Sure, we’ve previously said that we love movies that are based on actual people or events. But have you ever considered what these actual people thought of the biopics that were based on their real-life stories? How about how much of the storylines in the biopics were actually true? Because let’s face it, Mark Zuckerberg couldn’t have been that much of a loser in university as depicted in “The Social Network”, could he? And what about the story of Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams, whose character was played by the late Robin Williams in “Patch Adams”?
What exactly did WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange have to say about “The Fifth State”?
Although this movie really doesn’t need no introduction, “The Social Network” is a 2010 American drama film directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin. Adapted from Ben Mezrich’s 2009 book, “The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal”, the film portrays the founding of social networking website Facebook by then Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg and the resulting lawsuits filed by 2 brothers who claimed he stole their idea, and the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.
Mark Zuckerberg’s thoughts on this:
The whole framing of the movie is that I’m with this girl – who doesn’t exist in real life – who dumps me … which has happened in real life, a lot. They (the filmmakers) just can’t wrap their head around the idea that someone might build something because they like building things.
5. Catch Me If You Can
“Catch Me If You Can” is a 2002 American biographical crime drama film based on the life of Frank Abagnale, who, before his 19th birthday, successfully performed cons worth millions of dollars by posing as a Pan American World Airways pilot, a Georgia doctor, and a Louisiana parish prosecutor. His primary crime was check fraud; he became so experienced that the FBI eventually turned to him to help in catching other check forgers.
Frank Abagnale’s thoughts on this:
It’s quite flattering to have Leonardo DiCaprio play you in the movie. He’s a great-looking young man. I have 3 sons so when I mentioned Leo they weren’t very excited. But when they saw the movie, they all agreed he did an incredible job of portraying me.
6. Patch Adams
“Patch Adams” is a 1998 semi-biographical comedy-drama film starring Robin Williams, Monica Potter, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Bob Gunton. Directed by Tom Shadyac, it is based on the life story of Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams and his book, ‘Gesundheit: Good Health is a Laughing Matter”, by Adams and Maureen Mylander. The film mostly centred on how in the 1970s, medical student Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams treated patients (illegally) using humour.
Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams’ thoughts on this:
Well, I think I understood Hollywood enough when I entered this contract to know that it wasn’t important to get my biography correct.
7. 127 Hours
“127 Hours” is a 2010 British-American biographical survival drama film directed, co-written and produced by Danny Boyle. The film was based on Aron Ralston’s memoir, “Between a Rock and a Hard Place” and stars James Franco as real-life canyoneer Aron Ralston, who became trapped by a boulder in an isolated slot canyon in Blue John Canyon, southeastern Utah, in April 2003. Although it was quite a draggy film, the intense tale of a mountain climber trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone and him having to resort to desperate measures in order to survive was absolutely dripping.
Aron Ralston’s thoughts on this:
The first time that me and (director) Danny Boyle met in 2006, there was actually a large gulf between our visions for this film. My experience of watching it for the first time was incredibly intense, I was in an audience in a theatre and crying from about 20 minutes into the film, all the way through to the end. And not because of a pain that I felt, but because in a lot of ways it reminds me so effectively of what was so important that I got out of that canyon for.
(Source)
