Black History Month: 10 Great Biopics, Ranked (According To Rotten Tomatoes)

The biopic is one of cinema’s most enduring sub-genres, as there’s never a shortage of real-life stories to tell about real people. Oftentimes, actors pounce at the chance to portray an iconic person on screen, as the challenge of embodying the character while also putting one’s own mark on the role is a rewarding challenge. If done well, biopics often lead to multiple Oscar nominations.

As Black History Month approaches, we’re reminded of the artistic and cultural contributions of African American artists, activists, and athletes who have been the subjects of numerous biopics over the years.

10 Antwone Fisher – 79%

2002’s Antwone Fisher is a biographical drama about a troubled Navy sailor who, through a relationship with his psychiatrist, is able to confront his troubled past and begin to heal. Denzel Washington directs and co-stars. The real-life Antwone Fisher wrote the film’s screenplay, inspired by his autobiographical book called Finding Fish.

This was Denzel Washington’s first directorial effort, and due to its success, it wouldn’t be his last. This was also Derek Luke’s film acting debut, who won an Independent Spirit Award for his performance in the title role.

9 Ray – 80%

This biopic about the life and music of legendary musical artist Ray Charles is pure Oscar bait, but it succeeded in racking up 6 Academy Award nominations, and two wins, including a Best Actor prize for star Jamie Foxx.

His performance in the title role is uncannily good, although he does not actually sing his own vocals. Rather, he mouths the lyrics to the songs, which contained Charles’ actual vocal tracks overlaid onto the music.

8 42 – 81%

The late great Chadwick Boseman plays pioneering baseball great Jackie Robinson, who wore jersey number 42 for the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first Black baseball player to be allowed in the major leagues. Directed by Brian Helgeland, the film was considered by critics a bit too safe and formulaic to be a true classic.

The flip side of that, however, is that there’s nothing about it that’s objectionable either, hence the solid reviews and impressive box-office performance.

7 Bird – 83%

Charlie Parker is undeniably one of the greatest American musicians to ever live. His virtuosic talent as a jazz saxophonist is wonderfully showcased in this highly underrated 1988 biopic starring Forest Whitaker, and directed by Clint Eastwood.

Parker’s life ended far too soon. He was a tortured soul who attempted suicide twice, and whose battle with substance abuse led him to pass away at age 34 of lobar pneumonia brought on by drug-induced bodily deterioration. The film of course deals with these darker themes, but the musical performances are beautiful, making this a fitting tribute to Charlie Parker, aka “The Bird.”

6 The Hurricane – 83%

In 1999’s The Hurricane, Denzel Washington stars as Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, a middleweight boxer whose dreams of championship glory were sidelined when he was wrongfully convicted of a triple murder that took place in a New Jersey bar.

Bob Dylan immortalized Carter’s story in his 1976 song “Hurricane,” which narrated the events of the story and provided incisive political commentary. The Hurricane gives this urgent episode in American history proper cinematic treatment, thanks in large part to an Oscar-worthy performance by Washington in the lead role.

5 Malcolm X – 88%

Biopics can tend to be formulaic and predictable, but neither of those two adjectives ever come to mind when discussing a Spike Lee film.

This epic three-and-a-half-hour biopic about the life and times of revolutionary Black liberation activist Malcolm X benefits from its lead performance by Denzel Washington, as well as director Spike Lee’s commitment to paying each chapter of Malcolm’s life the attention it deserves. This decision makes Malcolm X a long sit, but a rewarding one.

4 Hidden Figures – 93%

What makes 2016’s Hidden Figures a special film is that it tells a story that almost no one ever heard until its release. Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson are the real-life heroes of the story, NASA mathematicians who helped launch John Glenn into space.

The film was a massive box office hit, grossing over $235 million worldwide, and scored 3 Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture of the Year. It’s a true crowd-pleaser, and its success reflects that.

3 12 Years A Slave – 95%

Director Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave is an adaptation of the book of the same name, a memoir by Solomon Northup published in 1853. Northup was a free man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery and spent 12 years on a plantation until he was rescued.

McQueen is a terrific filmmaker, and his voyeuristic visual style makes for an incredibly intense and tragic viewing experience. Acts of horrific violence are shown with unflinching realism in extended single-take sequences that are disturbing, if not downright traumatizing, to watch. The film is a masterwork that won 3 Oscars, including Best Picture.

2 What’s Love Got To Do With It? – 96%

1993’s What’s Love Got to Do With It? is almost never talked about today, but it was one of the best-reviewed films of its year. The film tells the true story of Tina Turner’s rise to stardom with her husband Ike, and her decision to separate from him after years of worsening abuse.

The intense subject matter makes a great showcase for Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne, who play Tina and Ike, respectively. They both earned Oscar nominations for their powerhouse performances.

1 Selma – 99%

Martin Luther King, Jr. hadn’t received a big-screen biopic devoted to him until 2014’s Selma, directed by Ava DuVernay. The film isn’t a traditional biopic in the sense that it’s not so much a “life story” as it is about a specific chapter in King’s life: the 1965 march for voting rights from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

The film was rightfully nominated for Best Picture at the 2015 Oscars, but lead actor David Oyelowo was shockingly snubbed out of a Best Actor nomination for his excellent portrayal of King. The film would put DuVernay on the map as a director; she’d go on to helm the excellent documentary 13th as well as the acclaimed Netflix miniseries When They See Us, about the trial of the Central Park Five.

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