Politics is certainly becoming a talking point more and more with each passing day. There’s countless movies based on political figures, which are perhaps more relevant than ever. From American politics, to further abroad, there’s some inspiring and moving stories to explore.
Political movies can often be seen as boring or uninteresting. However, there’s also a great deal that are genuinely thrilling. Whether it is because of a captivating performance, or due to the fact that the individual the film is centred around is so historically significant, there’s a great number of movies that will be able to grab the attention of even the most politically apathetic people.
Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom (2013)
Nelson Mandela holds an important role in history, fighting to end apartheid in South Africa. There are a great number of films based around the life of this extraordinary man and former President. However, Long Walk To Freedom is one of the most well regarded.
With one of the best performances of Idris Elba’s career, the film is a biopic based on the autobiography of the same name. It tracks a young Mandela and his rise in the political world, to his time in prison and eventual role as leader of South Africa.
The Iron Lady (2011)
Meryl Streep has always been a celebrated actress. One of her most career-defining roles was when she took on the part of the controversial former Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. She was the first female PM of the UK and still remains only one of two women to hold the role.
The life of Thatcher is an interesting one, representing a number of very specific views which shaped the future of Britain. The Iron Lady actually explores a number of other areas of her life and while it is largely focused on her time in office, it also takes a moment to depict her later years.
Gandhi (1982)
Ben Kingsley has also taken on a number of historically important roles in his career, but none have been discussed more than his performance as the peaceful leader of the Indian freedom movement, Mahatma Gandhi.
Gandhi’s life was a complex one, but he has become best known for his work in getting India to become independent from the British Empire. It was a world-changing event and he achieved it primarily through his beliefs of non-violence.
The King’s Speech (2010)
The King’s Speech on paper should be as dull as a number of other political movies. But while the story is focused upon an incredibly significant speech in King George VI’s reign, it really is about a very personal struggle for Colin Firth’s monarch and political heavyweight.
Considered one of the best films of 2010, the movie takes the audience through the trials and tribulations of the King overcoming his stammer. It’s full of political intrigue and historical moments, but really is a very human and small scale narrative.
Malcolm X (1992)
Malcolm X is one of Spike Lee’s most well-renowned films. Its core focus is that of the African American activist Malcolm X and his struggles to fight against prejudice and for his Muslim faith. The film navigates through the majority of his life.
From his early life as a criminal, to his dedication to his faith and his later assassination. This is a powerful story about overcoming racism, bigotry and fighting for the civil rights movement. Malcolm X was a complex man and this film reflects his full journey.
Nixon (1995)
Richard Nixon is one of the most well-documented presidents of the United States in history. His role in the Watergate scandal and time in office is some of the most controversial subject matters in American political history.
Anthony Hopkins puts together a portrayal of Nixon that is flawed but human in many ways. The movie tries to present the man in every aspect of his life, as his career continues to dive and soar through a number of specific and massive events which shaped the globe.
Lincoln (2012)
As one of Stephen Spielberg’s most well-regarded films, Lincoln is a very effective telling of Abraham Lincoln’s time in office and his life outside of the Presidency. The movie is also famous for being one of Daniel Day Lewis’s most method performances.
The film picks up during the Civil War and discusses many of the issues that the nation was facing during this time period. It’s probably one of the greatest versions of Lincoln himself put to screen and has been thoroughly praised for its presentation of the era.
Downfall (2004)
Downfall is not an inspirational story like so many on this list, but instead a psychological exploration of a broken and vengeful man on the brink of death and at the end of his failed empire. The film follows Adolf Hitler in his final days, trapped in a bunker below Berlin.
The movie is based upon a very specific era of time, towards the end of World War II. With the German forces seemingly defeated, Hitler takes refuge in a bunker, hoping for a turnaround. The portrayal of the Nazi leader is one of the most accurate on-screen.
Selma (2014)
Selma sees one of Martin Luther King Jr’s most defining moments put to screen, as he holds a march between Selma and Montgomery, all in the name of voting rights. While there are some inaccuracies, Ava DuVernay’s depiction captures the spirit of this incredible movement.
While there’s a lot of interesting aspects of MLK’s life to explore, the movie does a fantastic job of portraying this great man in a single moment in time. It stories the success of the march and one of King’s most famous speeches in his career.
Hamilton (2020)
Hamilton is perhaps a departure from the rest of this list, however the musical film adaptation of the Broadway hit was brought to Disney+ and received huge critical appraise. It takes a look at the political career of Alexander Hamilton.
From his time as a leader of American independence to his role under President George Washington and his contributions to the US constitution, the musical looks at his greatest successes, his worst flaws, and the legacy he left behind.
