There are plenty of movies based on true stories [1], but when it comes to biopics on Netflix, it can get a little trickier. Biographical dramas can be tough to pull off, blending the facts of a person's life with the necessary elements to tell a compelling story over a couple of hours of film. Filmmakers may choose to focus just on one or two particular portions of a person's life, or they might condense it to skim through many years. Either way, biopics can be an exciting way to learn something new about the lives of important people in history [2]. If you're looking for a great biopic to watch on Netflix tonight, here are 9 of our top recommendations!
The Dirt
A group of young musicians come together to form the band Mötley Crue. As their fame rises to new heights, so does their hedonism, with devastating consequences.
Watch The Dirt on Netflix. [3]
The King's Speech
World War II is looming, and Britain faces a constitutional crisis when its king refuses to rule without marrying his divorced mistress. That leaves his younger brother "Bertie" to take the throne, who then turns to an eccentric speech therapist to help him overcome his stammer and lead an empire in this Oscar-winning drama.
Watch The King's Speech on Netflix. [4]
The Theory of Everything
Brilliant physics student Stephen Hawking falls in love with Jane Wilde, an arts student. Shortly into their romance, though, Hawking is diagnosed with a life-changing disease, and what follows is a daily struggle to live, love, and continue his work.
Watch The Theory of Everything on Netflix. [5]
Lion
Starring Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman [6], Lion [7] tells the true story of an Indian man who was separated from his family before being adopted by an Australian couple. The film follows his character's determined journey to finding his birth family.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind [8] tells the inspiring story of 13-year-old William Kamkwamba. When he is kicked out of school because his family could no longer afford the fees, he's inspired by a science book to build a wind turbine to save his Malawian village from famine.
Sully
on Jan. 15, 2009, Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger (played by Tom Hanks [9]) made the quick decision to perform an emergency landing in New York's Hudson River after a flock of geese strikes the US Airways Flight 1549. All 155 passengers and crew survived — Sully [10] follows the subsequent investigation into the incident to decide whether Sully made the right call in performing the landing.
Schindler's List
This 1993 film [11] by Steven Spielberg [12] tells the story of Oskar Schindler — a factory owner who heroically saved 1,100 Jews from the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II.
Eat Pray Love
In Eat Pray Love [13] Julia Roberts [14] plays Liz Gilbert who, following a sudden divorce, books a ticket to Italy, India, and Bali on an adventure of self-discovery.
Pursuit of Happyness
In Pursuit of Happyness [15] Will Smith [16] stars alongside his son Jaden as the father and son duo are evicted from their home and forces to live in shelters. Single dad, Chris, then lands an internship at a prestigious brokerage firm, but the job pays no money. The heartwarming (and at times devastating) film follows the pair as Chris works to secure a better life for his son.