If the word "biopic," doesn't excite you, you may need to delve further into the genre. Biopics, a.k.a. historical movies documenting the life of a real person—can struggle under the weight of expectations and volume, since they might be covering years or decades of events that transpired. But the best biopics can see an actor immerse themself into a challenging role and transform a true tale into a fascinating work of art—and are even among some of the best films of all time.
Below, find the best biopic movies of all time.
'Amadeus' (1984)
If the words "Amadeus Mozart" conjure up nothing for you than classical music, then you need to put on Amadeus. Adapted from the play Mozart and Salieri, we see the (wild, erratic, under-appreciated, ultimately impoverished) genius through the eyes of a less talented rival.
'Bird: Charlie Parker'
Clint Eastwood directs this music biopic led by Forest Whitaker as legendary saxophonist Charlie Parker. Eastwood, who has long had a thirst for truth-telling in politics and elsewhere, elevates the chronically under-appreciated Parker into a genius and forerunner.
'Capote' (2005)
The late Philip Seymour Hoffman was exceptional in every role but one of his most career-defining performances was as author Truman Capote. This is a dramatic retelling of Capote's life and work as he interviews a murderer for his book In Cold Blood, which was hugely influential for the true crime genre.
'Casino' (1995)
This Martin Scorsese film draws from the nonfiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas and centers the story around low-level mobster Sam "Ace" Rothstein (Robert De Niro), who's tasked with overseeing a casino. It goes well at first... and then, like many Scorsese films, it starts to go very badly.
'Catch Me if You Can' (2002)
This Steven Spielberg movie is based on the semi-autobiography by Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo Dicaprio). While the truth of the events Abagnale depicts have been questioned, the resulting movie—about a young con man who gets deeper and deeper into his illicit life, while being chased by an FBI agent (Tom Hanks)—is riveting.
'Chaplin' (1993)
This early Robert Downey Jr. performance established him as an impressive dramatic actor. Directed by Richard Attenborough, the plot itself is pretty standard, with the senior Charlie Chaplin reminiscing about his life. But Downey's portrayal is eerily true to life.
'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind' (2002)
While it's unclear how much of this adaptation of game show host Chuck Barris's book is true—considering how his autobiography is "unauthorized" and features claims he was a CIA assassin—this George Clooney-directed movie takes the subject matter and makes a compelling spy movie with it.
'The Elephant Man' (1980)
Considered one of David Lynch's most mainstream movies, this movie depicts the life of Joseph Merrick, a man living with severe physical deformities in the 19th century. With John Hurt in the title role, it's an extremely compassionate look at its subject.
'GoodFellas' (1990)
A story about the rise and fall of the mafioso/informant Henry Hill was always going to be interesting. But in Martin Scorsese's hands, you literally feel like you're living alongside Hill (Ray Liotta) with the dizzying highs—sometimes literally—of his early life and the horrible lows as it all comes crashing down.
'The Insider' (1999)
This Michael Mann movie might not be as well-known as some of his others (such as Heat, Collateral, and The Last of the Mohicans), but this critically acclaimed, fictional portrayal of tobacco industry whistleblower Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe) is incredibly compelling.
'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962)
Often considered the platonic ideal of epic movies, this Old Hollywood classic is stunning with a capital "S." It also wisely centers the narrative around the charismatic, enigmatic T. E. Lawrence (played by Peter O'Toole), whose rise from misfit status in the British Army to war hero (and back again) defies almost all the biopic tropes.
'Lincoln' (2012)
A lot of attention is rightly paid to the Oscar-winning performance by Daniel Day-Lewis of the titular American historical figure. But this Steven Spielberg film has an absolutely stacked cast, from Sally Field and Lee Pace to James Spader, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Tommy Lee Jones, all at the top of their game.
'Malcolm X' (1992)
This 1992 Spike Lee film covers Malcolm X (played by Denzel Washington) from his earliest childhood all the way to his assassination. It's epic in scale but absolutely pulls it off, portraying the activist in nuanced terms, with the film considered wildly ahead of its time upon its release.
'Marie Antoinette' (2006)
This is probably one of the best "gilded cage" movies of all time—which has become one of director Sofia Coppola's specialties. Kirsten Dunst stars as Marie Antoinette in a semi-anachronistic pre-Revolution France, wealthy beyond measure but confined by her status, marriage, and life. It's a fascinating movie about a famed royal, but more than that, it sees her through the lens of a lonely teenaged girl.
'Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters' (1985)
This is an incredibly stylized and fascinating film about Japanese writer Yukio Mishima (Ken Ogata). The film's framing device is Mishima's extremely intense death, but it's more interested in exploring his life and writings in more and more fascinating ways.
'Moneyball' (2011)
Sports analytics was never so exciting! This sports movie is based on the book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. The Oakland Athletics baseball team general manager (played by Brad Pitt) attempts to use analysis to draft players, way before—spoiler alert—the practice became widespread.
'Notorious' (2009)
If you don't know a ton about rap legend The Notorious B.I.G., this would be a good primer about his life, career, and the context that led to his tragic murder. Jamal Woolard stars as the hitmaker and is very, very good. For Biggie super-fans, some details may be overlooked, but as a movie, it's a thrilling watch.
'Oppenheimer' (2023)
Christopher Nolan was the right person to develop a movie about J. Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb. The drama is nonlinear and features thrilling sequences about the ticking time bomb to develop the weapon before the Germans in World War II.
'Patton' (1970)
With a screenplay co-written by Francis Ford Coppola and a starring role for George C. Scott as General George Patton, this Oscar-winning film takes us through the military figure's World War II activities, and eventually fall from grace.
'A Quiet Passion' (2016)
Lots of people missed A Quiet Passion, starring Cynthia Nixon as the reclusive and unappreciated poet Emily Dickinson, who felt stifled in society and achieved a little peace via her writing and female companionship.
'Raging Bull' (1980)
Martin Scorsese really appreciates an adaptation, and this (based on the Jake LaMotta memoir Raging Bull: My Story) is probably the most famous. A happy story this is not, but both Scorsese's commitment to never holding back in his direction and Robert De Niro's willingness to portray every millisecond of the downward spiral is riveting.
'Ray' (2004)
This film gets its hands around a lot—three decades in the life of musician Ray Charles—and was particularly poignant, since Charles himself died four months before the movie premiered. Jamie Foxx won an Oscar for his performance (and does his own piano playing).
'Remember the Titans' (2000)
This is loosely based on football coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington), who attempts to integrate two formerly segregated high school teams in Virginia. It's designed to be extremely inspiring, and as such it's considered to be one of the best sports films of all time.
'Schindler's List' (1994)
Steven Spielberg covering the Holocaust was always going to be intense and exceptional (and nominated for 12 Oscars). But it's astonishing how much character development, nuance, and even humor he injects into this movie. It's devastating, certainly, but it also takes your breath away as it tells the story of businessman Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) who organized to protect his factory workers after seeing the conditions of the concentration camps.
'The Social Network' (2010)
Writer Aaron Sorkin fully admits that this is a semi-fictionalized version of the development of Facebook (and the various lawsuits that ensued). This version of Mark Zuckerberg's development of the social media behemoth is also a riveting, deeply dramatic David Fincher film.
'Steve Jobs' (2015)
This Danny Boyle movie, written by Aaron Sorkin, catalogues three pivotal moments in the life of Steve Jobs (played by Michael Fassbender). It's been questioned for its relative veracity, but the characterization and dialogue—and the peek behind the curtain at Jobs' process—is fascinating.
'Straight Outta Compton' (2015)
This portrayal of the rise and fall of rap group N.W.A was both critically and commercially successful. It covers a lot—nearly a decade's worth of important events—but it's anchored with terrified acting and vocal performances (including O'Shea Jackson Jr. playing his father Ice Cube).
'Tucker: The Man and His Dream' (1988)
If you're unfamiliar with this Francis Ford Coppola movie about inventor and automobile designer Preston Tucker, it's worth seeking out. With Jeff Bridges in the lead, it's upbeat but ultimately about the "car of the future" that never was.
'Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story' (2007)
Technically, this is a satire of biopics— musical biopics, specifically—but it is still a must-watch. Dewey Cox (played by John C. Reilly) is basically a mashup of Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, John Lennon, Elvis Presley, and a host of other musicians, all through a deeply comedic lens. You'll never look at music biopics the same way again.
'Walk the Line' (2005)
This movie was a huge success (and nabbed Reese Witherspoon, as June Carter, an Oscar win), in part due to the faithfully realistic characterization by Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash—who used his own singing voice in the performance.
'What's Love Got to Do With It?' (1993)
For people who grew up in the '90s, this is a foundational biopic. With Angela Bassett in an absolutely ferocious performance as Tina Turner and an unsparing look at abuse and domestic violence, it proves that movies about real people can be anything but one dimensional.
'The Wrong Man' (1956)
The only Alfred Hitchcock film to be based on true events, this is drawn from a real-life horror story wherein an innocent man (played by Henry Fonda) is mistaken for a criminal and is arrested for crimes he didn't commit. The thriller is vice-like, twisting around and around until the viewer is just as panicked as Fonda.
