105 Biographical Movies That You Wouldn’t Want To Miss

1993 | 3h 15m | Directed by Steven Spielberg

Starring Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes

“Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.” Set in Krakow during World War II, Schindler’s List tells the true story of industrialist Oskar Schindler, who becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis. He gradually involves himself in their lives through bribes and favors, ultimately saving over 1000 Jews from certain death in concentration camps. Steven Spielberg was able to get permission to film inside Auschwitz but chose not to, out of respect for the victims, so the death camp scenes were filmed outside the gates on a set constructed in a mirror image of the real location on the other side. This masterpiece earned 91 wins (including several Academy Awards) and 49 nominations.

2021 | 1 hour 38 minutes | Directed by Kenneth Branagh
 

Starring Jude Hill, Lewis McAskie, Caitriona Balfe

Belfast is a coming-of-age drama following a boy’s childhood in Belfast, Northern Ireland, at the beginning of The Troubles in 1969. Nine-year-old Buddy, surrounded by violence and growing danger, tries his best to understand the unfolding Troubles. But when the time comes for his family to decide to pack and move or stay home risking their lives, Buddy’s world changes drastically. It’s a deeply personal story of Belfast’s director, one that’s mesmerizing, gripping, and compelling at the same time.

2005 | 2 hours 16 minutes | Directed by James Mangold
 

Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Whitherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin

Walk The Line is a biographical musical romantic drama based on the life of the legendary singer-songwriter Johnny Cash. The movie follows him from his early life to his romance with June Carter, and to his rise to the music industry Olympus. Johnny definitely wasn’t a simple man, but Joaquin Phoenix was exactly the right actor to reveal his complex personality. Even if your interest in this musician is equal to null, Walk The Line will definitely astonish you with its drama, stellar acting, and awesome musical performances by the ever-charming leading duo.

2018 | 2 hours 10 minutes | Directed by Peter Farrelly
 

Starring Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini

Green Book is a biographical comedy-drama film and basically the only movie in which Viggo Mortensen doesn’t die. The film is set in 1962 and is inspired by a real story of an African American classical pianist going on a tour with Italian American bouncer Frank Vallelonga as his chauffeur and bodyguard. Of course, their working relationship is quite a rocky one at best, but the road is a long one and gives the two of them plenty of time to find respect for each other. Green Book is an honest portrayal of a difficult time in American history - not an easy watch at times, but absolutely worth it.

2017 | 1 hour 45 minutes | Directed by Michael Gracey
 

Starring Hugh Jackman, Zendaya, Zac Efron

The Greatest Showman is a biographical musical drama movie with a story based on the life of P. T. Barnum, a famous showman, and entertainer. Although P. T. Barnum was famous for many things, this movie centers around the creation of the legendary Barnum & Bailey Circus and the lives of its stars. And although some critics named it to be a bit shallow, The Greatest Showman was still praised for the performances, music (which consists mostly of an original score written specifically for it), visuals, and production value.

2021 | 2 hours 6 minutes | Directed by Michael Showalter
 

Starring Jessica Chastain, Andrew Garfield, Cherry Jones

The Eyes Of Tammy Faye is a biographical drama based on the 2000 documentary of the same name by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato. It’s the story of Tammy Faye Bakker - from her humble beginnings to the rise and the fall of her televangelist career and her marriage. Upon its release, the film was a total box-office flop, but despite the fact it has won several esteemed awards, most of them praising the stellar performance of Jessica Chastain. 

2021 | 1 hour 57 minutes | Directed by Pablo Larrain
 

Starring Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Jack Nielen

Spencer is a historical fiction psychological drama centering around the events in Princess Diana’s life in 1991. This was a time of existential crisis for her as she pondered divorcing Prince Charles and leaving the Royal Family. It is a disturbing and sorrowful story elevated by Stewart’s pitch-perfect performance. No wonder Spencer was met with a three-minute standing ovation upon its official release, later winning quite a few prestigious awards.

2018 | 2 hours 18 minutes | Directed by Bryan Singer
 

Starring Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee

Bohemian Rhapsody is a biographical musical drama film based on the events in the life of the legendary performer Freddie Mercury. The movie tells the story of the iconic Queen singer from the time of the formation of the band in the ‘70s to their 1985 performance at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium. Freddie defied every possible stereotype and became one of the most beloved performers ever. However, his life really wasn’t an easy one. So, if you’ve missed his story, check the glorious Bohemian Rhapsody movie that did the absolute best in portraying this ever-shining icon.

1965 | 2 hours 52 minutes | Directed by Robert Wise
 

Starring Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker
 

The Sound Of Music is a musical drama film that’s an adaptation of the 1959 stage musical of the same name composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. But, however beautiful and mesmerizing the music here is (we bet that even if you proudly say you’ve never listened to a musical, you know all of the songs from The Sound Of Music!), the story behind it is just as astonishing. It a story of a family trying to survive the Nazi occupation which, as you very well know, demanded thousands of lives and an uncountable number of broken fates. So, as beautiful as The Sound Of Music is, it also has a much much deeper story behind the pretty veneer. 

2000 | 2 hours 11 minutes | Directed by Steven Soderbergh
 

Starring Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, David Brisbin

Erin Brokovich is a biographical legal drama that’s a dramatization of the real story of the very real Erin Brokovich. Erin, an unemployed single mother, becomes a legal assistant at a law firm. Mainly because of her smarts, but mostly because she is determined to give the best life to her kids she possibly can. Then, much to everyone’s surprise, Miss Brokovich manages to single-handedly bring down a California power company for poisoning a city’s water supply. It is a wonderful story about strength and determination that will both inspire you and entertain you throughout its runtime.

2013 | 3 hours | Directed by Martin Scorsese
 

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie

The Wolf Of Wall Street is a biographical crime black comedy film based on the 2007 memoir by Jordan Belfort. So yeah, this grand movie is based on a very real story about a man’s rise to the ranks of wealthy stockbrokers, living the high life full of crimes, scheming, corruption, and his ultimate demise from the life of the party. Now, picture it all played by Leo - intriguing, isn’t it? So, if you haven’t already watched The Wolf Of Wall Street, don’t be intimidated by its long runtime, as those three hours will fly by!

2021 | 1 hour 55 minutes | Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda
 

Starring Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Robin de Jesus

tick, tick… BOOM! is a biographical musical drama film directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda in his feature directorial debut. The film is based on a stage musical of the same name by Jonathan Larson, which in turn is based on Larson’s story about entering the theater industry. So here, a promising young theater composer prepares for his make-it-or-break-it performance while navigating love, friendships, and life itself. tick, tick… BOOM! will please any musical lover and even those who aren’t too keen on the genre - a great well-rounded movie!

2016 | 2 hours 19 minutes | Directed by Mel Gibson
 

Starring Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey

Hacksaw Ridge is a biographical war film focusing on the World War II experiences of Desmond Doss. Desmond, an American pacifist combat medic, as a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, refused to carry or use any weapons. He was the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor for his unbelievable heroism during the Battle of Okinawa, without firing a single shot. Hacksaw Ridge is a gripping wartime drama that has garnered plenty of accolades and awards that prove its unique qualities. 

2000 | 1 hour 53 minutes | Directed by Boaz Yakin
 

Starring Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Wood Harris
 

Remember The Titans is a biographical sports film that’s based on the real story of a football coach named Herman Boone. Boone’s quest was to integrate the T. C. Williams High School football team in Alexandria, Virginia in 1971. Now, remember the harrowing times of segregation and you will understand the importance of the African-American coaches' noble actions. In the end, of course, people do finally understand that trusting each other and loving one another prevails over all else. Remember The Titans, while at times might be a bit predictable, is still a universal crowd-pleaser and an inspiring one at that. 

1990 | 2h 26m | Directed by Martin Scorsese

Starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci

Martin Scorsese’s gangster epic is among the most acclaimed crime films of the last three decades. Based on a true story, this tale has been hailed for its technical achievements and powerful performances from Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Ray Liotta, as well as the observations it makes about the criminal lifestyle. The fact-based story is endlessly fascinating, but Goodfellas wins repeat viewers with its gripping tension, black humor, and ability to make us sympathize with a group of cold-blooded killers.

2019 | 2 hours 32 minutes | Directed by James Mangold
 

Starring Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal

Ford v Ferrari is a sports drama film that tells the story of an iconic rivalry in motorsport. To be more exact, Ford vs Ferrari centers around an American car engineer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles as they try to build a revolutionary race car for Ford in order to defeat Ferrari in the 24 hours of the Le Mans race in 1966. Now, if you are not a huge fan of car racing, you might think that this movie isn’t for you, but believe it when we say that it is full of plot twists and intensity that just sucks you right into the story! A great, well-rounded movie for anyone’s taste.

2009 | 2 hours 9 minutes | Directed by John Lee Hancock
 

Starring Quinton Aaron, Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw

The Blind Side is a biographical sports drama based on the book The Blind Side: Evolution Of A Game by Michael Lewis. It centers around the story of an American football offensive lineman, Michael Oher, who overcame impoverished upbringing to play in the National Football League. The Blind Side was a huge box office success and that notion is often a good indicator that the movie should be pretty much great. So, if you're looking for something inspiring and good-natured for the evening, why not pick The Blind Side?

2023 | N/A | Directed by Christopher Nolan
 

Starring Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh

Oppenheimer is an upcoming biographical film scheduled for release in 2023. Yeah, we know, that’s at least a year from now, but this movie seems so very awesome that we couldn’t resist putting it on our list. So, J. Robert Oppenheimer - an American scientist who played a vital role in the development of the atomic bomb. A story about ‘father of the atomic bomb’ directed by Christopher Nolan and played by Kenneth Brannagh and Florence Pugh? Sign us the heck up!

2022 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Directed by Katt Shea
 

Starring Grant Gustin, Scott Wolf, Kaylah Zander, Bear and Shiloh the Dogs as Ruby

Rescued By Ruby is a Netflix original biographical drama film that follows the story of a state trooper, Dan, who dreams of joining the K-9 police forces. However, he is unsuccessful in his quest until he befriends an oddball shelter dog named Ruby. What’s even better is that this movie is based on a completely real story! It’s a warm, family-friendly movie about two underdogs chasing their dreams that you won’t regret watching.

2022 | N/A | Directed by Andrew Dominik
 

Starring Ana de Armas, Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale

Blonde is an upcoming biographical movie to be released in 2022 on the Netflix streaming platform. Not many details are known about Blonde as of yet, but this much we know - it is going to be about the legendary, the iconic platinum blonde and the most beautiful woman ever, Marilyn Monroe. Blonde promises to show a chronicle of Marilyn’s inner life, albeit a fictionalized one. Our hopes are way up for this flick!

2021 | 2 hours 24 minutes | Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green
 

Starring Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Jon Bernthal

King Richard is a biographical sports drama movie following the life of Richard Williams, the father of the legendary tennis players Venus and Serena Williams. It’s an uplifting family story telling the viewer how unyielding commitment, unconditional belief, and love have ultimately produced two of the greatest sports legends. Both Serena and Venus are listed as executive producers of the movie and have said that King Richard is ‘as close to the truth as possible.’