They say that truth is stranger than fiction, but, in many instances, the truth can be much more fascinating, as well. That's probably why memoirs serve as the basis for so many of Hollywood's most celebrated films. Many go on to win Oscars and become box office sensations.
From perilous adventures to passionate romances, the 10 movies on this list prove that everyone has a story to tell. Using the score assigned from IMDb, here are the 10 best films based on memoirs, ranked.
Julie and Julia (2009): 7.0
Julie Powell, an unhappy wife living in a tiny New York City apartment, decided that she was going to cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child's famous The Art of French Cooking. Powell went on to blog about her culinary adventures, and, soon, her website developed a huge following, and Little Brown and Company approached her about a book deal.
Julia Child famously scoffed at Powell, calling her endeavor a "stunt," and the film adaption even features Child's reaction. Despite being controversial, the movie, which starred Maryl Streep and Amy Adams, grossed over $129 million at the box office, and Streep was nominated for Best Actress.
Wild (2014): 7.1
After the death of her mother at a young age, Cheryl Strayed fell into a deep depression which lasted for years. She found herself using heroin, cheating on her husband, and, ultimately, getting pregnant with one of her user buddies. Desperate, alone, and miserable, Strayed decided she had nothing left to lose.
She would hike the Pacific Crest Trail, which spans 2,653 miles from Mexico to Canada. She decided that, if she died, she had nothing else to live for anyway, and, if she lived, she would get clean and rebuild her life. The book and film were hailed by audiences and critics alike.
Beautiful Boy (2018): 7.3
Beautiful Boy stars Steve Carell and is based on two memoirs. The first was Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction, told from father David Sheff's view. The other was Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines, written Nic Scheff, David's son. The two books chronicled Nic's spiral into the world of meth, crime, homelessness, and, ultimately, his journey towards lasting sobriety.
Girl, Interrupted (1999): 7.3
At the end of the 1960s, teenager Susanna Kaysen had a nervous breakdown and attempted to overdose on aspirin. After the suicide attempt, she was sent away to a psychiatric hospital. Her memoir, Girl, Interrupted, tells the story of her time at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts and the people she meets, the adventures she has, and her journey towards recovery in an America that was still just beginning to understand mental illness. Angelina Jolie's performance was praised, and she went on to win the Golden Globe, Critic's Choice, and Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Molly's Game (2017): 7.4
The film Molly's Game is based on the memoir of the same name by Molly Bloom. Bloom was on her way to becoming an Olympic skier until an accident dashed her dreams. Years later, Bloom found herself running an illegal, ultra-high-stakes poker tournament at the back of the infamous LA club The Viper Room.
After the FBI caught on, it was discovered that her poker games were attracting athletes, actors, socialites, and even the Russian mob. In the film adaptation, Jessica Chastain portrayed Bloom.
127 Hours (2010): 7.6
While hiking at Canyonlands National Park, Aron Ralston accidentally got his hand trapped in a slot canyon. After being stuck for multiple days, he was forced to self-amputate his own hand with a dull multi-tool. His book became a smash hit, reaching #1 on the NTY Bestsellers List. The film adaption starred James Franco and went on to get nominated for six Oscars, including Best Actor and Best Picture.
The Theory of Everything (2014): 7.7
The Theory of Everything was adapted from Jane Hawking's memoir, Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen, which was about her life with famed physicist Stephen Hawking. The film explores Jane and Stephen's relationship that began as college students in Cambridge and reveals Hawking's dichotomous life, juggling his diagnoses of a motor neuron disease with his brilliant and flourishing career in science.
October Sky (1999) - 7.8
October Sky is based on NASA engineer Homer Hickman's memoir Rocket Boys. The movie starred Jake Gyllenhaal and Laura Dern and was about Hickman's youth in rural West Virginia. Hickman, along with some of his friends, took an interest in aerospace, with the support of his science teacher, Miss Riley.
The boys go on to create a rocket that's entered into the National Science Fair, launching the engineering career of Hickman, who would later find himself at NASA.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) - 8.0
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly tells the story of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby writing his memoir The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, a book that's about the events that lead him to write The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Those events center around Bauby's massive stroke that left him with Locked-In syndrome, paralyzing over 95% of his body. To write his book, Bauby had to use a scribe. The process was incredibly slow, but the book became a worldwide bestseller.
Catch Me If You Can (2002) - 8.1
Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can is based on Frank Abagnale's memoir of the same name, where he reveals his life of crime and cons. Abagnale cashed over $2.5 million in faulty checks and impersonated numerous individuals, including a teacher, a doctor, and even a Pan Am pilot. The FBI eventually caught on and literally chased him around the world. The movie is a cat-and-mouse chase across the globe starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio.