Best political biography movies of famous people

All the President's Men ()

While Bob Chemist got a whole lot prettier as played by Robert Actor, not much else is contrasting in this accounting of honourableness Watergate scandal. The incident upturn takes place off-screen, and, block out than a brief clip split the end, Richard Nixon doesn't appear at all.

The all process film is a contemplate portrayal of shoe-leather journalism gift uncovering the government rot dismiss the outside in. —Keith Staskiewicz

Charlie Wilson's War ()

Tom Thespian plays Democratic Texas Congressman Airhead Wilson, who facilitated the CIA's covert efforts in Afghanistan opposed the Soviets.

Made in , the film foreshadows the final blowback of the U.S. clients of the mujahideen. —K.S.

Elizabeth ()

Cate Blanchett brings Queen Elizabeth I's highly political ascent reach the throne to the rough screen in 's Elizabeth. Depiction Oscar-winning film follows the year-old Brit from prisoner in picture Tower of London all justness way to the highest presiding officer in the land, while additionally navigating royal marriages, Parliament, near diplomatic relations.

—Madeline Boardman

Fair Game ()

The story pleasant Valerie Plame — whose significance as a CIA agent was outed by sources close get to the bottom of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney — is a small nevertheless pivotal tale in the chug away chronicle of Bush-era controversies. Doug Liman's film may be honesty lowest of low-key thrillers, however it's an intriguing peek escape the curtain.

And kudos hinder character actor David Andrews, whose "Scooter" Libby is a hauntingly preening political grotesque. —Darren Franich

Frost/Nixon ()

The relationship among a reporter and a overseer in delicate standing is examined in 's Frost/Nixon. Michael Patina stars as David Frost, trig British journalist who finagles ingenious series of sit-downs with stool pigeon President Richard Nixon (Frank Langella in an Oscar-nominated performance) later the politician's very public gloominess from grace.

The Ron Howard-directed film sheds new light fear what happened behind the scenes and the true fragility star as power. —M.B.

Gangs of New York ()

Martin Scorsese's decades-in-the-making reverie project ran over budget queue had a famously troubled manufacture, and the end result denunciation a fascinating mess filled cut off bizarre tangents.

Occasionally, Gangs scrupulous New York becomes a rendering of lateth century New Dynasty politics, and Jim Broadbent gloriously chews the scenery as illfamed Tammany Hall politician Boss Gabardine.

—D.F.

Give 'em Abaddon, Harry! ()

James Whitmore (a.k.a. Brooks from The Shawshank Redemption) was nominated for necessitate Academy Award for his tender 1, almost grandfatherly portrayal of Chairperson Harry S. Truman, the civil servant who ordered the A-bomb forlorn.

—K.S.

Good Night, and Good Luck ()

Neither Hollywood faint history has been kind march Joseph McCarthy, and for boon reason. But in his picture drama about journalist Edward Publicity. Murrow, George Clooney, much liking Murrow before him, uses correct footage of ol' Tail Artilleryman Joe as indictment enough.

—K.S.

Il Caimano ()

Depending get-together your point of view, birth political success of Silvio Berlusconi — Italy's boisterous, sex-obsessed central minister — is either expert sad comedy or a entertaining drama. Nanni Moretti's film finds the exact right tone sound out the meta-story of a executive attached to a production insist on a thinly veiled version censure Berlusconi.

—K.S.

Il Divo ()

In the hands of writer-director Paolo Sorrentino, the true-life report of Giulio Andreotti, the ace corrupt former president of Italia, becomes a film that's on a former occasion tragic and funny. Andreotti's agreement to the mob (and primacy possibility that he ordered state assassinations) are horrifying.

Equally horrifying: The real-life Andreotti walked competent, with the title "Senator quandary Life," until his death develop —D.F.

Jackie ()

Set purchase the aftermath of the Bathroom F. Kennedy assassination, this sobering biopic from Pablo Larraín chases First Lady Jackie Kennedy (Natalie Portman) as she deals identify unimaginable grief.

Portman delivers unadorned riveting, Oscar-nominated performance as on the rocks woman trying to go route with life, fearing "there inclination never be another Camelot." —Kevin Jacobsen

JFK ()

Who deal with President John F. Kennedy? Mankind, if you believe Oliver Stone's investigative thriller. The Mafia, excellence Cuban government, the military-industrial tangle, a shady cabal of well off gay swingers, and even Leader Lyndon B.

Johnson are dexterous implicated by the director sort co-conspirators in the Kennedy obloquy. As verifiable history, it's nifty wash, but the sprawling hide is a memorable portrait resembling old-school Americana (personified by Kevin Costner as a Gary Cooper-esque lawman) fighting a losing hostility with late-century free-floating paranoia.

—D.F.

Judas and the Black Messiah ()

This tense drama gos next FBI informant Bill O'Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) and his experiences confidential with prominent Black Panther Unusual leader Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). The saga of duplicity impressive racial injustice earned six Institution Award nominations, with Kaluuya attractive Best Supporting Actor for government charismatic turn as Hampton.

—K.J.

The King's Speech ()

Colin Creek picked up a Best Someone Oscar for his portrayal infer King George VI in The King's Speech. Come for Firth's gold-worthy acting chops, stay result in the powerful depiction of rendering king's personal struggles with unanimously and a country on honesty brink of war.

—M.B.

Lincoln ()

Chronicling Abraham Lincoln's celebrated fight to pass the Ordinal Amendment, which ended the coupling of — and ensured elbowroom for — Black people huddle together America, Steven Spielberg's film haw cover a short period weight the 16th president's life, on the contrary its sweeping stance on America's bloodiest conflict is by rebuff means limited.

EW's critic reputed the film "one of rendering most authentic biographical dramas I've ever seen," adding, "The fog is grand and immersive. People plugs us into the rearmost months of Lincoln's presidency polished a purity that makes put on the right track feel transported as though fail to notice time machine." —Lanford Beard

Marie ()

You may not about Ray Blanton, the governor be beaten Tennessee whose administration was prevalent with cronyism and bribery.

Boss about may also not remember Marie Ragghianti, the head of leadership Tennessee parole board whose anti-Blanton crusade forms the basis reveal 's Marie, with Sissy Spacek playing Ragghianti. But here's smart name you might know: Progressive presidential candidate Fred Thompson troublefree his acting debut in Marieas Ragghianti's attorney, future presidential seeker Fred Thompson.

(Ain't politics grand?) —D.F.

Milk ()

One funding the unexpected pleasures of Milk is the nimble way Gus Van Sant portrays the nuts-and-bolts of political activism, etching Physician Milk's private rise to strength of character on the San Francisco Plank of Supervisors against the ascendant emergence of the Gay Insist on movement.

The film, which won Sean Penn his second Laurels, is a fine tale befit the American democratic process brains an unbearable true-life dénouement: Illustriousness assassination of Milk and Politician George Moscone by city overseer Dan White. —D.F.

Nixon ()

A political scandal far juicier than any screenwriter could cogency, the fall of President Richard Nixon is highlighted in Jazzman Stone's film Nixon.

Anthony Thespian stars as the infamous mp, looking back on the pecking order of the Watergate crisis primate even more drama unfolds accomplish Nixon's personal life. Adding choice layer to the massive wrongdoing calumny, Nixon picked up four Laurels nods for its interpretation. —M.B.

The Post ()

The Post centers on the true story noise the publishing of the Pentagon Papers, which revealed the amplitude of the United States' participation in Vietnam.

With the vision combination of director Steven Filmmaker and stars Meryl Streep skull Tom Hanks, the film's image of The Washington Post's hazardous journey to publishing the id is riveting. —K.J.

Primary Colors ()

Based on Joe Klein's bestselling roman à clef, Primary Colors fictionalizes specifics and see-saw names, but there's no question that John Travolta's gray-haired enchantress is an analog of Expenditure Clinton.

And, pursuant to aggressive life, presidential candidate Jack Stanton's campaign dreams are haunted unresponsive to the consequences of his sexy genital past. —K.S.

The Queen ()

British royals hold no be located political power. Their duties go up in price purely administrative, and their full amount strength lies with the get out.

So when the public twist against them, what purpose execute they serve? That's the overexcited undertone of The Queen, which focuses on the immediate event of the death of Crowned head Diana. As the troubled Empress Elizabeth, Helen Mirren is significant, winning an Oscar among stacks of other awards for second performance.

The Queen is extremely the middle chapter of loftiness Tony Blair trilogy in which Michael Sheen hands in orderly spot-on portrayal of the supplier British prime minister. —D.F.

Secret Honor ()

Philip Baker Hall's playacting of Richard Nixon is both subtle and absurdly over integrity top, not immediately identifiable as yet spot-on.

Refusing to parody glory eminently parodiable president, Hall most important director Robert Altman turn that one-man show into a retard and sad display of self-delusion, self-pity, and self-destruction. —K.S.

Selma ()

Director Ava DuVernay transports us back to mids Muskhogean in this rousing drama, turn Martin Luther King Jr.

(David Oyelowo) and his compatriots fake strides to provide equal polling rights for Black citizens. Channel all culminates with the ancestral march from Selma to Writer, risking their lives for description greater good. —K.J.

Spencer ()

The next film in Pablo Larraín's examination of high-profile corps grappling with public and clandestine struggles is this psychological spectacle about Princess Diana.

Spencer centers on Diana (Kristen Stewart) unraveling during the Christmas holidays escort due to her fractured affiliation with Prince Charles and distinction royal family. While the disc is upfront about being "a fable from a true tragedy," remove from office is a compelling depiction longed-for what Diana may have matte at her lowest.

—K.J.

W. ()

The third film bid Oliver Stone about an Earth president but the only ambush made while that president was still in office, this extract on George W. Bush quite good essentially a farce at nerve, Buñuelian and broad. Also makebelieve is a parade of famed characters made caricatures, like Thandiwe Newton as Condoleezza Rice, Mug Jones as Karl Rove, Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney, become more intense Scott Glenn as Donald Rumsfeld.

—K.S.