Famous 'Based On True Story' Films That Are Completely Inaccurate

When a film promotes itself as 'based on a true story,' be cautious. Few movies genuinely depict real events, as they are often shaped by the imaginations of screenwriters. Typically, these 'true story' films only capture a fraction of the actual events, sometimes as insignificant as 'a person with this name once lived.' Hollywood then constructs an entirely fictional narrative around that name, presenting it as factual.

Below are some well-known movies where 'the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth' was treated as an optional guideline, and often a rather absurd one.

20. Rudy (1993)

Rudy, the heartwarming story of a determined but overlooked Notre Dame football player whose teammates allegedly threatened to boycott unless their coach allowed him to play. Inspired by the crowd chanting his name, they defied the coach’s strategy to let the underdog take the field. After his brief appearance, they celebrated by carrying him off as if he had achieved a championship victory.

In reality, almost none of these events occurred. The dramatic jersey scene was entirely fabricated for cinematic effect. The coach had already planned to let Rudy play, rendering any threats unnecessary. The crowd’s chants for Rudy actually happened post-game, as a gesture of admiration for his effort. While he was indeed carried off the field, it was a rare moment of triumph rather than the typical stretcher exit seen in football.

19. Pocahontas (1995)

Although Disney never claimed to present an accurate historical account of the 17th-century Native American figure in Pocahontas, the 1995 animated film could have incorporated more factual elements. For instance, Pocahontas’ real name was Matoaka (her nickname meant 'playful one' or 'little brat'), and she was only 10 or 11 years old when John Smith and the Virginia Company arrived in 1607.

The age difference between the two characters is largely irrelevant, as there is no historical proof to back the film’s portrayal of a romantic connection between Pocahontas and Smith. While Pocahontas is often celebrated as one of Disney’s most empowering heroines, the film’s portrayal is filtered through a Westernized perspective that feels increasingly outdated as time goes on.

18. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

As one of the most iconic horror films in history, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre owes part of its cultural significance to its marketing as a story rooted in true events. Although Leatherface and certain plot elements were loosely inspired by the real-life crimes of Ed Gein, known as 'The Butcher of Plainfield,' the movie is almost entirely a product of fiction.

Director Tobe Hooper revealed that the film was promoted as a true story to attract audiences and as a political statement against government deceit during events like Watergate and the Vietnam War. Given the gruesome nature of the film, most viewers were likely more relieved than disappointed to discover that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was not based on actual events.

17. Cool Runnings (1993)

Debuting in 1993, Cool Runnings remains one of the most beloved Olympic-themed films, celebrated for its uplifting narrative, comedic charm, and the unforgettable presence of John Candy. However, Disney’s portrayal of the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team’s unlikely journey (though they finished last in the competition) strays far from reality. Many characters, including the fictional coach Irving 'Irv' Blitzer, were invented for the film. The actual team was not made up of sprinters but rather Jamaican army recruits selected by Americans George Finch and William Maloney, who spearheaded the effort to form a bobsled team.

Several creative liberties were taken to heighten the drama, such as depicting the Jamaicans as outcasts mocked by other teams. In truth, they were well-liked and even shared equipment with competitors. While Cool Runnings is largely fictional, its heartwarming and motivational story makes it easy to overlook its inaccuracies—unless you’re a bobsledding purist.

16. Captain Phillips (2013)

Tom Hanks often portrays ordinary individuals who rise to extraordinary challenges—see Sully later in this list—but his characters are often idealized versions of their real-life inspirations. In Captain Phillips, Hanks plays Captain Richard Phillips, who was hailed as a hero for sacrificing himself to protect his crew during the 2009 hijacking of the MV Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates. However, some crew members dispute this portrayal, claiming Phillips was not the selfless leader depicted in the film.

In fact, a lawsuit was filed against Maersk Line and the Waterman Steamship Corp., alleging that Phillips’ negligence and disregard for safety protocols contributed to the hijacking. Despite this, Phillips’ first mate, Shane Murphy, defended the film’s portrayal in an October 2013 interview with Vulture, stating he was pleased with how both he and Phillips were represented.

15. The Greatest Showman (2017)

Inspired by the life of P.T. Barnum and his renowned Barnum & Bailey Circus, The Greatest Showman became a box office sensation, though its uplifting narrative diverges significantly from reality. Barnum was far from the charismatic advocate for the marginalized portrayed by Hugh Jackman; instead, he exploited vulnerable groups for profit. For example, the film excludes the story of Joice Heith, an enslaved elderly black woman marketed as George Washington’s 161-year-old nursemaid. Despite her poor health, Barnum toured her until her death, after which he attempted to profit further by staging a public autopsy.

The romantic subplot involving Zack Efron and Zendaya’s characters is entirely fictional, as neither character existed in real life. Their relationship was crafted to portray Barnum as racially progressive, despite his career being built on perpetuating racist stereotypes. While a family-friendly musical couldn’t delve into such grim realities, viewers should not mistake The Greatest Showman for an accurate depiction of Barnum’s life.

14. 300 (2006)

Given its origins as a comic book adaptation, Zack Snyder’s 300 doesn’t claim historical accuracy, especially with its depiction of shirtless warriors battling a Persian army featuring supernatural elements. However, the film still misrepresents several historical details. While the Spartans’ stand at Thermopylae is legendary, the movie omits the 7,000 Greek allies who fought alongside the 300 Spartans, presenting a more solitary and exaggerated version of events.

In one scene, King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) mockingly calls Athenians 'boy-lovers,' a strange comment from a leader whose own culture celebrated homosexual relationships between warriors and young boys as part of their military and social traditions. Additionally, the portrayal of Xerxes as a towering, hairless figure more suited to a fantasy setting than leading a massive army is questionable. Despite Snyder’s claims of 'world-class historians' endorsing the film’s accuracy, watching 300 feels less like a history lesson and more like a stylized interpretation.

13. The Revenant (2015)

Leonardo DiCaprio endured immense physical challenges to secure his Best Actor Oscar for The Revenant, where he portrays 19th-century explorer Hugh Glass. Glass miraculously survives a brutal bear attack and betrayal by his fur trading team. While Glass was indeed a real figure abandoned by his companions, the bear attack story is heavily debated, as Glass never documented or spoke of such an event. Furthermore, there’s no evidence he had a Pawnee wife or a half-Pawnee son, a central plot point in the film as Glass seeks revenge for his son’s murder.

Regarding Fitzgerald, Glass did track him and John Bridger after they left him for dead, but he never killed them. Instead, he forgave them and later worked as a hunter for the U.S. Army at Fort Union in North Dakota. Glass ultimately died in 1833 during an Arikara attack. While The Revenant takes significant liberties with Glass’s story, screenwriter Mark I. Smith can be excused for embellishing, as Glass has become a larger-than-life figure in American folklore.

12. Argo (2012)

Ben Affleck’s film, which depicts a CIA operation to rescue hostages by posing as a movie crew in Iran, overlooks Canada’s crucial role in the mission. Initially, the U.S. credited Canada entirely to conceal the CIA’s involvement. However, the movie shifts focus entirely to the U.S., erasing Canada’s contributions entirely.

Additionally, many dramatic obstacles shown in the film, such as the Americans being stopped at the airport due to canceled tickets, were fabricated. The real operation proceeded without major issues. The scene where the CIA sifted through countless scripts to find the perfect fake movie is also fictional. They had already chosen the fake project early on, and it wasn’t titled Argo.

11. The Pursuit of Happiness (2006)

Chris Gardner’s inspiring journey from homelessness to becoming a successful stockbroker didn’t require much embellishment, but Hollywood altered key details. While Gardner did work as a medical equipment salesman, he didn’t invest all his savings in portable bone density scanners independently. He was employed by a company, albeit one that paid him poorly.

Furthermore, Gardner didn’t secure an interview with Dean Witter Reynolds by solving a Rubik’s Cube, nor was he arrested for unpaid parking tickets. In reality, he was arrested for domestic abuse, with unpaid tickets added later. The film also omits the period when Gardner’s girlfriend took their son away due to concerns about his financial instability. The movie portrays father and son enduring hardships together throughout, glossing over these complexities.

10. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

If historical accuracy matters to you, A Beautiful Mind falls short. While John Nash did struggle with schizophrenia and paranoia, he didn’t hallucinate entire individuals as depicted in the film. Instead, he held bizarre beliefs, such as viewing anyone wearing a red tie as a Soviet spy. Additionally, Nash stopped taking medication for his condition after 1970, unlike the film’s portrayal where he mentions using 'new' medicine—a detail added to discourage real-life schizophrenia patients from abandoning their treatment.

Furthermore, the real John Nash was far from the idealized version shown in the movie. While the film portrays him as a devoted husband to his first love, Alicia, the truth is more complicated. Nash likely had secret relationships with men, fathered an illegitimate child, and exhibited abusive behavior toward Alicia, whom he (or his illness) viewed as subservient.

9. Sully (2016)

The true story of Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger’s miraculous landing of a damaged plane on the Hudson River was gripping yet straightforward. However, Hollywood found this too mundane, so nearly every aspect of the Sully movie, aside from the landing itself, is entirely fictionalized to heighten drama.

To create conflict, director Clint Eastwood introduced a fictional villain in the form of a hostile traffic board determined to accuse Sully of negligence. They suggest he might have been intoxicated, that one engine was still functional, and that simulations proved he could have reached the airport. Sully battles to prove his actions were justified, and eventually, the board concedes he made the correct decision.

In reality, none of this occurred. The traffic board quickly supported Sully, as did the entire nation, which celebrated him as a hero.

8. The Blind Side (2009)

The Blind Side portrays Michael Oher’s journey from homelessness to the NFL, crediting his foster family for teaching him football and life skills. However, this is largely fictional. Oher had been familiar with football since childhood, possessing the natural size and speed for the sport. While his family’s support was crucial, they didn’t inspire him by comparing football teamwork to family bonds.

The film also misrepresents other details. Oher wasn’t immediately accepted into Briarcrest; he needed homeschooling to improve his grades. Additionally, he stayed with multiple families before the Tuohys eventually took him in.

7. Cinderella Man (2005)

Cinderella Man, which chronicles Depression-era boxer James Braddock’s journey from a destitute former fighter to World Heavyweight Champion, largely stays true to the real story. However, the film makes one significant misstep.

In the movie, Max Baer is portrayed as a villainous figure—a crude, arrogant womanizer who killed two men in the ring, boasted about it, and even threatened Braddock’s life. This depiction is entirely false and was added solely to create a dramatic antagonist, as if the hardships of the Great Depression weren’t compelling enough.

The real Max Baer was a decent and honorable man. While he did accidentally cause the death of one opponent during a match, he was deeply remorseful. He financially supported the victim’s family and reportedly endured nightmares about the incident for the rest of his life.

6. Pain & Gain (2013)

Pain and Gain took the true story of bodybuilders delving into organized crime and heavily dramatized it, as if the idea of bodybuilders engaging in Mafia activities wasn’t already intriguing enough for Hollywood.

Many characters bore little resemblance to their real-life counterparts beyond their names. Mark Wahlberg’s portrayal of Daniel Lugo as a simple-minded thug contrasts sharply with the real Lugo, who was a shrewd criminal mastermind behind a successful Medicare fraud scheme. The film briefly references the scam but quickly abandons it to depict Lugo as comically inept.

The Rock’s character, Paul Doyle, is entirely fictional, created by merging three real individuals, none of whom matched Dwayne Johnson’s muscular build. It appears the filmmakers cast Johnson not for authenticity but for his star power and marketable physique.

5. Jimi: All Is By My Side (2013)

This film about Jimi Hendrix’s rise to fame is largely accurate, though it lacks authorization from the Hendrix estate, which explains the absence of his actual music. However, it controversially depicts Hendrix as a domestic abuser who assaulted his girlfriend, Kathy Etchingham, after seeing her speak to another man.

According to Etchingham, the abusive incident depicted in the film never occurred, and Jimi was a kind and humorous man who never harmed her. The filmmakers appear to have fabricated the abuse scene based on unauthorized biographies, Room Full of Mirrors and Jimi: An Intimate Biography, neither of which included Etchingham’s input. The creators of All Is By My Side also failed to consult her, opting to fictionalize her character instead.

4. Hidalgo (2004)

Hidalgo, which follows Frank Hopkins and his horse in a desert race, stays true to its source material. However, the source material itself is largely fabricated.

The film draws from Hopkins’ own tales, where he claimed to have been a teenage US Cavalry rider, a performer in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, and the winner of the fictional 3000-mile Ocean of Fire race. Researchers Basha and CuChullaine O’Reilly debunked these claims, revealing Hopkins was never in the Cavalry or the Wild West Show, and the race never existed. While he did work as a horse handler for the Ringling Brothers circus, his racing achievements were entirely fictional.

3. Braveheart (1994)

Hollywood’s portrayal of William Wallace’s rebellion against the British is largely fictional. The title 'Braveheart' actually refers to Robert the Bruce, not Wallace. The film shows Scots wearing kilts, which they didn’t during that era. The concept of primae noctis, a key plot element, has no historical basis. Additionally, the movie implies England had ruled Scotland for years, but it was only a year before Wallace’s rebellion. The inaccuracies are numerous and extensive.

Braveheart screenwriter Randall Wallace acknowledges that the poem Blind Harry, which inspired the film, is likely fictional. He justified the adaptation by saying, 'I know it spoke to my heart, and that’s what matters to me.' Similarly, director and star Mel Gibson admits the film is probably inaccurate but believes it’s more entertaining than the true story.

2. The Imitation Game (2013)

Hollywood’s depiction of Alan Turing’s efforts to crack the German Enigma Code during World War II is riddled with inaccuracies. The film largely ignores the significant contributions of Polish scientists, who had already cracked early Enigma codes and helped Turing refine his machine. Instead, the movie credits Turing almost exclusively.

The film also fabricates a subplot where Turing discovers a Soviet spy on his team and protects him under threat of being exposed as homosexual. This is entirely fictional and harms Turing’s legacy, as aiding a spy would constitute treason. Additionally, the movie falsely claims Turing was arrested for homosexuality after an espionage investigation. In reality, he reported a robbery but was having an affair with the thief, leading to his arrest after confessing to homosexuality.

1. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Lawrence of Arabia is a cinematic masterpiece, but its historical accuracy is far from flawless.

The film depicts Arab soldiers and Arab culture as disorganized and tribal, creating a stark contrast with the British characters like T.E. Lawrence. In reality, the soldiers were disciplined and well-trained, and Arab society was sophisticated and cultured.

Lawrence’s role in the movie appears more significant than it likely was in real life. Historical accounts suggest he was just one of many intelligence officers in Arabia. However, his self-promotion skills, particularly through his memoir The Seven Pillars Of Wisdom, which inspired the film, have elevated his legacy beyond its true historical weight.