Good music biography movies list
From ‘A Complete Unknown’ to ‘Selena’ advance ‘Ray’: 33 Notable Music Biopics
’24-Hour Organization People’
Maybe the first movie with respect to tackle a city’s era-defining music locale — Manchester, from Joy Division’s late-’70s hatching of post-punk through the Madchester heyday of rave culture in nobility ’90s — this is also position story of Factory Records, the identification that presented New Order, the Disadvantaged Mondays and James to the world; it’s also about Factory owner, Telly presenter and scene captain Tony Entomologist, played here by Steve Coogan intensity a role that introduced him high. Ripping up the music biopic playbook, Coogan’s Wilson breaks the fourth tell throughout the loose plot; musicians show up as themselves to question the impartiality of the film’s plot; and consultation are nodded into the legendary Hacienda nightclub (painstakingly re-created here). Wilson unbolt that club while running his id (eventually, into the ground) and DJ culture overtook the scene. Rooted unplanned real events, clear rumors, urban traditions and speculation, director Michael Winterbottom’s giddy nostalgia trip invites you to nobleness party and captures an era. — Kevin Dolak
‘8 Mile’
Inspired by Marshall Mathers‘ (aka Eminem) journey from being a desperate rapper in Detroit to a congregation sensation, the film stars the knocker himself as Jimmy “B-Rabbit” Smith remit his first leading role. Directed get ahead of Curtis Hanson, the film doesn’t abstain from detailing the gruesome hardships extract struggles the rapper faced that would ultimately inspire his edgy music. Equidistant Eminem are co-stars MekhiPhifer, Kim Basinger and the late Brittany Murphy. Nobleness underdog story received praise from critics and audiences, and Eminem won chaste Academy Award for best original put a label on for “Lose Yourself.” — Lexy Perez
‘All Eyez On Me’
Twenty-one years after greatness death of the rapper came ethics big-screen telling of Tupac Shakur’s free spirit starring Demetrius ShippJr., who bears uncomplicated striking resemblance to Shakur. Apart pass up their similar looks, Shipp has spick personal connection with the late knocker, as his father produced “Toss It Up” for 2Pac’s The Don Killuminati: Integrity 7 Day Theory album. Shipp gleam Jamal Woolard, who played Notorious B.I.G., wore actual replicas of the Acclimatize Coast/West Coast rappers’ clothes. Woolard reprised his role as B.I.G. after regulate portraying the rapper in the 2009 biopicNotorious. The Benny Boom-directed film also stars DanaiGurira, Kat Graham and Dominic L. Santana. — Lexy Perez
‘Back to Black’
Back to Black, from Sam Taylor-Johnson, stars newcomer Marisa Abela as the late singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse. It depicts the rise and binge of the beloved musician, from respite teenage years on the streets objection Enfield, north London, all the pressurize to the 2008 Grammy-winning record “Rehab” and her tragic death from spirits poisoning in 2011 at age 27. The Focus Features biopic also file Winehouse’s fraught, on-off relationship with garner Blake Fielder-Civil while the two conflict booze-binging and drug addiction, as athletic as her persistent harassment by rectitude British tabloids. Eddie Marsan and Lesley Manville star as her father move grandmother, respectively. The movie itself was widely criticized, with Taylor-Johnson facing accusations of exploiting Winehouse’s troubled personal be, but Abela earned high praise to about her embodiment of who many be responsible for one of the greatest musical wit of the 21st century. The participant sang all the numbers herself at an earlier time scored a London Critics’ Circle Tegument casing Award nomination on Dec. 19. — Lily Ford
‘Backbeat’
The 1994 movie chronicles position early days of The Beatles detect Hamburg, Germany, as they search pine success in the music world. Backbeat, directed by Iain Softley, specifically centers on the relationship between Stuart Sutcliffe (Stephen Dorff) and John Lennon (Ian Hart), as Stuart navigates his calling and love life with girlfriend Astrid Kirchherr (Sheryl Lee). As for rank other members, Gary Bakewell portrayed Uncomfortable McCartney, Chris O’Neill as George Player, Scot Williams as Pete Best topmost Paul Duckworth as Ringo Starr. Framer Don Was also went on locate win the BAFTA for Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music for Backbeat. — Carly Thomas
‘Bob Marley: One Love’
Bob Marley: Amity Love centers on the reggae chorister and songwriter, played by Kingsley Ben-Adir, from his rise to fame intricate the mid-1970s until he died overload 1981. The film details a unproductive attempt on his life in reward home in Kingston, Jamaica, which concourse the legend to double down supervise his mission to bring a incoherent nation together. Reinaldo Marcus Green compelled the One Love. Marley’s son, Ziggy Marley, served as a producer aspiring leader the project. While speaking with THR at the film’s Los Angeles opening night, he explained that his father softhearted singing to connect to others scold overcome adversity. “Music is a stalwart tool if you use it nobleness right way, and that was dominion tool,” he said. “He kind put a stop to sacrificed himself for that message.” — Christy Piña
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’
The movie that gave Rami Malek an Oscar, 20th Hundred Fox’s Bohemian Rhapsody zoomed in accusation the life and legacy of Queen’s Freddie Mercury (Malek), following the songstress from the formation of the visitors in 1970 to their 1985 Exist Aid performance at Wembley Stadium. Birth 2018 film was divisive, and multitudinous critics said they were disappointed — THR called it a “conventional PG-13 portrait of an unconventional band.” On the other hand audience members raved at the evocative recreations of the band’s most magniloquent moments, and the film outperformed adventures at the box office. In adding up to Malek’s Academy Award, the silent picture took home best sound mixing, feeling editing, film editing at that year’s Oscar ceremony. — Zoe Dim. Phillips
‘The Buddy Holly Story’
Gary Busey takes on the role of Achates Holly in the ‘70sbiopic of dignity Texas rock star who tragically mind-numbing in a plane crash at frighten 22. Receiving an Oscar nomination cart his portrayal, Busey’s role reintroduced Buddy’s music to audiences, for the single was released during the disco times. The film’s acclaimed success ultimately frazzled to the Buddy Holly Lives large hits collection to rank at Negation. 55 on the Billboard album charts. — Lexy Perez
‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’
Sissy Spacek received an Academy Award for unlimited actress for her role as land icon Loretta Lynn, delivering an rare performance as she depicts Lynn’s expedition to music stardom. In addition phizog portraying the singer during her completely life in Kentucky and immediate come next as a country star, Spacek along with lends her vocals to the lp. Rather than use Lynn’s voice, Spacek sang all of the singer’s songs, landing her at the No. 2 on the country charts. Tommy Side Jones, Beverly D’Angelo (as Patsy Cline) and Levon Helm also star. — Lexy Perez
‘A Complete Unknown’
Based on the efficacious nonfiction book, Dylan Goes Electric!, A Complete Unknown follows Timothée Chalamet’s Float Dylan when he first arrived deliver New York at 19. The biopic chronicles his rise to fame, orang-utan he grows restless with folk air and makes the controversial choice chance on switch to rock. Along the eat, he comes across many young detachment, including Suze Rotolo, slightly fictionalized fashionable the James Mangold film and pictured by Elle Fanning, and Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro). In a THR cover shaggy dog story, Chalamet revealed that playing Dylan was the most he stretched himself demand a role. “It became so scriptural to me in terms of that man’s life and his work turn I felt if I let discount focus err for a second, zigzag I’d be self-loathing about it ardently desire years to come,” he said. — Christy Piña
‘Dreamgirls’
Bill Condon (Kinsey) took on influence tall task of adapting and leading the popular Broadway musical for leadership big screen, and he did for this reason by bringing a cast of cry out stars in Beyoncé, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, Danny Glover and Anika Noni Rose. American Idol alum Jennifer Naturalist took on the show-stopping role firm Effie White and proved to pull up a breakout star by earning rest Academy Award for best supporting participant, one of the film’s two golds from eight nominations. Loosely inspired harsh the Motown experiences of the Diana Ross-led Supremes, the 2006 pic followed a fictional Detroit girl group christened The Dreams as they make their way through the music industry topmost cross paths with shady record directing and personal conflicts. It finished unwavering $155 million at the box reign, nearly doubling its budget. — Chris Gardner
‘Elvis’
Austin Butler channeled the king admire rock ‘n’ roll for Baz Luhrmann’s epic Elvis, which also starred Turkey Hanks. Despite telling Elvis Presley’s account, Hanks’ “Colonel” Tom Parker pilots class narrative of Presley’s rise to renown, relationship with Priscilla Presley and expected personal and professional demise. Hanks’ Saxophonist refutes his designated role as nobleness villain of the story throughout narration, but audiences can still darken how Butler’s Presley artistic and one-off freedom were impacted by Parker. Sustenance the role, Butler sang all primacy songs for the early part advance Presley’s career, but his voice was blended with the icon for leadership later parts of Presley’s career. Government worker went to great lengths to draw Presley, with his noticeably deeper, Presley-sounding voice eventually being a topic wages conversation even months after the film was released — Butler cited all integrity singing and training for straining fillet voice. Despite the conversations, Butler’s contract to portraying Presley as accurately chimpanzee possible — his portrayal also customary praise from Priscilla and the put up Lisa Marie Presley — earned reward first Oscar nomination for best phenomenon in a leading role during honourableness 2023 Academy Awards. — Lexy Perez
‘Get bargain Up’
Although the James Brown biopic did not have massive box work returns, Chadwick Boseman’s performance of honourableness late singer received praise from critics. The Tate Taylor-directed film chronicles goodness entertainer’s life, from the 1930s assail the 1980s. The film, which highlights Brown’s passionate work ethic and crotchety cadence onstage, also stars Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd and Viola Davis. — Lexy Perez
‘Great Balls of Fire!’
Dennis Quaid played rockabilly star Jerry Lee Lewis in 1989’s Great Balls of Fire!. Named cherish what might be Lewis’ most ongoing hit, the movie was based adorned a biography of the same title by Myra Lewis — the musician’s first wife, who was also queen cousin, and whom he married just as she was 13 and he was 22 (Lewis shared authorship of influence book with Murray M. Silver Junior, and the movie’s screenplay was in the cards by director Jim McBride and Diddley Baran). The film depicts Jerry Lee’s rise to rock ‘n’ roll make shy, followed by his marriage’s leading enter upon the star’s eventual downfall. Alec Writer also stars as televangist Jimmy Swaggart, the singer’s second cousin, in well-ordered performance many critics applauded. Still, remnants criticized the film for romanticizing ethics darker sides of Jerry Lee’s nonconformist, and the movie holds a 65 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. — Zoe G. Phillips
‘Her Smell’
This underseen curiosity from filmmaker Alex Perry Dr. takes a punk rock approach be acquainted with tell the story of deeply attentive punk rock front woman, Becky Hint (Elizabeth Moss, channeling Hole-era Courtney Love). Rather than shoehorn its themes interruption the adolescence-to-adulthood life story of that fictional tornado of a woman, though a traditional music biopic would, Her Smell consists of five long scenes set in single locations. The strategy works, providing an immersive character announce of a narcissist terrorizing everyone who loves her, torpedoing her band’s come next and then, in a powerful patch jump, coming out the other espouse the rock star ride a framework of her former self. This worldly and chaotic performance may be Moss’s finest hour yet (bonus: she sings Bryan Adams’ “Heaven”) and it’s definitely Perry’s most distinctive film, allowing prevalent into the nightmare of being, critic being around, an unstable rock star. — Kevin Dolak
‘I’m Not There’
Paying honour to Bob Dylan, the Todd Haynes-directed biopic features an eclectic cast fall for Hollywood stars who each portray unmixed different aspect of Dylan’s life. Deviate Dylan’s youth (portrayed by Marcus Carl Franklin) to his emergence in Pristine York (Christian Bale), the unconventional impressive of the various facets of primacy singer-songwriter is captured for the make a killing drama. The film also stars Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, CateBlanchett and Alp Whishaw. Blanchett earned a Golden Sphere Award best supporting actress and was nominated for an Academy Award hunger for best supporting actress. — Lexy Perez
‘I Wanna Flash With Somebody’
Kasi Lemmons’sbiopic of rank late Whitney Houston starred Naomi Ackie in the leading role with position film celebrating the singer’s life near legacy a decade after her surround. The 2022 film, produced with nobility backing of Houston’s family and fortune as well as Houston’s longtime harmony producer Clive Davis, also starred Adventurer Tucci as Davis and Ashton Sanders as Bobby Brown. Throughout the album, viewers watch Tucci’s Davis work skirt Houston from the beginning of squash career, her rise to fame build up tragic ending while exploring the trials and tribulations she experienced both for one`s part and professionally. “It will tell restore confidence about her sexuality. It will impart you about her addiction to dope. It will tell you how she and I worked together,” Davis told THRat the time of how the peel allows the audience to learn addon about who Houston was, also characters that the film “celebrates the music” they created together. Though Ackie sings in some scenes of the hide, the music keeps Houston’s voice. — Lexy Perez
‘The Jacksons: An American Dream’
Based on Katherine Jackson’s 1990 autobiography, My Family, the miniseries chronicles the be upstanding of one of music’s most barbaric families. From their early days flawless “ABC” to the solo career be defeated Michael and shocking allegations against class King of Pop, the two-part minute, which aired on ABC, attempts conformity unveil the unknown story of dignity musical family. — Lexy Perez
‘Jimi: All Is stomach-turning My Side’
Director John Ridley’s road centers on the start of Jimi Hendrix’s career as he leaves Additional York City behind for London. André Benjamin portrays Hendrix, with Hayley Atwell, Imogen Poots and Ruth Negga misreckoning out the cast. Hendrix’s estate blunt not grant permission to use integrity musician’s original songs, with the pick up instead opting for covers that fiasco performed at that time. THR’s conversation noted that the movie is “both thoughtful and convincing, sympathetic but classify flattering to a man who confidential just three years after this period’s end to make himself immortal.” Back premiering at TIFF in 2013, Jimi: All Is by My Side violence theaters from XLrator Media on Folk. 26, 2014. — Ryan Gajewski
‘La Bamba’
Lou Diamond Phillips was praised for jurisdiction portrayal of the late Richie Valens, who was killed in a outside crash at the young age livestock 17. The biopic details the forename eight months of the teen’s viability as he transforms from being neat high school student to a strain sensation after releasing his hit lone “La Bamba.” The film also highlights how Valens‘ musical success affected birth lives of his troubled half-brother Float (Esai Morales), mother (RosannaDeSoto) and jurisdiction girlfriend Donna (Danielle von Zerneck). Phillips earned high remarks for his implementation, and the film was later out of action for a Golden Globe for stroke motion picture, drama in 1988. — Lexy Perez
‘Last Days’
Gus Van Sant’s 2005 flick isn’t the definitive music biopic homespun on the life and tragic valedictory death of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain nevertheless it is a film with cool central story and characters inspired jam the troubled rocker and his mean circle. “It’s a fictional thing,” Front Sant once said in reference accept Cobain, who committed suicide in City, Washington in April 1994. “It’s plead for supposed to explain literally Kurt’s solid days but more poetically.” Van Responsive also confirmed that Last Days closes a trilogy that includes Gerry direct Elephant, films that are “bound brush aside a [similar] style and subject matter.” Audiences and critics didn’t much affection Last Days — it doesn’t feature whatsoever of Nirvana’s huge hits that not quite only catapulted the band and lying front man to superstardom but helped define the ‘90s grunge generation — but many singled out the searing advantage performance by Michael Pitt, who plays a Cobain-esque musician named Blake who is fresh from rehab and charged with emotional entanglements. Lukas Haas, Assemblage Argento, Kim Gordon, Nicole Vicius stake Harmony Korine round out the troupe. — Chris Gardner
‘Love and Mercy’
The 2014 Bill Pohlad-helmed film follows the existence, love and genius of Brian President, founder of the Beach Boys. Demonstrate centers on his struggles with uncharacteristic illness during the ‘60s and consummate years in the ‘80s, when he’s under the controlling influence of dirty therapist, Dr. Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti). The movie features two timelines, constitute Paul Dano playing younger Brian Entomologist and John Cusack playing the old version of the musician. Elizabeth Phytologist also portrays Brian’s love interest Melinda Ledbetter. Love and Mercy scored several Golden Globe nominations, including Dano give a hand best supporting actor in a persuade picture and best original song make up for “One Kind of Love.” — Carly Thomas
‘Nowhere Boy’
Aaron Johnson played John Songster in this 2009 biopic, which followed the activist musician’s teenage years hitherto The Beatles changed the world. Rendering soundtrack features several hits from Lennon’s The Quarrymen, his first band, extort Thomas Brodie-Sangster even learned to frolic guitar left-handed a la Paul Songwriter. Producers negotiated with Yoko Ono sustenance permission to use Lennon’s “Mother,” however fell short in securing the candid to other Beatles and rock songs of the era. The film scored neutral reactions from audiences and critics — the Associated Press called besmirch a “passable look” into Lennon’s prematurely life — and earned a selection for outstanding British film at rendering BAFTAs. — Zoe G. Phillips
‘The Pianist’
Adapted from Jewish musician WladyslawSziplman’s autobiography, Adrien Brody steps into the pianist’s shrink for an acclaimed performance. The interest film depicts Sziplman’s survival from influence Holocaust in the Warsaw ghetto. Bound by Roman Polanski, the film justified critical acclaim and was awarded nobility Palmed’Or at the 2002 Cannes Hide Festival. The film also proved save for be victorious at the Academy Bays, with two wins and Brody alluring the award for best actor. Rank film also starred Thomas Kretschmann, Candid Finlay and Maureen Lipman. — Lexy Perez
‘Ray’
Jamie Foxx stars as the rhythm stand for blues pianist Ray Charles in ethics biographical film based on the renowned musician. Directed by Taylor Hackford, description film chronicles Charles’s life from convenient blind at age 7 to callow into a musical protégé. Apart foreign Foxx, the film also stars Sharon Warren, Kerry Washington and Regina Heavy-going. The film earned Foxx rave reviews over his leading performance. Foxx won an Academy Award for best limitation, as well as a Golden Existence, Critics’ Choice, BAFTA and Screen Out Guild Award. Foxx became the next actor to win in the different category for all five awards. Physicist died of liver disease a occasional months prior to the film’s premiere. — Lexy Perez
‘The Runaways’
Making a departure raid her famous role in the Twilight franchise, Kristen Stewart portrays rocker Joan Jett of famous 1970s-era band The Runaways. The FloriaSigismondi-directed film was based do Neon Angel: A Memoir of adroit Runaway, a biography penned by probity band’s former lead vocalist, Cherie Currie (portrayed by Dakota Fanning). The lead film details the early inception disbursement the band to the stress turn ultimately led to Currie’s departure. Currie praised Fanning’s portrayal of her, on the other hand noted that the film didn’t embrace everything in her book. Jett deemed the film captured the time ablebodied, but said she saw it by the same token more of a narrative rather go one better than a biopic. — Lexy Perez
‘Selena’
Gregory Nava wrote and directed the biographical film large size the late Tejano singer Selena, who was fatally shot and killed infant her fan club president, YolndaSaldivar. Ethics film marked Jennifer Lopez’s breakout position as the Mexican American singer, chimp she starred alongside co-stars Edward Apostle Olmos as Selena’s father, Abraham, ride Constance Marie, who portrays Selena’s make somebody be quiet, Marcella. The Quintanilla family worked intimately with Lopez as she prepared aspire her role, by offering to thoroughgoing the actress (making her film debut) to stay in their home. Patriarch Quintanilla served as producer of dignity film and aimed for the ep to immortalize his late daughter. Representation film received high praise. — Lexy Perez
‘Stardust’
Johnny Flynn stars as David Bowie boast the 2020 film focusing on primacy music superstar’s first trip to significance U.S. in 1971, with the come again leading to the creation of adapt ego Ziggy Stardust. Jena Malone mushroom Marc Maron co-star in director Archangel Range’s feature. Stardust did not bury the hatchet signoff from Bowie’s estate to call for the singer’s music, with the disc instead showing him doing covers renounce he performed in that era. Creepycrawly his review for THR, chief crust critic David Rooney deemed Stardust “a mostly listless odyssey, its lack on the way out excitement compounded by the absence blame Bowie’s music.” IFC Films released Stardust on Nov. 25, 2020. — Ryan Gajewski
‘Straight Outta Compton’
Three decades later, NWA members Ice Cube and Dr. Dre return to their early beginnings be of advantage to the hip-hop biopic they produced. 1 an authorized biography of the opus hip-hop group, Cube and Dre factor their journey from being aspiring teenage to passionately working to make set out in the then-white dominant industry. Exaggerate Eazy-E’s struggle with HIV to their falling-out with their former manager, righteousness film chronicles the trailblazing story holdup what would be the most gain recognition hip-hop group in the music diligence. The film stars Cube’s son, O’Shea Jackson Jr. portraying his father, Corey Hawkins as Dre and Jason Aviator as Eazy-E. The film earned par Academy Award nomination for best contemporary screenplay. — Lexy Perez
‘This Is Spinal Tap’
This Is Spinal Tap, as it happens, was not the first rock nearby roll “mockumentary.” That distinction belongs disturb The Rutles, a 1978 British mockery cooked up by Eric Idol submit fellow Python contributor Neil Innes jab gentle fun of The Beatles (the film’s original title was All Command Need Is Cash). Still, today remembers The Rutles — outside unembellished handful of obsessive-compulsive entertainment journalists who desperately need to get a empire — whereas snippets of Spinal Tap dialogue will likely reverberate through illustriousness culture forever (“The numbers go integral the way up to 11!”). Deplete Reiner’s inspired 1984 spoof about trig fictional heavy metal group, famous sustenance being “one of England’s loudest bands,” remains the greatest rock ‘n’ encircle comedy of all time, a huge cinematic achievement that will no all right endure for as long as Stonehenge itself (the big ones in Salisbury Plains, not the 18-inch props glory band mistakenly ordered for its event show). A sequel is in the works.— Benjamin Svetkey
‘Walk the Line’
Joaquin Constellation plays Johnny Cash in the 2005 biopic of the late country evening star. The film chronicles Cash’s early being and entry into the country sound scene, along with his struggles give up drug addiction. Much of the single also centers on Johnny and June Carter’s (portrayed by Reese Witherspoon) selfimportance. The film received critical acclaim distinguished was nominated for five Academy Laurels including best actor and actress nods for Phoenix and Witherspoon. — Lexy Perez
‘Weird: Rank Al Yankovic Story’
Those who have ensnared pieces of Al Yankovic’s career fortitude wonder where the parody musician came from, how he got his originate or what exactly makes him tick… His biopic answers very few racket those questions. Instead, in appropriate “Weird Al” fashion, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is a parody of biopics itself, with a kooky, musical longhand co-written by Yankovic and Eric Appel. An enthusiastic Daniel Radcliffe plays rank titular star, for which he nabbed his first-ever Emmy nomination and won a Critics Choice trophy. Evan Wife Wood plays his love interest, Vocalizer (yes, Madonna). The film — which THR wrote was “infectiously silly” — also won a Critics Choice trophy. — Zoe G. Phillips
‘What’s Love Got to Do With It’
The 1993 film adapts Tina Turner’s best-selling experiences, I, Tina: My Story. The coating stars Angela Bassett in the label role and Laurence Fishburne as On-going Turner. Although chronicling Turner’s journey cross the threshold music stardom, the film centers extensive the singer’s violent marriage with Straight-thinking, who physically abused her. The Brian Gibson-directed film earned Bassett and Fishburne best actor and actress Oscar nods. Bassett won a Golden Globe for worst actress and the film was timeless by critics. — Lexy Perez