Biopics About Con Artists and Scammers

Description: Tom Ripley, a young man with a talent for mimicry and manipulation, is sent to Italy to bring back a wealthy man's son. Instead, he becomes entangled in a web of deceit, murder, and identity theft. It's a psychological thriller about the lengths one will go to escape their own life.

Fact: The film's ending was changed from the book to provide a more ambiguous conclusion.

Description: This film chronicles the life of Frank Abagnale Jr., who before his 19th birthday, successfully performed cons worth millions of dollars by posing as a pilot, doctor, and legal prosecutor. It's a cat-and-mouse game with the FBI, showcasing the audacity and ingenuity of a young con artist.

Fact: Leonardo DiCaprio was actually taught to forge checks by Frank Abagnale Jr. himself for authenticity in the film.

Description: This biopic recounts the story of Clifford Irving, who claimed to have written an authorized biography of Howard Hughes, only for it to be revealed as a complete fabrication. It's a tale of literary fraud that captivated the world.

Fact: The film uses real footage of Howard Hughes to enhance the authenticity of the narrative.

Description: Based on the memoir by Jordan Belfort, this film explores the rise and fall of a stockbroker who engaged in rampant corruption and fraud on Wall Street. It's a wild ride through excess, greed, and the consequences of unchecked ambition.

Fact: The film's budget was so high due to the extensive drug use scenes that it was actually cheaper to buy real drugs than to use props.

Description: Based on the true story of Steven Jay Russell, a con artist who repeatedly escaped from prison to be with his lover, Phillip Morris. It's a mix of romance, comedy, and crime, showcasing the lengths one man would go for love.

Fact: Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor both learned to speak fluent French for their roles.

Description: Mark Whitacre, an executive at Archer Daniels Midland, becomes an FBI informant to expose price-fixing, but his own fraudulent activities come to light. It's a story of corporate espionage and personal deceit.

Fact: The film was based on a true story, but many details were changed for dramatic effect.

Description: This film explores the build-up to the 2008 financial crisis through the eyes of several characters who bet against the housing market. It's a complex tale of financial fraud and the people who saw it coming.

Fact: The film uses celebrity cameos to explain complex financial terms in a humorous way.

Description: A documentary that follows the story of Frédéric Bourdin, a French serial impostor who pretended to be a missing Texas teenager. It's a mind-bending exploration of identity and deception.

Fact: The film won the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema - Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival.

Description: This dark comedy-drama follows Bernie Tiede, a beloved small-town mortician who murders a wealthy widow and then uses her money to benefit the community. It's a quirky look at how charm can mask a killer's true nature.

Fact: Jack Black's performance was so well-received that he was nominated for a Golden Globe.

Description: This film tells the story of Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr., a man who impersonated numerous professions, including a surgeon, a prison warden, and a teacher, without any formal training. It's a testament to the power of confidence and the art of deception.

Fact: The film was based on a book by Robert Crichton, who also wrote "The Andromeda Strain."