10 Movie Biopics That Lied To Your Face
1. Bohemian Rhapsody
Possibly the most offensive example listed here, 2018's Bohemian Rhapsody was an Oscar winning biopic of Queen frontman Freddy Mercury. Mr Robot star Rami Malek puts in deservedly critically adored performance as the outspoken rock legend, but he's far too short and small in frame for the role. Original choice Sasha Baron Cohen makes much more sense for the part, but then that's hardly the only problem the film has.
As outlined in a superb review for The Daily Beast, the film constantly short changes the memory of Mercury and makes sure to give his bandmates a pass in the process.
When Freddy spectacularly backstabs the band by demanding they break up so he can pursue a solo career? Yeah, not only did Mercury make it clear that his solo work wouldn't interfere with Queen, by that stage two of his bandmates Brian May and Roger Taylor had already been working on solo projects for years. So why write in the scene?
Well, it may have something to do with May and Taylor's involvement in the film as producers, an aspect which led Cohen to depart the project as he felt the surviving members intended to turn the movie into self-serving hagiography.