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'Catch Me If You Can' (2002) -

Surprisingly, the skilled con artist portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in Steven Spielberg's 'Catch Me If You Can' is based on an actual individual from history. Frank Abagnale Jr. chronicled his own experiences in his autobiography, released in 1980.

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'Catch Me If You Can' (2002) -

In his autobiography, he recounts his activities between the ages of 15 and 21, when he crafted counterfeit checks amounting to millions of dollars. Astonishingly, upon his capture, the FBI enlisted him to help catch other con artists.

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'The Highwaymen' (2019) -

John Lee Hancock's 2019 crime drama narrates the tale of these resolute rangers, with Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson in the lead roles.

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'Cheaper by the Dozen' (2003) -

Both the original 1950 film and the 2003 remake of 'Cheaper by the Dozen' drew inspiration from a semi-autobiographical novel penned by siblings Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey.

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'Cheaper by the Dozen' (2003) -

The parents of the authors raised 12 children across 17 years, with their father being an efficiency expert and construction engineer. He believed that his industrial principles were transferable to household management.

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'It Could Happen To You' (1994) -

The 1994 romantic comedy led by Nicolas Cage depicts a police officer who acquires a lottery ticket and opts to share his winnings with a waitress, rather than leaving her a tip.

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'It Could Happen To You' (1994) -

When he unexpectedly wins a substantial sum of US$6 million, he upholds his commitment, just as in the real-life occurrence involving police officer Robert Cunningham.

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'Julie & Julia' (2009) -

The 2009 biographical comedy-drama 'Julie & Julia' simultaneously narrates the life trajectories of chef Julia Child and New Yorker Julie Powell. Powell takes on the ambitious challenge of preparing all 524 recipes from Child's book within a single year.

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'Julie & Julia' (2009) -

The movie finds its roots in two literary sources: the autobiographical work 'My Life in France' by the legendary chef Julia Child, and the memoir 'Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen' by Julie Powell.

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'Dolemite Is My Name' (2019) -

Eddie Murphy headlines the 2019 comedy that narrates the life journey of Rudy Ray Moore, a comedian and filmmaker. Moore adopts the stage persona of Dolemite.

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'Dolemite Is My Name' (2019) -

The movie features prominent figures like Snoop Dogg and Chris Rock alongside Murphy. The film garnered highly positive reviews from critics.

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'Newsies' (1992) -

'Newsies,' released in 1992, stands as one of Disney's rare musicals inspired by a factual event. Christian Bale stars in this film that draws from the New York City Newsboys' Strike of 1899.

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'Newsies' (1992) -

Interestingly, the movie initially received a lackluster response, only to amass a cult following over time. It recounts the tale of young newspaper sellers uniting in a strike to pressure publishers into reducing prices.

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'Six Degrees of Separation' (1993) -

During the late '70s and early '80s, a swindler by the name of David Hampton perpetrated a scheme where he duped targets into thinking he was Sidney Poitier's son, manipulating them into giving him significant amounts of money.

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'Six Degrees of Separation' (1993) -

The 1993 movie 'Six Degrees of Separation' humorously tells his story, renaming the protagonist Paul and featuring the inimitable Will Smith in the role.

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'Footloose' (1984) -

The 1984 classic featuring Kevin Bacon unfolds in a town where dancing is prohibited by a strict clergyman. The narrative centers on a group of high school students who work to overturn the ban just in time for their prom.

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'Footloose' (1984) -

Interestingly, the film is set in an actual Oklahoma town. In 1979, a cohort of high school students challenged their local pastor's belief that dancing was a tool of the devil.

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'The Blind Side' (2009) -

The drama directed by John Lee Hancock, starring Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw, chronicles the journey of an underprivileged teenager who, with the support of his adoptive parents, rises to become a NFL star.

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'The Blind Side' (2009) -

This film draws its inspiration from the real-life achievements of NFL luminary Michael Oher, and images of him alongside his actual adoptive parents are displayed during the closing credits. However, in the years since the movie's release, Oher has spoken out against his "adoptive parents," claiming that they didn't adopt him but instead tricked him into a conservatorship that allowed them to make to millions from his career. 

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'The Highwaymen' (2019) -

While the saga of Bonnie and Clyde is widely known, the lesser-highlighted narrative involves Texas rangers Hamer and Gault, who embarked on a nationwide pursuit to capture the infamous duo.

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'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' (2017) -

Unfortunately, Martin McDonagh's intense 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' is based on a true story. Although certain creative liberties were taken, the film draws inspiration from an unsolved murder case from 1991.

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'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' (2017) -

After 34-year-old Kathy Page was tragically killed in Vidor, Texas, and law enforcement made no headway in apprehending the perpetrator, her mother opted to display a sequence of billboards in the vicinity, critiquing the police investigation.

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'50 First Dates' (2004) -

In the romantic comedy '50 First Dates' from 2004, Adam Sandler takes on the role of a marine veterinarian who falls in love with Lucy (Drew Barrymore), an art teacher. Yet, Lucy grapples with a memory condition that erases her memory of him each day.

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'50 First Dates' (2004) -

Though the condition of Barrymore's character, referred to as "Goldfield's Syndrome," is fictional, there exists, as Cosmo notes, a British woman who awakens each day under the impression that it's still 1994.

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'The Terminal' (2004) -

The 2004 comedy drama 'The Terminal,' directed by Steven Spielberg, revolves around a man from Eastern Europe (Tom Hanks) who finds himself stranded inside a New York airport when his passport suddenly becomes invalid. 

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'The Terminal' (2004) -

Remarkably, a semblance of this scenario unfolded in reality: Iranian refugee Mehran Karimi Nasseri remained stuck in a Parisian airport for nearly two decades due to the lack of a functional passport.

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'A River Runs Through It' (1992) -

The drama starring Brad Pitt and directed by Robert Redford portrays the growth and experiences of two sons of a minister during the World War I era in the Rocky Mountains.

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'A River Runs Through It' (1992) -

Interestingly, the film is directly drawn from the semi-autobiographical novella 'A River Runs Through It' authored by Norman Maclean. This work was published in 1976.

Sources: (Insider) (Cosmo)

See more: Movies with terrible moral lessons

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