40+ Real People’s Life Stories That Inspired the Best Movies of All Time
Dark Waters
Dark Waters is a 2019 film starring Mark Ruffalo as Robert Bilott, a corporate defense attorney who heads to a small town in West Virginia to defend a community of people who are afraid of what’s to come when they are faced with a string of animals passing.
While many suspect that chemical manufacturing corporation Du Pont is responsible, only lawyer Robert Bilott has the guts to stand up to this giant. Dark Waters is based on the 2016 New York Times article “The Lawyer Who Became Du Pont’s Worst Nightmare.”
Erin Brockovich
Sticking to the theme of small towns and lawyers, Erin Brockovich tells the story of a small-town legal secretary who builds up a case against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. The movie was released in 2000 and starred Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich.
According to film critics, the movie is 98% factual and sees Brockovich take on one of the leading gas companies in America in 1993 while struggling to raise her three children alone. Erin Brockovich is a must-see and great for those days when you need a movie with a positive ending.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
If you’ve ever watched an episode of the tv show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, you will know just how good and kind this beloved TV host was. But, a 1998 Esquire article saw a journalist question if Fred Rogers was as kind as his character portrayed him to be.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a real-life movie based on the journalist’s findings and stars Tom Hanks as everyone’s favorite neighbor, Mr. Rogers. The movie was released in 2019 and was met with brilliant reviews from even the harshest critics.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile
The title of this 2019 movie is enough of an indication of what one can expect from a biography about Ted Bundy. It tells the life story of the infamous serial killer through the eyes of his long-time girlfriend. Bundy committed several infamous crimes between 1974 and 1978, choosing vulnerable young women as his target.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile stars Zac Efron as Bundy and Lily Collins as his girlfriend and details the thoughts of this vile yet charismatic man. This movie is sure to keep you up at night.
Have you ever watched a movie and wondered where the inspiration for the storyline or characters came from? You might be shocked to find your favorite movie on this list of the best movies that were inspired by real-life people and events. We have searched through hundreds of movies to bring you only the best. From I, Tonya to Dark Waters, read the real-life stories that inspired the best movies of all time. Get comfy, grab your favorite snack, and join us as we dive into these 45 movies based on real-life events.