Monster (2003)
Centered Around the Actions of: Aileen Wuornos
Main Actor: Charlize Theron
Film Cost: $8 million*
Main Actor Income: $1 million*
Sometimes, Hollywood decides that some of the most chaotic human lives deserve a big-screen adaptation. Aileen Wuornos was a psychotic serial killer who was shaped into a mentally ill murderer at the hands of her victimizing family members. Charlize Theron plays Wuornos and her performance blew any critics’ expectations away.
Monster
Theron is a gorgeous woman, and so her transformation into the heavily disheveled Wuornos was something to behold. Physical makeover aside, Theron captured Wuornos’ personality and frightening antics perfectly.
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Centered Around the Actions of: Frank Abagnale, Jr.
Main Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio
Film Cost: $52 million*
Main Actor Income: $20 million*
Some movies’ plots might not convince you that they were based on real-life events, even if the introduction states so. Catch Me If You Can is one such story about the master con artist Frank Abagnale (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) and the tireless FBI agent Carl Hanratty (played by Tom Hanks) who tracked him down. Abagnale provided the film with its content through his autobiography. The said con artist specialized in check forging and assuming false identities.
Catch Me If You Can
Starting at the tender age of 15, Abagnale would go on to impersonate a lawyer, corrections officer, airline pilot, and a doctor. Even the prison system could bend to his will, having fled federal prison on two occasions. Ironically, Abagnale would end up as an FBI Academy lecturer upon his release!
