Done right, biopics can make for some of the most gripping cinematic experiences.The all-time best biopicscompress a remarkable life into a moving story, being both insightful and entertaining. However, they are tricky to pull off. It can be challenging for an actor to play an iconic, beloved figure, and people’s complicated lives usually resist a movie’s three-act structure. It’s also hard to find the balance between reality and fiction, especially because, whereas a normal movie must only be enjoyable, a biopic must also be revealing.
Consequently, for everyOppenheimer, there’s aBlonde(or three). With this in mind, Redditors got together onr/movies, the largest film subreddit, to discuss which biopics are the worst of all. These movies feature lousy acting, clichéd storytelling, egregious rewriting of history, or a grueling combination of all these nefarious elements. Their subjects might be fascinating, but these films are not.
10’De-Lovely' (2004)
Irvin Winkler’sDe-Lovelyis a musical drama about legendary composerCole Porter(Kevin Kline). The film takes viewers on a journey through Porter’s colorful life, from his rise to fame in the 1920s through to his later years, with a focus on his marriage toLinda Lee Thomas(Ashley Judd).Oscar-winner Kevin Klineis solid in the role, but the story never quite takes off, weighed down by stale storytelling.
“De-Lovelywas horrible. Cringe-inducing performances of Cole Porter classics, two miscast main leads (Kevin Kline looked even less like Cole Porter thanCary Grant) and while it is honest about the lead’s homosexuality, it pretty much makes him being gay a tragedy because his one true love is a woman. Barf!” saiduser Lili_Danube. The Redditor has a point regarding the film’s portrayal of Porter’s sexuality, proving that the 2000s were far from an ideal period for LGBTQ+ representation.
9’Alexander' (2004)
Oliver Stonedirected 2004’sAlexander, a sprawling epic about the life and conquests ofAlexander the Great, one ofhistory’s most larger-than-life figures. The film follows Alexander (Colin Farrell) from his childhood under the tutelage of his father,King Philip IIof Macedonia (Val Kilmer), to his ascension to the throne and his ambitious military campaigns that would create one of the largest empires in history.
It had potential, but it ultimately stumbles, in large part because condensing such a mammoth narrative posed obvious obstacles. “The theatrical version is a mighty mess,” saiduser Lili_Danube. “It flounders under its own opulence […] andAngelina Joliesounds like she thought she was playing Boris and Natasha for theRocky and Bullwinklemovie.“Alexanderis amongthe most historically inaccurate movies, which certainly didn’t help its case.
8’Great Balls of Fire!' (1989)
Dennis Quaidplays rock and roll legendJerry Lee LewisinJim McBride’s 1989 biopicGreat Balls of Fire!Lewis broke through in the 1950s with hits like “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On.” The movie also examines his scandalous personal life, including hiscontroversial marriage to his 13-year-old cousin,Myra Gale Brown(Winona Ryder).
“Such a creepy movie where it focuses on Jerry Lee Lewis’s marriage to his 13-year-old cousin,“user Lili_Danubesaid. “Nothing in this works. Dennis Quaid manages to make Jerry even more creepy than he already is with that disturbing grin and Chucky hairdo [and] Winona Ryder […] plays her role as a total ninny.”
7’All Eyez on Me' (2017)
Tupac Shakurwas a rap titanwith a fascinating and tumultuous life that culminated in a tragic, untimely end. However, little of that is on display inAll Eyez on Me, a tepid biopic marred by weak performances and historical inaccuracy. It reduces the star’s complex life to a by-the-numbers drama, draining it of its intensity and reducing Shakur to a run-of-the-mill character, which he decidedly was not.
“[It] made [the]Biggiebiopic look like [The Shawshank Redemption],” saiduser ApolloKid. “It was like AI generated his wiki page,” agreeduser mitcheg3k. “The only thing I remember was one of the establishing shots was the same apartment that was also onSeinfeld,” addedRedditor ThePopDaddy.All Eyez on Mereceived abysmal reviews, including a terrible 18% on Rotten Tomatoes.
6’The Blind Side' (2009)
The Blind Sidetells the story ofMichael Oher(Quinton Aaron), an underprivileged young man who overcomes enormous odds to become a successful NFL player. Michael, a homeless and academically struggling teenager, is taken in byLeigh Anne Tuohy(Sandra Bullock) and her family, who recognize his athletic potential. The movie is decent but a little cheesy,though new allegationsclaim that the story wasn’t as positive as the film makes out.
“Upon knowing more of the real story and recent allegations,The Blind Sidehas to be pretty high on the s**t list,” saiduser WeDriftEternal. “That movie was so trite,” saidRedditor BobGray18. “It did come off as more of a glorified ‘inspirational’ TV film that would have run on either the Lifetime Network or the Hallmark Channel,” addeduser NoodlesrTuff1256. Bullock’s fiery performance notwithstanding, the film succumbs to cheap drama. Thetruth behind Oher’s story and the lawsuit that followedonly makeThe Blind Sideworse than it already was.
5’Beyond the Sea' (2004)
Beyond the Seachronicles the life of singerBobby Darin(Kevin Spacey), from his troubled childhood and battles with poor health to his meteoric success as a performer in the 1950s and ’60s. The renditions of Darin’s iconic songs, including “Mack the Knife” and “Splish Splash,” are decent, especially considering the disgraced Spacey isn’t the strongest singer, but several Redditors criticized the narrative.
“[It’s] Kevin Spacey’s vanity project. Just awful. Everything about that performance was cringe-inducing,” saidRedditor TheHeyHeyMan. “This movie was so bad,” agreeduser Cameran_Camp. The film wasa major box office bomb, grossing just $8.4m against a $25m budget. Spacey’s now-infamous reputation has only madeBeyond the Seaage worse; it’s best to leave this one in the depths of 2004.
4’Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story' (2001)
Cinema hasnumerous great musical biopics;Hysteria: The Def Leppard Storyisn’t one. It delves intothe origins of the British rock band Def Leppard, recounting the band members' challenges and triumphs, including their determination to overcome adversity, particularly the near-fatal car accident that cost drummerRick Allen(Tat Whalley) his arm.
The musicians are intriguing figures, but the movie is melodramatic and hackneyed. “Hysteria: The Def Leppard Storyis hilariously terrible,” saiduser SergeantChic. “Not many biopics just straight up admit the lead vocalist was a sh***y singer,” addedRedditor embiggenedmind.
3’Blonde' (2022)
Andrew Dominik’sBlondeis a fictionalized account ofMarilyn Monroe’s troubled life, withAna de Armasin the lead role. The film was immediately polarizing: while de Armas was generally praised, much criticism was leveled at the film’s brutal depiction of supposed episodes in Monroe’s life. It went on to win the Raspberry Award for Worst Picture.
“Such a terrible script. It felt weird to embrace such a mean-spirited fictional take on [Monroe’s] life over the real thing. In the end, that detour didn’t really amount to anything meaningful,” saiduser outbound_flight. “I think one issue is that both movie and book are not proper biographical works on Marylin Monroe and should not really be treated as such,” addedRedditor SpiderGiaco. ConsideringMarilyn Monroe already has too many biopicsand few, if any, reveal anything new about her life, perhaps it’s time to finally let her memory rest.
2’The Babe' (1992)
The Babeexplores the life and career of one ofbaseball’s most iconic figures,Babe Ruth(John Goodman). Ruth rose from being a rebellious youth in Baltimore to a legend of the sport, setting several records and reshaping the game forever. Reviews were mixed, with the film currently sitting at 47% on Rotten Tomatoes, and while Goodman was generally praised, the film’s many historical inaccuracies weren’t.
However, most reviewers panned the film’s shallow character study and its focus on Ruth’s sporting achievements to the exclusion of his struggles. “That was definitely a situation where the performance being given is in a movie completely unworthy of having it.Goodman is great in it, but the film is a huge stinker,” saiduser Vince_Clortho042.
1’The Conqueror' (1956)
John Waynestars asthe Mongol ruler Genghis Khan, a ruthless warrior who took control of large swathes of Asia, in 1956’s infamously awful biopicThe Conqueror. A notoriouslybad movie starring a good actor,The Conqueroris notorious for historical inaccuracies, questionable casting choices, and cultural insensitivity. The production is also infamous due toits shooting location in Utah, near nuclear test sites.
The whole thing is just a train wreck. It’s not even laughably bad; it’s justbad. Unsurprisingly, SeveralRedditorsnamed this as the worst biopic ever made. “Stellar dialog and delivery like: ‘What is yer will, O muh mother?’ ‘Yer beautiful in yer wrath,” saiduser Negative_Gravitas. ConsideringThe Conqueror’s dubious legacy includes potentially causing multiple deaths, it’s safe to say it goes beyond just being a “bad movie.”
