Skip to content

The Fact-Based Screenplay

Writing Real Life for the Screen
Main navigation
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Articles & Analysis
    • Analysis
    • Reviews
    • Five to Watch
    • Discover
  • Screenplay research
  • Free resources
    • Source Material
      • Non-fiction books
      • Biographies & Autobiographies
      • Magazine articles
      • News reports
      • Interviews / first-hand accounts
      • Images
      • Transcripts
      • Reports & official documents
      • Fact-based fiction
    • Writing the Fact-Based Film 101
      • Central Story Thread
      • Structure
      • Theme & Controlling Idea
      • Exposition
      • Subtext
      • Character arc
      • Rights
      • Biographical Drama
      • Historical drama
      • Sports biopics
      • 101 Screenplay Words
    • Screenwriting glossary
    • Worksheet

Category Archive: Reviews

Review: The Penguin Lessons (2024)

T T Read More

Steve Coogan stars in this tale of how a rescued penguin helped to transform the lives of students […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: A Complete Unknown (2024)

T T Read More

The early career of Bob Dylan is the subject of this impressive biopic, which departs from the traditional […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: September 5 (2024)

A sports broadcasting unit sent to Munich to cover the 1972 Olympic Games must pivot to live news […]

FilmReviews

Review: Saturday Night (2024)

Saturday Night takes us back to October 1975 and the 90 frenetic minutes leading up to the first […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: The Bikeriders (2023)

Jeff Nichols’ visceral crime drama benefits from some strong performances but takes us on an emotionally unsatisfying ride […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Scoop (2024)

An ambitious TV news booker attempts to secure an interview for BBC’s Newsnight show with Prince Andrew to […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Unfrosted (2024)

The real-life rivalry between two leading cereal-makers in the 1960s leads to a poptastic breakfast creation in this […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Shirley (2024)

In 1972, Brooklyn schoolteacher turned Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm becomes the first black woman to run for president in […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: The Iron Claw (2023)

A “cursed” family of well-known wrestlers is the subject of this biographical drama, which, while largely impressive, suffers […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Maestro (2023)

T T Read More

The life and marriage of renowned composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein is the subject of this stylised “biopic”, […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Nyad (2023)

T T Read More

Mother Nature is the foe in this inspiring sports biopic, in which retired open water swimmer Diana Nyad […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Elvis (2022)

Overblown, gimmicky, stylised – and utterly mesmerising. Baz Luhrmann harnesses the visual power of cinema to take us […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Benediction (2021)

T T Read More

The troubled life of WWI soldier and acclaimed poet Siegfried Sassoon is the subject of Terence Davies’ affecting […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: The Duke (2020)

An unlikely art heist carried out in the name of social justice in 1960s Britain is the subject […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: At Eternity’s Gate (2018)

T T Read More

The troubled final years in the life of artist Vincent van Gogh are the subject of this intimate […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Dark Waters (2019)

A tenacious environmental lawyer comes up against the might of a multinational chemical firm when he investigates potential […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: The Most Hated Woman in America (2017)

Melissa Leo takes on the role of feisty Madelyn Murray O’Hair, founder of the controversial group American Atheists, […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: The Laundromat (2019)

Meryl Streep leads a stellar cast in Steven Soderbergh’s quirky but uneven journey to the dark heart of […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: The Wrong Man (1956)

Henry Fonda is wrongly accused of armed robbery in this interesting fact-based entry in the filmography of the […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviewsScreenwriting focus

Review: Judy (2019)

T T Read More

Renée Zellweger turns in an Academy Award-winning performance as troubled entertainer Judy Garland, who arrived in London in […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: The Rider (2017)

T T Read More

Following a severe head injury, a horse trainer and rodeo rider struggles to comes to terms with the […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: The Mule (2018)

Clint Eastwood directs and takes the lead role in this tale of a fun-loving elderly man who falls […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviewsScreenwriting focus

Review: The Report (2019)

T T Read More

Is torture permissible when national security is at stake? This was the question facing the US in the […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: The Irishman (2019)

Martin Scorsese takes a different approach to familiar territory with this epic tale of Mob hitman Frank Sheeran, […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Lenny (1974)

The troubled life of controversial US comedian Lenny Bruce is unravelled in Bob Fosse’s stark biopic… Director: Bob […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: The Old Man and the Gun (2018)

Robert Redford stars as an elderly gent who likes to rob banks in this low-key crime film based […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: The Bleeder – a.k.a. Chuck (2016)

T T Read More

The pantheon of boxing movies gets a (kind of) new entry with a look at the life of […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: First Man (2018)

Ryan Gosling takes one small step for man as he dons the spacesuit to star in a biopic […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Jersey Boys (Film) (2014)

For his 33rd film behind the camera, the legendary Clint Eastwood focuses on the seemingly unlikely world of […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Love & Mercy (2014)

Love & Mercy is a different kind of music biopic, which chronicles the struggles of Beach Boy, Brian […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Lee Daniels’ The Butler (2013)

T T Read More

The Butler certainly feels like an important film. Based (loosely) on the life of Eugene Allen, the story […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Stan & Ollie (2018)

Celebrated comedy duo Laurel and Hardy get the biopic treatment in this interesting and affectionate look at their […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: The Post (2017)

Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks fight for the freedom of the press in Steven Spielberg’s intelligent and classy telling […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: In the Heart of the Sea (2015)

A real whale of a tale! Ron Howard directs and Chris Hemsworth stars in this true story that […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: The Big Short (2015)

T T Read More

This critical and commercial hit focusses on the lead-up to the 2005 financial crisis and the Wall Street […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Bridge of Spies (2015)

T T Read More

It’s 1957, the height of the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union. Each side is paranoid […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Parkland (2013) & LBJ (2016)

With 22 November bringing the 55th anniversary of John F Kennedy’s assassination, we take a look at two […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Gangs of New York (2002)

T T Read More

While Martin Scorsese’s historical epic is not strictly a fact-based film due to its original narrative, it’s a […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: The Monuments Men (2014)

T T Read More

To tie in with our two-part article on the historical fact-based film, we follow George Clooney and his […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews
© 2025 The Fact-Based Screenplay. Made with love by Pixelgrade
  • Home
  • 101 Screenplay Words
  • About
  • Biographical Drama
  • Biographies & Autobiographies
  • Blog
  • Bookshop
  • Central Story Thread
  • Character arc
  • Checkout
    • Confirmation
    • Order History
    • Receipt
    • Transaction Failed
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Exposition
  • Fact-based fiction
  • Free ebooks
  • Historical drama
  • Images
  • Interviews / first-hand accounts
  • Magazine articles
  • Narrative Breakdowns
  • News reports
  • Newsletter
  • Non-fiction books
  • Paid services
  • Privacy Policy
  • Reports & official documents
  • Resources
  • Rights
  • Screenwriting glossary
  • Source Material
  • Sports biopics
  • Structure
  • Subtext
  • Theme & Controlling Idea
  • Transcripts
  • Welcome to TFBS
  • Worksheet
  • Writing the Fact-Based Film 101
Secondary navigation
  • Search

Begin typing your search above and press return to search. Press Esc to cancel.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT