The biopic genre has always been a tradition in the film industry. With every year, the biopic becomes more and more diverse. The pandemic has caused release dates to become delayed. However, unconventional biopics have become more frequent during the 2020s—movies like Stardust and Ammonite attempt to understand a phase in the life of a renowned person. At the same time, The Glorias and Mank shifted between timelines as the summary of the person's adulthood.
However, dramatized features have also become more common. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is one example. It featured real-life blues legend Ma Rainey, and the movie was based on August Wilson's play.
Here are some of the best biopics released in the 2020s era!
The Iron Claw
This Zac Efron starrer was produced by A24. The movie tackles the life of an athlete, a wrestler, Kevin Von Erich and unlike a game of Jili, the hand he has been dealt with. Tragedy looms over the family, and many people have said that the tragedy in the Von Erich family is akin to a curse. Energy and passion went into the production of the movie. This movie stars Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Holt McCallany, and Lily James.
The cinematography presents a cloistered tension throughout the film, bringing much of the insularity between the brothers onscreen. The movie tackles toxic masculinity and intergenerational trauma through the character of the father and the sons.
Tick Tick Boom
Tick Tick Boom dramatizes the life of Jonathan Larson, who wrote Rent, during the 1990s. Andrew Garfield is joined by an equally talented cast, including Alexandra Shipp, Vanessa Hudgens, and Robin de Jesús. Lin Manuel-Miranda directs the movie, features a great soundtrack, and is plenty of fun. Although it is an unorthodox biopic, it is one of the more enjoyable ones.
King Richard
King Richard earned Will Smith an award, and this is one of his best works.
The movie tells the story of the Williams family and the hard work Richard Williams put into helping his daughters Serena and Venus become the champions they are now. The genre of the movie changes in half - but it gets better significantly when the Williams sisters eventually gain better footing in the world of tennis.
The movie emphasizes the struggles that the sisters had to overcome - given their background, too.
Capone
Capone's gangster rule has been immortalized and characterized as larger-than-life in many gangster movies. Josh Trank's Capone humanizes the criminal, played by Tom Hardy, during his last days in prison and who has dementia. The role was deemed physically and emotionally demanding, and Tom Hardy met the challenges.
A few bold, experimental dream sequences and self-loathing experiences mirror the destructive state of Capone's fading legacy.
Hillbilly Elegy
Ron Howard first did the biopic with A Beautiful Mind. In Hillbilly Elegy, he explores three generations of a Middletown family in Ohio, with different timelines to mirror and understand the collective sadness JD Vance's family undergoes. The movie is based on JD Vance's memoir of the same name and deals with substance abuse and mental health issues.
There was pre-release hype that surrounded the family drama. Audiences were less harsh on the movie. People praised Glenn Close and Amy Adams' acting.
Wrapping Up
The 2020s was a wonderful era for movies. There is more to come, and biopics have evolved due to many creatives and exploration of many ideas. Technology has also played a crucial part in this. While they are usually Oscar bait, they can be enjoyable movies alone, too!