From Lady Gaga’s flawless portrayal of scheming wife Patrizia Reggiani in House Of Gucci (2021) to shady tales of mobster families in American Gangster (2007), crime movies based on true stories are both terrifying and entertaining. But they are definitely not for the faint of heart.
Enjoyed by fans in the form of thriller novels, documentaries and even podcasts, the true crime genre has gained immense popularity over the ages. With good storytelling, audacious characters and mystery, these productions explore the darkest side of the human psyche. The intriguing tales not only shed light on real-life events but also provide viewers with an adrenaline rush of solving a crime.
While movies like The Good Nurse (2022) unravel the truth behind psychopath serial killers, satirical black comedies like War Dogs (2016) examine the world of illegal arms dealerships in a style similar to Martin Scorsese’s 1990 masterpiece Goodfellas.
Not to mention, the Leonardo DiCaprio starrer Catch Me If You Can (2001), which introduced audiences to American author and former convict Frank Abagnale Jr. Directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, the biographical crime drama achieved a lifetime gross collection of USD 164.62 million at the North American box office, reports Statista.
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci
Year of release: 1990
IMDb rating: 8.7
Synopsis: Hailing from a humble background, a young Irish-Italian boy, Henry Hill (Liotta), works his way up in a mafia organisation. Money, drugs and the thrill of murder soon blind him to the crimes he commits. Eventually, his greed for power becomes the cause of his doom.
Based on: A true crime drama adaptation of the book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, Goodfellas had its premiere at the 47th Venice International Film Festival in 1990, where Scorsese was honoured with the Silver Lion for best direction.
(Image: Courtesy Netflix)
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken
Year of release: 2002
IMDb rating: 8.2
Synopsis: American con artist Frank Abagnale Jr. (DiCaprio) has been scamming people worth millions by masterfully impersonating a pilot, a doctor, a teacher, and an attorney. When he gets bolder and dupes USD 2.5 million worth of bad cheques, he comes on the radar of FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Hanks).
Based on: This popular crime comedy-drama film is inspired by the life of American con artist Frank Abagnale Jr. and is based on the 2001 semi-autobiographical book of the same name by Abagnale and Stan Redding.
(Image: Courtesy Netflix)
Directed by: Tom McCarthy
Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber
Year of release: 2015
IMDb rating: 8.1
Synopsis: A team of four reporters at the Boston Globe is tasked with investigating a scandalous cover-up by the Catholic Church. After a year-long inquiry, shocking revelations come to the forefront that stands to threaten the authenticity of one of the world’s biggest religious institutions.
Based on: This American crime drama is based on the true story of the Pulitzer-prize-winning Boston Globe investigation of the child abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. The movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2016 along with Best Original Screenplay at the 88th Oscars.
(Image: Courtesy IMDb)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie
Year of release: 2013
IMDb rating: 8.1
Synopsis: Young Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio), who enters a Wall Street brokerage firm, climbs up the ladder of success fast. In a few years, he becomes the owner of the firm Stratton Oakmont and earns a huge amount by scamming wealthy investors till the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) gets on his tail.
Based on: It is based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, a famous Wall Street stockbroker. The screenplay is inspired by the 2007 memoir of the same name authored by Belfort himself.
(Image: Courtesy/Netflix)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci
Year of release: 2019
IMDb rating: 7.8
Synopsis: Frank Sheeran (De Niro), a former truck driver and W.W.II veteran, recalls how he became a hitman over the course of his life. His adventures include getting involved with mobster Russell Bufalino (Pesci) and his crime family, while also working for the powerful Teamster Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino).
Based on: This crime movie is a skilful and accurate retelling of the true story of mob boss hitman and World War II veteran Frank Sheeran. The screen adaptation was inspired by Charles Brandt’s 2004 book I Heard You Paint Houses.
(Image: Courtesy Netflix/Twitter)
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Cast: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin
Year of release: 2007
IMDb rating: 7.8
Synopsis: Frank Lucas (Washington) is a chauffeur to Harlem’s renowned mobster. When his boss is killed in an unfortunate incident, Frank steps in to fill the void. Soon, he is hailed as one of the most powerful crime bosses in the city. As word gets out, cop Richie Roberts (Crowe) becomes determined to bring Lucas down.
Based on: The movie is a retelling of the criminal career of gangster Frank Lucas of La Grange, North Carolina, who smuggled heroin into the US via American service planes returning from the Vietnam War during the 1970s.
(Image: Courtesy Netflix)
Directed by: Paul Greengrass
Cast: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Catherine Keener
Year of release: 2013
IMDb rating: 7.8
Synopsis: It is March 2009 and Captain Richard Phillips (Hanks) has left home in Vermont for Oman, Africa to take command of the US cargo ship MV Maersk Alabama. When it reaches the Somali basin, Phillips and his crew are taken hostage by armed pirates headed by their leader Muse (Barkhad Abdi). Will Phillips be able to return Maersk Alabama to safety?
Based on: One of the most popular true crime movies, Captain Phillips is based on the story of Captain Richard Phillips and the hijacking of the US container ship MV Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates. The screenplay is adapted from Phillips and Stephen Talty’s 2010 memoir A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs and Dangerous Days at Sea.
(Image: Courtesy Netflix)
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Cast: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Ana de Armas, Steve Lantz
Year of release: 2016
IMDb rating: 7.1
Synopsis: Massage therapist David Packouz (Teller) and his high school friend Efraim Diveroli (Hill), who is also an arms dealer, exploit a US government initiative during the Iraq War. But when a USD 300 million deal to provide arms for the Afghan Military lands them in trouble, the duo struggle to get back to safety.
Based on: Blending crime drama with comedy, War Dogs is based on a true story with the real David Packouz making a brief cameo in the film. Phillips and his co-writers Stephen Chin and Jason Smilovic based the screenplay of the movie on the 2011 Rolling Stone article titled Arms and the Dudes by Canadian-American journalist Guy Lawson.
(Image: Courtesy IMDb)
Directed by: Tobias Lindholm
Cast: Jessica Chastain, Eddie Redmayne, Noah Emmerich, Nnamdi Asomugha
Year of release: 2022
IMDb rating: 6.8
Synopsis: Single mother Amy Loughren (Chastain) works hard as an ICU nurse to provide for her two kids. Suffering from a major heart condition, Amy is relieved at the arrival of her friendly new co-worker Charlie (Redmayne), who helps share her workload. But when patients in her hospital start dying mysteriously, the good-natured Charlie becomes the prime suspect in an investigation that Amy has to help solve.
Based on: The movie is based on Charles Graeber’s 2013 book of the same name about convicted serial killer Charles Cullen.
(Image: Courtesy Netflix)
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Cast: Lady Gaga, Jared Leto, Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Salma Hayek
Year of release: 2021
IMDb rating: 6.6
Synopsis: Greed and ambition take over the seemingly-ordinary Patrizia Reggiani (Gaga) after she marries Maurizio Gucci (Driver) and becomes a part of the Gucci family. Soon, a power struggle for the sole control of the Italian fashion brand ensues, leading to betrayal and murder.
Based on: This American biographical crime drama film is inspired by the real story of the family behind the Italian fashion house, Gucci. The screenplay was adapted from the 2001 book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by acclaimed writer Sara Gay Forden.
(Image: Courtesy House of Gucci/Twitter)
(Hero and featured image: Courtesy House of Gucci/Twitter)
Yes. True crime movies are either entirely based on or loosely interpreted from real-life stories
True crime is a genre that deals with a real-life crime story and dramatises the actions of people associated with it on screen.
Some popular serial killer shows based on true stories are 'Hannibal', 'Dexter', 'Mindhunter' and 'You'.
From documentaries to podcasts to thriller novels, true crime genre has gained immense popularity over time. With good storytelling, interesting characters and mostly a mystery that is solved at the end, true crime movies promise to leave audiences with a cathartic experience. Intriguing crime movies like the 2022 hit ‘The Good Nurse’ not only shed light on real-life events but also provide viewers with the adrenaline rush of solving a crime.
Sushmita is a writer with a passion for crafting engaging and informative stories. An avid fan of K-pop and K-dramas, Sushmita mostly writes about Korean culture and entertainment. When not writing, you ..Read More
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