In an entertainment landscape dominated by cinematic blockbusters and scripted television, it can sometimes be nice to get a bit more real. No, I'm not referring to the endless string of reality TV shows — which often aren't all that realistic to begin with — but the fascinating true-life stories that are currently available to watch on Netflix. It is often said that the only thing stranger than fiction is reality, and that is certainly the case with the streaming platform's selection in this genre. So, I've compiled a list of the 11 best true-life films on Netflix UK, to help you figure out where to kickstart your latest streaming marathon.
The brilliant range currently available to stream on Netflix UK features movies that cover the rise of Facebook, groundbreaking political figures, heart-wrenching natural disasters, significant moments of the civil rights movement, and much more. To put it simply, there really is something for everyone when it comes to deciding which true-life story to enjoy, and this list includes the cream of the crop. Highly acclaimed films, led by some of the world's finest directors and actors, perfectly capture these fascinating realities. And all you have to do is sit back, relax, and press play.
1'The Wolf of Wall Street'
The Wolf of Wall Street stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort, a Wall Street stockbroker who is quickly corrupted by a culture of sex, drugs, and greed. The film went onto secure a string of Oscar nominations.
2'The Big Short'
This 2015 Oscar-nominated flick, which stars Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling, shows how a group of opportunists set out to cash in on the 2008 economic crash by predicting the downfall before it even happened, and betting against the banks that helped create it.
3'The Social Network'
Biographical drama The Social Network documents the life of Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. The film begins in the internet entrepreneur's college days, and takes the audience down the bumpy road that led to him becoming one of the most powerful figures in the modern world.
4'Dallas Buyers Club'
Matthew Mcconaughey and Jared Leto star in Dallas Buyers Club, a film that follows the heartbreaking story of Ron Woodroof, who, after being diagnosed with AIDS in 1986, decides to smuggle medications into the U.S. from abroad.
5'Snowden'
This 2015 thriller follows Edward Snowden, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as he makes the transition from Army hopeful to one of history's most famous whistleblowers.
6'Lion'
Lion stars Nicole Kidman as an Australian mother whose adopted Indian son sets out on a quest to find his birth parents having been separated from them at the age of five. The emotional film follows Saroo (Dev Patel) as he travels back to India in hopes of reconnecting with his roots.
7'The Blind Side'
Inspirational sports drama The Blind Side stars the Oscar-winning Sandra Bullock, and tells the story of a wealthy southern family who decide to take in a homeless teenager, and nurture him to become a rising star in American football.
8'Jackie'
In this 2016 true-life film, Natalie Portman stars as former first lady Jaqueline Kennedy, who, in an attempt to protect her husband's legacy, allows a reporter to interview her just one week after the president's tragic assassination in 1963.
9'Selma'
The award-winning historical drama Selma tells the heroic story of Martin Luther King Jr., who, in the face of violent racism, leads a protest in Alabama that included a powerful march from Selma to Montgomery.
10'The Impossible'
Everyone remembers where they were after news of the 2004 Tsunami first broke. And the 2012 film The Impossible displays one family's desperate attempt to reunite after being ripped apart by one of the worst natural disasters ever known.
11'Milk'
In this 2008 Oscar-winning biopic, Sean Penn stars as the legendary Harvey Milk — the first openly gay politician in California, who was brutally murdered in San Francisco by one of the city's supervisors.
