Stranger Than Fiction: Movies Based on “A True Story”
There have been a lot of crazy movies out there, but some of the strangest are the ones “based on a true story.” Sure a lot of these kinds of movies grossly exaggerate the circumstances in which they take place, but that doesn’t mean that fact is often stranger than fiction. Take it from me, I live in Florida and weird stuff is always going on around here (ever hear of Florida man?). That’s why this week I’m taking a look at some of the weirdest “factual” films I’ve seen over the years. There were a lot to choose from, so I decided to go with the 5 most bizarre flicks based on a true story that I’ve seen recently. That doesn’t mean they were the best movies, but they are absolutely mind-blowing that they happened in real life.
Catch Me if You Can
Based on the true story of Frank Abagnale, one of the most famous con men in American history. He pulled his first job at the age of 15 when he ripped off gas stations (and his father) for $3,400. From there he went on to commit bank fraud and impersonated everything from a pilot to an attorney. His life of crime last 6 years until he was caught in 1969. However, during his prison time, he went on to escape 2 times (that were reported). The movie version cast Leonardo DiCaprio as Abagnale and Tom Hanks played an FBI agent based on Joseph Shea. While it might not be the craziest true story on this list, it’s amazing that such a young man could elude police for so long. It’s a good thing Abagnale went on to use his powers for good after he served his time.
I Love You Phillip Morris
Another true story based on one of the more famous con men in recent history, I Love You Phillip Morris tells the tale of Steven Jay Russell who was locked up for bank fraud in 1998. Normally that would be the end of the story, but Russell went on to escape from prison multiple times. His most famous escape was the result of him faking a heart attack and then impersonating an FBI agent to escape from the hospital. So, what drove a man to escape from prison so many times? True love that’s what. In the film, Russell is portrayed by Jim Carrey who is trying desperately to get back to his lover, Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor). It’s not as outlandish as many of Carrey’s comedies, but that’s because the story it’s based on is crazy enough.
Tag
George Bernard Shaw once said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” Based on the true story written by Russell Adams in The Wall Street Journal, Tag is about a group of friends that play the titular game one month a year every year. The thing is that these men are all a bit out of the suggested age range for such a childish game, but that just means their games have managed to escalate to ridiculous heights since they first started playing. If anything, Tag shows us that you can always make time for the things that are important to you. Personally, I hope these guys keep playing it until they’re just racing each other in motorized wheelchairs.
Pain & Gain
I’ve never been a huge fan of Michael Bay, but I have to admit his adaptation of this mind-boggling true story is probably one of his better films. The film follows a trio of bodybuilders who decided they deserve more than they’ve got and resorted to kidnapping, extortion, torture and even murder. Before you think there’s no way this could be based on a true story let me remind you about what I said about Florida. Crazy things happen in the sunshine state and this tale took place in Miami. While the movie might distort some of the facts (a few of them in order to protect the survivors), the nature of the crimes and the characters remain pretty well intact. The best part is that Bay cast the perfect actors in his film, including Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, and Tony Shalhoub.
The Bling Ring
The most infuriating film based on a true story is probably The Bling Ring. So, why is it included on this list? Because it’s insane how such privileged little brats could succumb to a life of crime for a few fancy purses and jewelry that would help them win best dressed in high school. The film tells the tale of 8 teens who robbed celebrity homes over the course of a year. There were over 50 homes burgled including ones belonging to the likes of Paris Hilton, Megan Fox, and Orlando Bloom. The members of this little ring of thieves consisted of children who came from fairly affluent families and stole mostly for aesthetic reasons. So, why would kids who wanted for nothing risk everything for some accessories (which added up to over $3 million)? Who knows, but it’s a good thing they got caught.
There are tons of other movies that feature true stories that are stranger than fiction, and a lot more are set to come out in the near future. In the meantime, what do you think of these crazy films? Is there a movie based on a true story that is your personal favorite? Leave a comment below letting me know if there are any good ones I should check out!