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For some reason, watching movies that were based on true stories hits differently. Acknowledging that the entirety — or at least part of — the events reflected on-screen were actually real just makes the whole viewing experience much more intriguing and authentic. While everyone knows that gems likePsychoandCatch Me If You Canare two of the films that take inspiration from real stories, there are other good movies that make the whole thing less obvious.
From the thought-provokingGood Will Huntingto one of the most prized romances of all time,Nicholas Sparks’The Notebook,these are some of the movies you probably didn’t know were based — even if loosely — on real stories.
Updated on June 29, 2025, by Daniela Gama:
With recent releases of movies based on true stories – for instance,Christopher Nolan’s upcomingOppenheimer(July 21), starringCillian Murphy– it isn’t hard to find ourselves wondering which movies are actually chronicling real-life events, especially when such facts aren’t implied in the film. Below, we look back at other remarkable movies that relied on genuine narratives.
13’Goodfellas' (1990)
Toldfrom the point of view ofHenry Hill (Ray Liotta), a local Brooklyn gangster and drug dealer,Goodfellasfocuses on the character’s life in the mob, tackling his relationship with his wife Karen (Lorraine Bracco) and his mob partners Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci).
As it turns out (viaATI),Martin Scorsese’s notable crime filmis more than a fictional story. Based on the 1986 nonfiction bestsellerWiseguywhich centered around the life of Lucchese crime family associateHenry Hill, as well as his comrades and their involvement in the infamous Lufthansa heist, this iconic film delivers representations of real-life people.
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12’The Sound of Music' (1965)
This iconic 1965 musical is apparently so much more than meets the eye – the legendary film byRobert Wiseis based on a play that is based on the first section ofMaria von Trapp’s own memoir first published in 1949 titledThe Story of the Trapp Family Singers.
The book tells the story ofJulie Andrews’s real-life character inThe Sound of Music, Maria von Trapp, who takes a job as governess to a large family while she decides whether to become a nun. It is said, however, that the movie plot does not always stay true to its source material.
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11’Good Will Hunting' (1997)
Theclassic inspiring dramaGood Will HuntingstarsMatt Damonas the extremely gifted but rebellious Will Hunting, and the unforgettableRobinWilliamsas his kind-hearted, understanding psychologist Sean. This incredibly touchingGus Van Santmovie from 1997 focuses on a highly intelligent boy who needs help redirecting his life path to find his true identity.
Good Will Huntingdraws inspiration from real-life events. According toDamon, the beloved film, which was beautifully written by the actor himself, featured some scenes loosely based on episodes that happened with his brother: “He was visiting a physicist we knew at M.I.T. and he was walking down the Infinite Corridor. He saw those blackboards that line the halls. So my brother, who is an artist, picked up some chalk and wrote an incredibly elaborate, totally fake version of an equation. And it was so cool and completely insane that no one erased it for months.”
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10’Jaws' (1975)
Everyone has heard about the 1975 classic with the big bad shark that makes the beach community of Cape Cod go absolutely feral (and for good reason). But did anyone know that it was inspired by a real shark story? StarringRoy Scheideras local sheriff Brody, andRichard Dreyfussas marine biologist Hooper, this enthralling movie is guaranteed to leave viewers on the edge of their seats.
According toBusiness Insider, the main star fromSteven Spielberg’s masterpieceJawsis partly based on a shark that killed four people in 1916 New Jersey during a “spate of attacks culminated in the town of Matawan, where a 10-year-old boy was killed on July 14, 2025, while swimming in an inland creek more than 10 miles away from the nearest ocean bay.”
9’The Notebook' (2004)
Adapted from Nicholas Sparks' novel of the same name,Nick Cassavetes’The Notebooktells the admirable story of two lovers of opposite social classes. In a nursing home, resident Duke (James Garner) reads to an old woman (Gena Rowlands) who lives with senile dementia and memory loss. He tells a very passionate romance story of a low-class young man (Ryan Gosling) who falls for a wealthy girl (Rachel McAdams).
Who knew one of the film industry’s most beloved romances was based on real-life events, even if loosely? According toMirror, the author actually based his tale on the story of his wife’s grandparents who were together for over 60 years: “The Notebookwas originally inspired by the story of my wife’s grandparents. They had a rare and beautiful relationship, one that withstood the test of time and circumstance.”
8’Rear Window' (1954)
One ofAlfred Hitchcock’s greatest films, just likePsycho,Rear Windowis also a classic inspired by macabre true events; in addition to this, it is also an impactful social commentary. The movie follows L.B. Jefferies (James Stewart), a photographer who is set to spend his days stuck at home recovering in a wheelchair and who, in the meantime, attentively spies on his neighbors from his Greenwich Village apartment window, certain that one of them has committed murder.
Hitchcocksaid it himself: “I used two news stories from the British press. One was thePatrick Mahoncase and the other was the case ofDr. Crippen. In the Mahon case, the man killed a girl in a bungalow on the seafront of Southern England. He cut up the body and threw it, piece by piece, out of a train window. But he didn’t know what to do with the head, and that’s where I got the idea of having them look for the victim’s head inRear Window.”
7’Hustlers' (2019)
An extremely fun watch,Lorene Scafaria’s entertainingHustlersstars the iconicJennifer Lopezas the lead actor – alongside other recognizable faces, includingConstance Wu,Keke Palmer,Cardi B, andLili Reinhart –and follows a crew of former strip club employees who seek revenge on their Wall Street clients.
As for the actual events the film is based on:Jessica Pressler’s December 2015New York Magazinearticle “The Hustlers at Scores,” in which the journalist interviewedKeoandSamantha Foxx, two people out of five who were accused of allegedly drugging men.
6’Chicago' (2002)
This treasured Hollywood musical that features a cast of extremely talented actors revolves around two death-row convicts, Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones), who murdered her husband and sister after finding out about an affair between the two, andZellweger’s Roxie Hart, who killed her husband when she learned we wouldn’t make her a star. Fighting for the fame that will keep them away from the bars in the 1920s (you guessed it) Chicago, this bewitching film will have audiences' eyes glued to the screen.
What may come as a surprise to some is howChicagowas based on a dark true story. Drawing inspiration from the 1926 play that was written by the reporter assigned to cover the trials of murdererBeulah Annan(Roxie Hart) andBelva Gaertn(the inspiration for Velma Kelly), this engaging musical shares a lot of similarities with real-life events.
5’Footloose' (1984)
Footlooseis perhaps one of themost well-known films of the musical genre, and it centers around a rebellious, high-spirited teenager who moves from Chicago city into the small town of Bomont, where rock music and dancing have been banned. At first, Ren (Kevin Bacon) tries to fit in, though soon enough he learns that he has no choice but to take up the glove and fight prejudice.
As it seems, in the year 1979 the small town of Elmore City, Oklahoma faced a community crisis – while the seniors of Elmore High School strived to plan a senior prom, dances were against the law due to a not-forgotten ordinance from the late 1800s that claimed dancing a tool of the devil (according to theBBC).
4’Almost Famous' (2000)
When a high-schooler is given the chance to write a story for Rolling Stone Magazine about a promising young rock band as he accompanies them throughout their tour, the aspiring rock journalist, William Miller (Patrick Fugit), gets to experience a glimpse of fame.
While partly fictional, both the film and musical of the same name are based on a true story (viaDistractify). Drawing inspiration fromCameron Crowe, the film’s writer-director, and his time writing for Rolling Stone Magazine when he was just 16 years old in the 1970s,Almost Famousis considered one of his best works. Itfeatures several characters based on real people, including lead groupiePennie Ann Trumbull, who was a major inspiration forKate Hudson’s on-screen counterpart, Penny Lane.
