History vs. Hollywood

Drama Movies Based on True Stories


Scoop movieScoop: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  How true is the Netflix movie that offers a behind-the-scenes look at Prince Andrew's infamous 2019 BBC interview about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein?
Cabrini movieCabrini: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  How much of this story of a nun who battles to help orphaned immigrant children is based in reality?
Society of the Snow movieSociety of the Snow: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  Do the facts survive in this harrowing story about the Andes plane crash?
The Burial movieThe Burial: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  Flashy attorney Willie E. Gary fights to save the business of funeral home owner Jeremiah O'Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones).
Oppenheimer movieOppenheimer: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  The Christopher Nolan film tells the story of American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb.
Flamin' Hot movieFlamin' Hot: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  Did Richard Montañez create Flamin' Hot Cheetos, or is the movie perpetuating a lie?
On a Wing and a Prayer movieOn a Wing and a Prayer: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  When their pilot dies not long after takeoff, a father (Dennis Quaid) grabs the controls to try to save his family.
Jesus Revolution movieJesus Revolution: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  A pastor opens his doors to a community of young hippies in the 1970s who inspire a spiritual awakening.
Arthur the King movieArthur the King: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  Does this movie about a stray dog who tags along with an adventure racing team stay on course when it comes to the facts?
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Ordinary Angels movieOrdinary Angels: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  A hairdresser rallies a community to help a widowed father get his sick daughter to her transplant operation in the wake of a record-setting snowstorm.
Ferrari movieFerrari: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  Does this Michael Mann movie stay in its lane with regard to the facts?
A Million Miles Away movieA Million Miles Away: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  A former migrant farmworker strives to achieve his dream of becoming an astronaut.
Sound of Freedom movieSound of Freedom: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  A Special Agent with Homeland Security quits his job to try and complete his mission of rescuing children from human traffickers.
BlackBerry movieBlackBerry: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  Does this rise-and-fall story of the BlackBerry smartphone run into static when it comes to historical accuracy?
Tetris movieTetris: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  The movie tells the story of how Henk Rogers (Taron Egerton) traveled behind the Iron Curtain to secure the rights to Tetris.
Dear Edward seriesDear Edward: History vs. Hollywood
Drama  |  Is this series about a boy who is the sole survivor of a plane crash at all similar to the real-life events that inspired it?



ALL TRUE STORY Drama Movies
Whether the setting is the classroom, the courtroom, a distant country or an ancient holy land, drama can unfold almost anywhere. Here, we present our research into some of the most well-known true drama movies. From a woman who made it her mission to fight for a town dying from contaminated groundwater, to a Navy diver who refused to give up after losing his leg, we explore the facts behind drama movies based on true stories. Join us as we pit History vs. Hollywood, taking a closer look at the reality behind the movies that have made us want to stand up and cheer, shake our fists at the screen, or struggle as hard as we can to hold back our tears.
Scoop
The Netflix movie chronicles Prince Andrew's infamous 2019 BBC interview about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Arthur the King
Does this movie about a stray dog who tags along with an adventure racing team follow the facts of the story?
Cabrini
Italian immigrant Francesca Cabrini fights for better care for orphaned children living in the slums of New York.
Ordinary Angels
A hairdresser rallies a community to help a widowed father save his critically ill daughter.
Society of the Snow
Does the truth survive in this movie about the 1972 Andes plane crash?
Ferrari
The Michael Mann film explores the life of Italian sports car mogul Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver).
The Burial
Larger-than-life attorney Willie E. Gary fights to save the business of a funeral home owner.
A Million Miles Away
Actor Michael Peña portrays José Hernández, a migrant farmworker who dreams of becoming an astronaut.
Oppenheimer
The Christopher Nolan film explores the story of scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb.
Sound of Freedom
An agent with Homeland Security quits his job in order to rescue children from human traffickers.
Flamin' Hot
Did Richard Montañez create Flamin' Hot Cheetos, or is the film perpetuating a lie?
BlackBerry
The movie chronicles the rise and fall of the world's first smartphone, dubbed "CrackBerry" by its users.
On a Wing and a Prayer
When their pilot dies suddenly mid-flight, a father tries to land the plane.
Tetris
Henk Rogers (Taron Egerton) travels behind the Iron Curtain to secure the rights to the video game Tetris.
Jesus Revolution
A community of teenage hippies in Southern California inspire a spiritual awakening in the early 1970s.
Dear Edward
A 12-year-old boy is the sole survivor of a plane crash that kills 191 people, including his family.
Dog Gone
A father and son search for their dog that went missing along the Appalachian Trail.
Emancipation
A runaway slave named Peter (Will Smith) tries to make his way through the Louisiana swamps to the Union Army.
The Fabelmans
A Jewish boy falls in love with filmmaking in this semi-autobiographical story of Steven Spielberg.
Blonde
The film is a heavily fictionalized and nightmarish look at the inner life of Marilyn Monroe.
Gigi & Nate
A paralyzed young man finds hope through his primate friend, but how much of the film is monkey business?
Five Days at Memorial
The series examines the controversial events at Memorial Medical Center during Hurricane Katrina.
Thirteen Lives
Does the truth emerge unscathed in this Ron Howard film about the Tham Luang cave rescue?
Trees of Peace
Four women hide beneath a floor for months in an attempt to survive the Rwandan genocide.
Father Stu
Boxer-turned-actor Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg) is drawn to the priesthood after a near-fatal accident.
WeCrashed
The Apple TV+ series focuses on Adam and Rebekah Neumann's role in the rise and fall of WeWork.
Rescued by Ruby
A state trooper hopes to join the K-9 rescue team and picks an unruly dog to help him achieve his dream.
Against the Ice
Two explorers try to survive on Greenland's polar terrain, but does the story freeze out the facts?
The Tender Bar
Does this coming-of-age drama directed by George Clooney stick closely to J.R. Moehringer's memoir?
Being the Ricardos
Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem are Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in a film that condenses their timeline.
House of Gucci
Socialite Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) plots the death of her husband, Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver).
Spencer
Kristen Stewart portrays Princess Diana when she decides to leave Prince Charles, but is it factual?
The Last Duel
Does this Ridley Scott movie about France's last official trial by combat take liberties with history?
Maid
Does the truth get washed away in this series about a struggling single mother?
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Does the movie preach the facts regarding televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker?
Worth
Attorney Ken Feinberg (Michael Keaton) must figure out how much each 9/11 victim's life is worth.
Joe Bell
A father embarks on a cross-country walk to raise awareness of bullying after his son commits suicide.
Fatherhood
Does this story of a widowed father (Kevin Hart) raising his daughter stick to the facts?
Concrete Cowboy
Is this story about an urban cowboy who reconnects with his rebellious son based in fact?
Minamata
Does this story of photojournalist W. Eugene Smith accurately capture the Minamata disaster?
The Dig
Does the truth get buried in this story of the Sutton Hoo archaeological dig?
Penguin Bloom
After an accident leaves a mother paralyzed, the family cares for an injured magpie, which helps them heal.
Our Friend
When a couple receives devastating news, a friend arrives to help, but is the story in line with the truth?
Mank
Does David Fincher's story of the writing of Citizen Kane stick to the facts?
All My Life
A couple rushes their wedding plans after the husband-to-be is diagnosed with cancer.
Hillbilly Elegy
Does Ron Howard's film about J.D. Vance's difficult upbringing in Appalachia stay true to his memoir?
2 Hearts
The stories of two couples intersect when tragedy strikes, but how much is based on the real couples?
The Right Stuff
How accurate is this Disney+ TV adaptation of Tom Wolfe's book about John Glenn and the space race?
Self Made
Meet the real African American hair-care entrepreneur behind the rags-to-riches story.
For Life
How much of the ABC TV series For Life is rooted in fact?
Just Mercy
Does this story of an attorney who fights to free a black man on Death Row perjure itself with too much fiction?
Togo
Meet the real sled dog who helped save Nome from a diphtheria epidemic.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Is the Tom Hanks Mister Rogers movie filled with too much fiction?
Harriet
Harriet Tubman frees dozens of slaves through the Underground Railroad, but is the biopic factual?
The Current War
Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse face off to see whose electrical current will power the world.
Downton Abbey
Which parts of the Downton Abbey movie are true to history?
Brian Banks
An standout football player's NFL dreams are suspended after he's falsely accused of rape and sent to prison.
Skin
A young man taken in by a group of skinheads decides to shed that part of his life, but is the story accurate?
Tolkien
The film explores the formative years of author J.R.R. Tolkien.
Chernobyl
Does this HBO miniseries about the Chernobyl disaster deliver a heavy does of fiction or fact?
Breakthrough
Is the movie's miraculous survival story fact or mostly fiction?
The Favourite
Lady Sarah becomes jealous of Queen Anne's affection for her new servant, but is the ensuing love triangle real?
Green Book
Is the truth reinvented in this story of a bouncer who drives a black pianist through the 1960s South?
First Man
Ryan Gosling blasts off as Neil Armstrong in this biopic of the first man to walk on the moon.
Beautiful Boy
Does this story of a father trying to help his drug-addicted son leave out certain facts?
Adrift
In 1983, a young couple sets off across the ocean to deliver a yacht and they encounter a deadly hurricane.
The Disaster Artist
James Franco portrays Tommy Wiseau, famous for making the worst movie ever.
The Man Who Invented Christmas
Does the film accurately depict Charles Dickens's writing of A Christmas Carol.
Only the Brave
Does the truth get lost in the smoke in this wildfire movie?
Goodbye Christopher Robin
Is this story of Winnie-the-Pooh's creation as fictional as the storybooks?
Stronger
Is this story of Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman made weaker by too much ficton?
Victoria and Abdul
Was Queen Victoria really a champion against racial intolerance?
All Saints
A salesman-turned-pastor tries to save a church he was ordered to shut down.
The Glass Castle
Is the movie in sync with Jeannette Walls bestselling memoir about her poverty stricken upbringing?
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
Is King Arthur's legend one of fact or fiction?
The Lost City of Z
Does this movie about explorer Percy Fawcett stray away from the truth?
The Case for Christ
An avowed atheist journalist attempts to debunk the claims of Christianity.
Beauty and the Beast
Meet the real couple who inspired Beauty and the Beast.
A United Kingdom
David Oyelowo is a prince who's interracial marriage changes history, but did it really?
The Founder
Michael Keaton is McDonald's "founder" Ray Kroc. Now meet the real founders.
Hidden Figures
Is this story of three African-American women NASA mathematicians fueled by too much fiction?
Lion
A young Indian boy is separated from his family and uses Google Earth to try and find them 25 years later.
Loving
Does this movie about an interracial couple's right to live freely together stay faithful to the real story?
Deepwater Horizon
Is Deepwater Horizon full of leaks when it comes to the truth?
Sully
Clint Eastwood directs Tom Hanks as Capt. Sully, but does the film leave the truth on the tarmac?
Genius
Is the struggle between author Thomas Wolfe and editor Max Perkins accurately portrayed?
Miracles from Heaven
Meet the real girl who says she visited heaven after falling inside a hollow tree.
Joy
Does this story of Miracle Mop inventor Joy Mangano wash away the facts?
The Revenant
Is this story of revenge starring Leonardo DiCaprio based more on fact or folklore?
The Danish Girl
The film tells the story of transgender artist Lili Elbe, who underwent sexual reassignment surgery.
Steve Jobs
The truth doesn't quite compute in this biopic about Apple cofounder Steve Jobs.
Everest
Does the truth get lost on the mountain?
The End of the Tour
Are the movie's conversations taken from David Lipsky's transcripts?
To Write Love on Her Arms
Kat Dennings portrays Renee Yohe, who inspired the TWLOHA movement.
Big Eyes
Does Big Eyes paint within the boundaries of the truth?
Wild
Reese Witherspoon ventures into the Wild, but does she bring the truth with her?
The Theory of Everything
Is this Stephen Hawking biopic as intelligent as the famous physicist?
The Fault in Our Stars
Meet Esther Earl, the inspiration behind Shailene Woodley's character.
Heaven is for Real
Heaven is for real. Okay, but is the movie?
Son of God
Based on the ten-hour miniseries The Bible, we explore the history, the cast and the controversy.
12 Years a Slave
Is this unflinching tale of slavery shackled by fiction?
Jobs
Does this Ashton Kutcher movie compute when it comes to the truth?
The Social Network
Does the Facebook movie compute with the truth?
Freedom Writers
Get to know the teacher who inspired her students to beat the odds.
The Pursuit of Happyness
Meet the real-life stockbroker who went from rags to riches.
Calendar Girls
See pics of the real Calendar Girls and purchase the latest calendar.
Finding Neverland
Does the truth get lost in Johnny Depp's Neverland?
The Passion of the Christ
Go beyond the movie as we compare the film to the history.
Antwone Fisher
Abused as a boy, a former foster child learns to shed his demons during his time in the Navy.
The Hours
Hear Virginia Woolf's voice and read her suicide letter to her husband.
Frida
Get to know the controversial artist whose physical suffering inspired her paintings.
Erin Brockovich
Meet the real woman behind the movie, who took on a power company and won.
Titanic
Hear the voices of actual passengers and find out if Jack and Rose where based on real people.
LATEST ADDITIONS
Lee (2024)
Reagan (2024)
Lady in the Lake (2024)
The Bikeriders (2024)
Hit Man (2024)