Drama Month (2025) – Biopics

For Drama Month (2025) all the selections are biopics. I’m a sucker for a good biopic ranging from presidents, mafia figures, sports stars, and serial killers. A couple of those are among the selections this year. The special event movie for the month is Groundhog Day (“again”).

There are many great biopic movies out there and February is a short month. Picking among so many is difficult. Check out this year’s list.

• Reagan
• Saturday Night
• Tolkien
• 42
• Official Secrets
• Domino
• A Complete Unknown

Reagan (2024)

Directed by: Sean McNamara
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Penelope Ann Miller, Jon Voight
My Rating:

This is a movie about an actor who became a president, and a president who took down the USSR. I can tell you right now, there isn’t a single actor in Hollywood that could ever live up to be Ronald Reagan. Maybe my personal bias is coming through there but I don’t care.

This is a good movie, regardless of which party you support. The acting is great, especially by Dennis Quaid as Reagan. The photos and footage of Reagan’s funeral in the credits is very moving. I remember watching that funeral live on national television.

Saturday Night (2024)

Directed by: Jason Reitman
Starring: Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith
My Rating:

This is the best time to watch this movie as SNL celebrates its 50th anniversary. This movie explores what happens behind the scenes during the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast. This is essentially a no-name cast with appearances by a couple of familiar faces (ex: Willem Dafoe). I also recognize Lamorne Morris (who portrays Garrett Morris, no relation), he was Winston in New Girl.

Some of the actors selected to portray the original cast were perfect; some might have been a little off (ex: Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase). It’s really interesting to learn that this show almost didn’t make it to air and what a huge mistake that would have been for NBC.

Tolkien (2019)

Directed by: Dome Karukoski
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, Colm Meaney
My Rating:

This movie explores some of the things that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien to write his famous novels. Nicholas Hoult does a great job as Tolkien and Lily Collins (daughter of my favorite music artist, Phil Collins) does well as Edith. I didn’t know this movie existed until I stumbled upon it. It’s pretty good but does have a couple of flaws.

It can be slow-moving and jumps around a bit, mostly between Tolkien in WW2 and his time in school. We all know that his marriage to Edith is the inspiration for Aragorn and Arwen’s love for each other. The brotherhood he forms with his 3 friends is the inspiration for the fellowship. However, the movie fails to mention that Christianity plays a huge role in the writing of his novels. In fact, many Catholics are making a case for J.R.R. Tolkien to become canonized.

42 (2013)

Directed by: Brian Helgeland
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford
My Rating:

This movie is about when the Brooklyn Dodgers signed Jackie Robinson to become the first African-American (in the modern era) to play major league baseball. Chadwick Boseman (RIP) is amazing as Robinson. Harrison Ford also gives a great performance. This is a movie I could watch again and again. In fact, I will be adding April 15th (aka Jackie Robinson Day) to my April list of special event movies and this is the movie I will watch.

If you are a baseball fan, you need to watch this movie. It’s a great tribute to one of baseball’s greatest defining moments.

Official Secrets (2019)

Directed by: Gavin Hood
Starring: Keira Knightley, Matt Smith, Matthew Goode
My Rating:

This movie is a true story about the British whistleblower who tried to stop the Iraq war and potentially violated the UK Official Secrets Act. This movie was made in 2019 but the events took place over 20 years ago. I’m not going to get into the politics of the Iraqi war even though that is basically what this movie is about.

It’s a good movie, I enjoyed it. The acting is very well done. I was in my 20s during the Iraqi war and I didn’t pay much attention to the media so I didn’t even know about Katherine Gun or this leak. Anyone can enjoy this movie, despite your politics. By the way, the appearance of the Zip drive made me a bit nostalgic.

Domino (2005)

Directed by: Tony Scott
Starring: Keira Knightley, Mickey Rourke
My Rating:

I decided to go with another biopic with Kiera Knightley playing the lead role. She’s a great actress and I don’t watch enough movies with her in the starring role. I also didn’t realize this movie was a biopic when I first saw it nearly 20 years ago. Mickey Rourke gives me real Duane “Dog” Chapman vibes from Dog the Bounty Hunter reality show. This movie follows Domino Harvey as she goes from fashion model to bounty hunter. The real Domino Harvey makes an appearance at the end of the movie along with a dedication. She died just before the film was released.

This is a fun movie and a fun role for Keira Knightley. It really shows her depth to go from a British whistleblower to a gritty, badass female bounty hunter. In fact, I have done a small career recap for her because of her minor role in Star Wars – The Phantom Menace.

A Complete Unknown (2024)

Directed by: James Mangold
Starring: Tmothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning
My Rating:

I squeezed this movie in right at the end of the month, just before the Academy Awards. It was nominated for 8 Oscars (but, sadly, did not win any of them). This movie follows folk artist Bob Dylan as he goes from a man with nothing but a guitar to a music legend.

I’ve already written a full review of this movie but the quick review is that I did enjoy the movie. I’m not a Bob Dylan fan, in fact, he was already something of a legend before I was even born, but I still found the movie interesting, though slow in spots. It’s a shame this movie didn’t win any awards, especially Edward Norton, whose portrayal of Peter Seeger was fantastic.

What are some of your favorite biopics?

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