Best biopics on Netflix right now

Stories about people and their achievements in life inspire a lot of viewers and boost their morale and self-confidence. And the impact is greater when the story is based on real-life events and real individuals as they make the viewers believe that when a person has already achieved this much, why can’t they. That’s the reason why biopics do so well. 

So, here are a few impeccably created biopics that are available on Netflix to stream:

The Most Hated Woman in America (2017)

Directed by: Tommy O’Haver

Cast: Melissa Leo, Peter Fonda, Sally Kirkland, Rory Cochrane, Josh Lucas

Atheism has always been a controversial topic in American society. Even to this day, Atheists have a certain stigma attached to them. If that’s the case in the year 2022, imagine the overall scenario in the 1960s.

The movie is set in the early 60s where Madalyn Murray O’Hair got offended when she learned that her older son William is forced to recite the Lord’s Prayer in school. In opposition to that, she filed a campaign against the mandatory school prayer in Supreme Court which got accepted and the concept of prayer became illegal. The whole case outraged the people of the Christian faith and it didn’t take long for her to be known as the most hated woman in America. This incident kick-started her atheist activism. 

The film follows her journey through the course of life while advocating her beliefs quite strongly and much to people’s displeasure, which ended quite tragically for her. 

Sergio (2020)

Directed by: Greg Barker

Cast: Wagner Moura, Ana de Armas, Garret Dillahunt, Clemens Schick, Will Dalton

In 2003, the US launched its invasion of Iraq under the name ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’. The ostensible purpose of the invasion was to prevent Saddam Hussain from developing weapons of mass destruction. Since no evidence was found, it is speculated that the invasion was motivated by other objectives such as controlling oilfields or a mere move to establish US hegemony in the world. 

The film follows this controversial invasion and the United Nations’ Special Representative in Iraq, Sérgio Vieira de Mello’s efforts to negotiate the withdrawal of American troops and give ‘true’ independence to the Iraqis. 

Christine (2016)

Directed by: Antonio Campos

Cast: Rebecca Hall, Michael C. Hall, Tracy Letts, Maria Dizzia, J. Smith-Cameron, John Cullum 

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by judging the freeness of speech.” In a country, freedom of speech is directly connected to media and the profession of journalism. Journalism plays a pivotal role in a community and with the information it provides, common people make important decisions regarding their lives and society.

However, this important field too isn’t spared from certain downsides and is considered as a ‘men’s sphere’. Women journalists face certain challenges in the field that men don’t pay much heed towards, including gender-based discrimination in duty and story allotment, poor working conditions, safety issues in certain environments, and more. These conditions were far worse in the decade of 70s. 

The film talks about that very gender gap in the field which was far more evident in the 70s. The story follows Reporter Christine Chubbuck who loves to cover human-interest pieces but is made to reconsider her choice of work as it doesn’t get enough ratings for the channel. She suffers from stress and depression and struggles with both her career and personal life and tries to figure things out. 

Barry (2016)

Directed by: Vikram Gandhi

Cast: Devon Terrell, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jason Mitchell, Ashley Judd, Jenna Elfman, Ellar Coltrane

“I’m from a lot of places, but I live here now.” The answer was found by Obama after a long time of inner turmoil and confusion about his identity, where he is from, and his position in society. 

The story follows Barack Obama’s college years in New York City where he finds himself surrounded by the double standards of society. A ‘woke’ himself, Obama found it nearly impossible to turn a blind eye towards the difference of treatment between the black and white residents of the city. It shows the presence of the concept of white supremacy in the minds of people which is disappointingly prevalent to some extent to date.  

First They Killed My Father (2017)

Directed by: Angelina Jolie 

Cast: Sreymoch Sareum, Kompheak Phoeung, Socheta Sveng, Mun Kimhak, Sreyneang Oun 

War is a synonym for barbarity and devastation. Families uprooted, loved ones lost, separation, and traumas are the essential repercussions of war, and the same was faced by Loung Ung in her childhood when Cambodia was at war in the late 1960s and early 70s. 

Loung Ung is an American-Cambodian human rights activist who has seen the devastating time of war first hand. The deteriorating condition of soldier camps of children and even worse conditions of the labor camps, her parents dying from the hands of Khmer Rouge officials, and nothing but starvation and sickness.