Liked Oppenheimer? Check Out These 5 Fascinating Scientist Biopics
These are the best examples of the genre.
The enormous financial and critical success of Oppenheimer, which won seven Oscars this year, proves that biopics about scientists can be fascinating. If you're looking for something like the Christopher Nolan film, here are five suggestions.
Tesla (2020, 5.1 on IMDb)
Available on: Hulu, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video
Set in the 1880s, this biopic follows Nikola Tesla, an immigrant fired by Thomas Edison after a dispute over Tesla's invention. Unable to find funding to start his own company, Tesla resorts to digging ditches for a living. He soon meets Anne Morgan, daughter of investment banker J.P. Morgan, who changes his life and the history of science forever. Ethan Hawke stars as Nikola Tesla.
The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015, 7.2 on IMDb)
Available on: Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video
This British biopic stars Dev Patel as Srinivasa Ramanujan, the famous Indian mathematician who was admitted to Cambridge University during World War I despite being unable to pay the tuition. At Cambridge, Srinivasa proves to be a real talent as he becomes a pioneer in mathematical theories under the mentorship of G.H. Hardy, who left an indelible mark on number theory and mathematical analysis.
The Theory of Everything (2014, 7.7 on IMDb)
Available on: Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video
Another biopic set at Cambridge University, this film follows the life of Stephen Hawking, portrayed by Eddie Redmayne, as he reaches new heights in physics and develops a relationship with Jane Wilde, whose memoir, Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen inspired the movie. Full of parties and philosophical discussions about science and art, the life seemed idyllic until Stephen was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which affected the rest of his life.
The Imitation Game (2014, 8.0 on IMDb)
Available on: Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video
Based on Andrew Hodges' biography Alan Turing: The Enigma, the film tells the story of the renowned mathematician and cryptanalyst who led the team of Britain's brightest minds to break the code of the Enigma, the machine used by Nazi Germany to encrypt messages during World War II. The film also details the personal drama of Alan Turing being persecuted for homosexuality by the same government he helped win the war.
A Beautiful Mind (2001, 8.2 on IMDb)
Available on: Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video
Set in the post-World War II United States, the film chronicles the scientific success of John Nash, whose work on governing dynamics revolutionized game theory. In the 1950s, the scientist is recruited by the US Department of Defense to help them decode encrypted messages and search for possible Soviet codes in newspapers and magazines. Eager to do the job, Nash soon becomes obsessed and begins to question the reality of things.