to the world’s youngest self-made billionaire, at one time. Although Zuckerberg disliked the final product and claims it was mostly fictional, the movie received overwhelmingly positive reviews with several publications praising it as one of the best films of the 2010s. After all that has happened with Facebook since then, we’re all eagerly waiting for a sequel to “The Social Network.” Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “Concussion” (2015) Set in the 2000s, This Drama Follows Dr. Bennet Omalu, Whose Research Helped NFL Players “Stronger” (2017) Jake Gyllenhaal Plays Jeff Bauman, Who Lost His Legs During the 2013 Boston Marathon Incident “Deepwater Horizon” (2016) Dramatized the 2010 Explosion & Subsequent Oil Spillage Into the Gulf of Mexico “Fruitvale Station” (2013) A Retelling of the Last Day of Oscar Grant in 2009
#1: “Zero Dark Thirty” (2012)
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After becoming the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Director, Kathryn Bigelow set about her next project - a thriller dramatizing a nearly decade-long international manhunt. The project, which was worked on by Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal for years, was essentially rewritten after the historic raid in 2011. The film’s focus was changed to the perspective of a young, female CIA agent, and the raid on the compound was meticulously recreated. “Zero Dark Thirty” premiered to critical acclaim, with Bigelow’s direction, Boal’s screenplay, and Jessica Chastain’s leading performance receiving particular praise. It was, however, criticized for its depiction of torture, with some arguing that the movie falsely portrayed inhumane interrogation as useful in finding the Al-Qaeda leader.
