5 'This Can't Be True' Movies Based on Events That Were, In Fact, True
These five movies prove that sometimes reality can be even more stunning than any fiction, making it hard to believe.
A lot of movies put "based on true events" in their advertising campaigns just to increase the buzz around them, while the real events were very different from what is shown on screen.
But sometimes, when you watch such movies, you think to yourself, "There's no way this is true, the writers totally made it up," when in fact it was.
So here are five movies that were actually faithful to real events, even if it is hard to believe.
I, Tonya (2017)
Based on the life and career of figure skater Tonya Harding, this black comedy starring Margot Robbie makes viewers skeptical of what's going on because almost every character is an unreliable narrator.
You would think that no one could be so incompetent and idiotic, but yes, they were. For example, the part with Shawn Eckardt's interview is an almost word-for-word recreation of the real one.
Pain & Gain (2013)
Even though it deviated from the true events in some places, this Michael Bay movie is still mostly true, which is quite a surprise.
By the time the caption "This is still a true story" appears on the screen during the barbecued hands scene, most viewers have already forgotten that it was real.
Ironically, it is one of the scenes in the movie that had to be altered the most, but is still funny in a dark way.
Changeling (2008)
Directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Angelina Jolie, this film ironically didn't win the top prize at Cannes because the jury thought it was "too far-fetched," especially the part about the mental institution, while it was actually true.
And the movie is still mostly true to the original events, even if it is hard to believe.
Compliance (2012)
As you watch this rather disturbing story unfold, you keep thinking "No, no way anyone could fall for this."
But sadly, they did, and it's yet another proof that the world is full of both stupid and horrible people, and that some pretty simple psychological manipulation makes the scam really easy.
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
The story of pacifist World War II hero Desmond Doss, portrayed by Andrew Garfield, even had to leave out some of the most jaw-dropping parts of the real story in order to be, ironically, believable, like when Doss crawled 300 yards (270 m) to safety with a broken arm.
A completely mind-boggling story that is real against all odds.