
(Photo by Searchlight Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection. A COMPLETE UNKNOWN)
The 50 Best Music Biopic Movies
The latest: Bob Dylan goes electric in the Timothee Chalamet-starring A Complete Unknown, directed by Walk the Line‘s James Mangold.
Get ready for a Fresh new sound with tonight’s headliner: Rotten Tomatoes’ best music biopics ever!
Music has been a crucial component of the movies since the beginning, back even when they were supposedly ‘silent.’ So naturally we started making movies about those makers of melodies. And actors love playing them: They get to show off an expanded range of talent, and so many musicians’ lives are filled with drama and passion. As the term implies, the biopics on this list are all based on real people across an expanse of styles: rock (A Complete Unknown, Control), country (Coal Miner’s Daughter, Walk the Line), hip-hop (Straight Outta Compton), pop (Selena, Love & Mercy), classical (Amadeus), and beyond. The only exception we made was for 8 Mile: Though the names were changed, the fact that the main character – a Marshall Mathers stand-in – was played by the original Marshall Mathers demanded its inclusion.
Let’s take it from the top, and this time with feeling: Play on for the best-reviewed music biopic movies!
97%
88%
Critics Consensus: With a fascinating real-life story and powerhouse performances from Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne, What's Love Got to Do With It? is a can't miss biopic.
Synopsis: Based on the life of the legendary soul singer, Tina Turner (Angela Bassett) -- born Anna Mae Bullock -- discovers her love of singing in... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Jenifer Lewis
Directed By: Brian Gibson
95%
85%
Critics Consensus: Barbara Streisand elevates this otherwise rote melodramatic musical with her ultra-memorable star turn as Fanny Brice.
Synopsis: In this bittersweet, classic musical drama, the vibrant and beautiful young Fanny Brice (Barbra Streisand) starts out as a bit player on the New York... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif, Walter Pidgeon, Kay Medford
Directed By: William Wyler
95%
96%
Critics Consensus: Well-acted and dramatically moving, The Pianist is Polanski's best work in years.
Synopsis: In this adaptation of the autobiography "The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939-1945," Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody), a Polish... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Maureen Lipman
Directed By: Roman Polanski
95%
68%
Critics Consensus: As lyrical and bittersweet as the music its subject left behind, Blaze takes a decidedly unconventional -- yet richly rewarding -- approach to the musical biopic.
Synopsis: A reimagining of the life and times of Blaze Foley, the unsung songwriting legend of the Texas Outlaw Music movement.
Starring: Ben Dickey, Alia Shawkat, Charlie Sexton, Josh Hamilton
Directed By: Ethan Hawke
94%
71%
Critics Consensus: Affectionate without sacrificing honesty, Behind the Candelabra couples award-worthy performances from Michael Douglas and Matt Damon with some typically sharp direction from Steven Soderbergh.
Synopsis: World-famous pianist Liberace (Michael Douglas) takes much-younger Scott Thorson (Matt Damon) as a lover, but the relationship deteriorates when Liberace takes other bedmates and Thorson... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Michael Douglas, Matt Damon, Dan Aykroyd, Scott Bakula
Directed By: Steven Soderbergh
91%
90%
Critics Consensus: Featuring a strong performance from Geoffrey Rush, Shine succeeds in telling a compelling, inspirational story without resorting to cheap sentimentality.
Synopsis: As a child piano prodigy, David Helfgott's (Geoffrey Rush) musical ambitions generate friction with his overbearing father, Peter (Armin Mueller-Stahl). When Helfgott travels to London... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Geoffrey Rush, Justin Braine, Sonia Todd, Armin Mueller-Stahl
Directed By: Scott Hicks
90%
95%
Critics Consensus: Amadeus' liberties with history may rankle some, but the creative marriage of Miloš Forman and Peter Shaffer yields a divinely diabolical myth of genius and mediocrity, buoyed by inspired casting and Mozart's rapturous music.
Synopsis: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a remarkably talented young Viennese composer who unwittingly finds a fierce rival in the disciplined and determined Antonio Salieri. Resenting Mozart... View Full Synopsis
Starring: F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Jeffrey Jones, Elizabeth Berridge
Directed By: Milos Forman
89%
91%
Critics Consensus: Straight Outta Compton is a biopic that's built to last, thanks to F. Gary Gray's confident direction and engaging performances from a solid cast.
Synopsis: In 1988, a groundbreaking new group revolutionizes music and pop culture, changing and influencing hip-hop forever. N.W.A's first studio album, "Straight Outta Compton," stirs controversy... View Full Synopsis
Starring: O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr.
Directed By: F. Gary Gray
89%
88%
Critics Consensus: It's going to be a long, long time before a rock biopic manages to capture the highs and lows of an artist's life like Rocketman.
Synopsis: Young Reginald Dwight changes his name to Elton John and collaborates with singer-songwriter Bernie Taupin to become one of the most iconic figures in pop... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Gemma Jones
Directed By: Dexter Fletcher
90%
85%
Critics Consensus: As unconventional and unwieldy as the life and legacy it honors, Love & Mercy should prove moving for Brian Wilson fans while still satisfying neophytes.
Synopsis: In the late 1960s, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson stops touring, produces "Pet Sounds" and begins to lose his grip on reality. By the 1980s,... View Full Synopsis
Starring: John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti
Directed By: Bill Pohlad
89%
76%
Critics Consensus: Visceral, energetic, and often very sad, Sid and Nancy is also a surprisingly touching love story, and Gary Oldman is outstanding as the late punk rock icon Sid Vicious.
Synopsis: Following their breakout success in England, flagship punk rock band the Sex Pistols venture out on their first U.S. tour. Temperamental bassist Sid Vicious (Gary... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Gary Oldman, Chloe Webb, David Hayman, Andrew Schofield
Directed By: Alex Cox
88%
73%
Critics Consensus: Born to Be Blue benefits from a highlight-reel performance from Ethan Hawke and an impressionistic, non-hagiographic approach to Chet Baker's life and times.
Synopsis: In the late 1960s, jazz trumpeter Chet Baker (Ethan Hawke) begins a romance with an actress (Carmen Ejogo) while trying to stage a musical comeback.
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Carmen Ejogo, Callum Keith Rennie, Tony Nappo
Directed By: Robert Budreau
87%
87%
Critics Consensus: The colorful, chaotic 24 Hour Party People nimbly captures the spirit of the Manchester music scene.
Synopsis: Manchester, 1976. Tony Wilson (Steve Coogan) is an ambitious but frustrated local TV news reporter looking for a way to make his mark. After witnessing... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Steve Coogan, Lennie James, Shirley Henderson, Paddy Considine
Directed By: Michael Winterbottom
83%
91%
Critics Consensus: Unapologetically sweet and maybe even a little corny, The Sound of Music will win over all but the most cynical filmgoers with its classic songs and irresistible warmth.
Synopsis: A tuneful, heartwarming story, it is based on the real life story of the Von Trapp Family singers, one of the world's best-known concert groups... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn
Directed By: Robert Wise
83%
90%
Critics Consensus: Superior acting and authentic crooning capture the emotional subtleties of the legend of Johnny Cash with a freshness that is a pleasure to watch.
Synopsis: The rise of country music legend Johnny Cash (Joaquin Phoenix) begins with his days as a boy growing up on the family farm, where he... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick
Directed By: James Mangold
83%
79%
Critics Consensus: Elevated by a perceptive performance by a perfectly cast Lou Diamond Phillips, La Bamba distills its subject's creative energy -- and reflects his music's enduring appeal.
Synopsis: Los Angeles teenager Ritchie Valens becomes an overnight rock 'n' roll success in 1958, thanks to a love ballad called Donna that he wrote for... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Peña
Directed By: Luis Valdez
81%
74%
Critics Consensus: Don't expect any musical insights, but this look at John Lennon's early life benefits from its restrained, low-key approach and some fine acting from Aaron Johnson.
Synopsis: A rebellious teenager, future Beatle John Lennon (Aaron Johnson) lives with his Aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) in working-class Liverpool, England. Mimi's husband suddenly dies,... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Anne-Marie Duff, David Threlfall
Directed By: Sam Taylor-Johnson
80%
68%
Critics Consensus: With an unforgettable Chadwick Boseman in the starring role, Get On Up offers the Godfather of Soul a fittingly dynamic homage.
Synopsis: James Brown (Chadwick Boseman) was born in extreme poverty in 1933 South Carolina and survived abandonment, abuse and jail to become one of the most... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd, Viola Davis
Directed By: Tate Taylor
79%
87%
Critics Consensus: An engrossing and energetic portrait of a great musician's achievements and foibles, Ray is anchored by Jamie Foxx's stunning performance as Ray Charles.
Synopsis: Legendary soul musician Ray Charles is portrayed by Jamie Foxx in this Oscar-winning biopic. Young Ray watches his 7-year-old brother drown at age seven. When... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Regina King, Clifton Powell
Directed By: Taylor Hackford
77%
94%
Critics Consensus: The standard rock biopic formula gets all shook up in Elvis, with Baz Luhrmann's dazzling energy and style perfectly complemented by Austin Butler's outstanding lead performance.
Synopsis: The film explores the life and music of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler), seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Helen Thomson, Richard Roxburgh
Directed By: Baz Luhrmann
82%
95%
Critics Consensus: Charged by Timothée Chalamet's electric performance, this ballad of Bob Dylan might not get under the enigmatic artist's skin but will make you feel like you've spent time in his company.
Synopsis: New York, 1961. Against the backdrop of a vibrant music scene and tumultuous cultural upheaval, an enigmatic 19-year-old from Minnesota arrives with his guitar and... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro
Directed By: James Mangold
76%
54%
Critics Consensus: Even though the story is overly familiar, there's enough here for an engaging ride.
Synopsis: The people of Detroit know 8 Mile as the city limit, a border, a boundary. It is also a psychological dividing line that separates Jimmy... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, Mekhi Phifer
Directed By: Curtis Hanson
76%
69%
Critics Consensus: I'm Not There's unique editing, visuals, and multiple talented actors portraying Bob Dylan make for a deliciously unconventional experience. Each segment brings a new and fresh take on Dylan's life.
Synopsis: Several actors portray legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan at different stages in his personal life and career. In 1959 a guitar-strumming youth (Marcus Carl Franklin) rides... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere
Directed By: Todd Haynes
74%
84%
Critics Consensus: The set design and cinematography are impressive, but the real achievement of La Vie en Rose is Marion Cotillard's mesmerizing, wholly convincing performance as Edith Piaf.
Synopsis: Born into poverty and raised in a brothel, Édith Piaf (Marion Cotillard) manages to achieve worldwide fame. Though her extraordinary voice and charisma open many... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Marion Cotillard, Clotilde Courau, Jean-Paul Rouve, Sylvie Testud
Directed By: Olivier Dahan
70%
66%
Critics Consensus: Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll pays appropriately uninhibited tribute to a pioneering artist -- and proves Andy Serkis can be every bit as compelling in a non-motion-capture role.
Synopsis: Stricken with polio as a child, Ian Dury finds success as a British punk rocker in the 1970s.
Starring: Andy Serkis, Olivia Williams, Naomie Harris, Bill Milner
Directed By: Mat Whitecross
100%
77%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A chronicle of the rise and brief career of rock 'n' roll star Buddy Holly (Gary Busey), who aspires to play music the way he... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Gary Busey, Don Stroud, Charles Martin Smith, William Jordan
Directed By: Steve Rash
100%
88%
Critics Consensus: Brought brilliantly to life by Dexter Gordon's outstanding performance, Round Midnight is the rare jazz-inflected drama that matches the power of the music.
Synopsis: In the 1950s, Dale Turner (Dexter Gordon), a gifted black saxophonist with a drinking problem, leaves behind New York and his estranged family and relocates... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Dexter Gordon, François Cluzet, Gabrielle Haker, Sandra Reaves-Phillips
Directed By: Bertrand Tavernier
100%
47%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: On opening night of his new Broadway musical, Show Boat, composer Jerome Kern (Robert Walker) reflects on his long career. With the help of his... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Robert Walker, Van Heflin, Lucille Bremer, Dorothy Patrick
Directed By: Richard Whorf
91%
83%
Critics Consensus: James Cagney deploys his musical gifts to galvanizing effect in Yankee Doodle Dandy, a celebration of patriotic fervor as much as it is a biopic of George M. Cohan.
Synopsis: Brought to the White House to receive a Congressional Gold Medal from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Broadway legend George M. Cohan (James Cagney) reflects on... View Full Synopsis
Starring: James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Richard Whorf
Directed By: Michael Curtiz
89%
80%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Glenn Miller (James Stewart) is a poor trombone player with dreams of fame. Eventually, through years of hard work and determination, he is able to... View Full Synopsis
Starring: James Stewart, June Allyson, Charles Drake, George Tobias
Directed By: Anthony Mann
83%
39%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Famous pianist Franz Liszt (Dirk Bogarde) is unhappily married to Countess Marie D'Agoult (Genevieve Page) and considers quitting performing in order to devote his life... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Dirk Bogarde, Capucine, Geneviève Page, Patricia Morison
Directed By: Charles Vidor, George Cukor
81%
76%
Critics Consensus: Bound for Glory brings the Dust Bowl era to authentic life thanks to Haskell Wexler's opulent cinematography and Woody Guthrie's resonant music, capturing the American mood at the time as much as it does the folk singer's life.
Synopsis: The Dust Bowl overtakes his native Oklahoma in the early 1930s, and struggling young musician Woody Guthrie (David Carradine) leaves his wife, Mary (Melinda Dillon),... View Full Synopsis
Starring: David Carradine, Ronny Cox, Melinda Dillon, Gail Strickland
Directed By: Hal Ashby
74%
57%
Critics Consensus: Miles Ahead is worth watching for Don Cheadle's strong work on both sides of the camera, even if this unconventional biopic doesn't quite capture its subject's timeless appeal.
Synopsis: In the 1970s, down-and-out jazz trumpeter Miles Davis (Don Cheadle) tries to recover his new session tape from music producers.
Starring: Don Cheadle, Ewan McGregor, Emayatzy Corinealdi, LaKeith Stanfield
Directed By: Don Cheadle
72%
47%
Critics Consensus: Slight yet resonant, Greetings from Tim Buckley honors a family's musical legacy while offering Penn Badgley a remarkable opportunity to display his dramatic gifts.
Synopsis: Musician Jeff Buckley (Penn Badgley) prepares for a 1991 tribute concert for his father, late folk singer Tim Buckley. As he struggles with the legacy... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Penn Badgley, Imogen Poots, William Sadler, Norbert Leo Butz
Directed By: Daniel Algrant
73%
86%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Pop star Diana Ross portrays legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday in this biographical drama. Beginning with Holiday's traumatic youth, the film depicts her early attempts... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor, James Callahan
Directed By: Sidney J. Furie
68%
55%
Critics Consensus: Viewers expecting an in-depth biopic will be disappointed, but The Runaways is as electric as the band's music, largely thanks to strong performances from Michael Shannon, Dakota Fanning, and Kristen Stewart.
Synopsis: Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) and Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning), two rebellious teenagers from Southern California, become the frontwomen for the Runaways -- the now-legendary group... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Alia Shawkat, Scout Taylor-Compton
Directed By: Floria Sigismondi
69%
70%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Johnny Knoxville, Mo Amer, Theo Von and Kate Upton unite in this wild and off-the-wall journey of second chances from the producer of The Peanut... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Jay Mohr, Kate Upton, Mohammed Amer
Directed By: Lije Sarki
68%
95%
Critics Consensus: This standard-issue biopic falls shy of its subject's transcendent brilliance, but Jennifer Hudson's starring performance absolutely commands Respect.
Synopsis: Following the rise of Aretha Franklin's career from a child singing in her father's church's choir to her international superstardom, RESPECT is the remarkable true... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald
Directed By: Liesl Tommy
70%
67%
Critics Consensus: Its overly pretentious and melodramatic leanings notwithstanding, Backbeat explores the beginnings of the Fab Four with striking authenticity, soaring rock 'n' roll verve, and a strong admiration for its subjects.
Synopsis: In 1960, close friends Stuart Sutcliffe ]and John Lennon, along with bandmates Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Pete Best, move to Hamburg, Germany, in search... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Sheryl Lee, Stephen Dorff, Ian Hart, Gary Bakewell
Directed By: Iain Softley
67%
62%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Gus Kahn (Danny Thomas), an aspiring lyricist, takes the advice of co-worker Grace LeBoy (Doris Day) in developing a new song. Impressed, Grace puts his... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Doris Day, Danny Thomas, Frank Lovejoy, Patrice Wymore
Directed By: Michael Curtiz
67%
78%
Critics Consensus: Selena occasionally struggles to tell its subject's story with depth or perspective, but those flaws are rendered largely irrelevant by Jennifer Lopez in the title role.
Synopsis: In this biographical drama, Selena Quintanilla (Jennifer Lopez) is born into a musical Mexican-American family in Texas. Her father, Abraham (Edward James Olmos), realizes that... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Edward James Olmos, Jon Seda, Constance Marie
Directed By: Gregory Nava
66%
66%
Critics Consensus: What Cadillac Records may lack in originality, it more than makes up for in strong performances and soul-stirring music.
Synopsis: In 1947 Chicago, Polish emigrant and bar owner Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody) hires a blues combo that includes guitarist Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright) and harmonica... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Adrien Brody, Beyoncé, Jeffrey Wright, Gabrielle Union
Directed By: Darnell Martin
64%
36%
Critics Consensus: It's uneven -- and it lacks the primal power of its subject's classic recordings -- but Jimi: All Is By My Side offers a well-acted alternative take on the Hendrix myth.
Synopsis: In 1966, an unknown guitarist named James Hendrix (André Benjamin) leaves New York for London, changes his name to Jimi and begins to make his... View Full Synopsis
Starring: André Benjamin, Hayley Atwell, Imogen Poots, Ruth Negga
Directed By: John Ridley
64%
64%
Critics Consensus: Predictable and sentimental, yet thoroughly agreeable, One Chance is an unapologetic crowd-pleaser that achieves its admittedly modest goals.
Synopsis: Tenor Paul Potts (James Corden) becomes a singing sensation after appearing on the TV show "Britain's Got Talent" in 2007.
Starring: James Corden, Alexandra Roach, Julie Walters, Colm Meaney
Directed By: David Frankel


