Sometimes, you watch a movie because you want to escape real life. We’re talking fantasy rings, wizard schools, or picture perfect romances. Nothing beats these big pictures for a bit of escapism. But remember, that’s not all that movies are good for.
Sometimes, a well-picked real-life movie can also serve the very satisfying purpose of satisfying your real-world curiosity. Sure, finding out what happens behind the scenes in the pharmaceutical industry doesn’t exactly make for light relief, but it’s certainly enough to keep us hooked.
This stuff is just endlessly fascinating. Hence, there’s an entire ‘films based on real life’ section slap bang in your Netflix account. But which films are most worth bringing to your screen? Keep reading as we consider our top three.
# 1 – Woman of the Hour
Sometimes, truth really is stranger than fiction, and that can be seen firsthand in Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, ‘Woman of the Hour‘, which follows the real-life story of how serial killer Rodney Alcalca blew his own cover by appearing (and being chosen) on the show ‘The Dating Game’ back in the 70s. Starring Kendrick herself as contestant Sheryl Bradshaw, the film depicts Alcalcas’ shocking crimes, which are believed to include as many as 130 women. This certainly isn’t an easy watch, but the film does a great job of bringing this story to light, and we can bet your heart will be in your mouth right up to the last scene, and probably well beyond.
# 2 – Pain Hustlers
What do you get when you pair Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, and the late great Catherine O’Hara? Well, right now on Netflix, you get Pain Hustlers, a fantastic film that deep dives into the dishonesty of the pharmaceutical industry through the story of Insys Therapeutics and their highly addictive fentanyl spray, Subsys. We meet Emily Blunt’s character, Liza Drake, when she’s struggling to make ends meet working in a gentleman’s club. Here, she meets Pete Brenner, a failed pharmaceutical rep who convinces her to come and work with him. Predictably, Drake is a natural, but her conscience starts to catch up with her as she’s lured into some increasingly shady sales tactics. It’s fast, fun, and also sheds light on a shocking issue. What’s not to love?
# 3 – Nonnas
Real-life films tend to be on the heavy side, which is why we also thought it worth adding Nonnas to this list. This light-hearted feel-good flick stars Vince Vaughan, Susan Sarandon, and Linda Cardellini amongst other great names, and tells the story of a man who, in the aftermath of his own nonna’s death, chooses to open a restaurant with grandmothers in the kitchen. But, of course, corralling a group of cantankerous and often unwilling ladies out of retirement isn’t easy, and that’s before you consider setbacks like lacking finances and kitchen fires (yes, really!). We’re betting this film will put a smile on your face and possibly make you cry a little, too, but in all of the right ways!
Fancy a true-life film fix? Look no further than these top options!
