9 Movies and Shows Similar to On the Basis of Sex (2018)

Description: Like On the Basis of Sex, this film features a determined woman taking on the legal system to fight injustice. Both are based on true stories of women who refused to accept the status quo, though their approaches and backgrounds differ.

Fact: Julia Roberts won an Oscar for her performance. The real Erin Brockovich appears as a waitress in the film. The case resulted in the largest direct-action lawsuit settlement in US history at the time.

Description: Both films deal with landmark legal cases about gender discrimination (sexual harassment in mining vs gender-based tax law). They show women fighting for justice through the legal system while facing personal and professional challenges.

Fact: Based on the first successful sexual harassment class action suit. Charlize Theron gained weight and wore minimal makeup for the role. The real-life case inspired changes in mining industry policies.

Description: Both films portray groundbreaking female figures in politics/law (Margaret Thatcher and Ruth Bader Ginsburg). They explore how these women navigated male-dominated systems while maintaining their personal lives, though their political ideologies differ significantly.

Fact: Meryl Streep spent over a year preparing for the role. The film used real footage of Thatcher's speeches. Streep won her third Oscar for this performance.

Description: While set in different eras, both films examine systemic discrimination (racial for The Help, gender for On the Basis of Sex) and feature women challenging unjust systems. Both are based on true stories and highlight the power of storytelling to create change.

Fact: Octavia Spencer won an Oscar for her performance. The author Kathryn Stockett was rejected by 60 agents before publication. Viola Davis did all her own cooking scenes.

Description: Suffragette shares with On the Basis of Sex the theme of women fighting for equal rights, though set in an earlier historical period (early 20th century Britain). Both films depict the personal sacrifices made by women challenging the status quo.

Fact: Carey Mulligan performed her own stunts in the film. It was the first movie to film inside the Houses of Parliament. Meryl Streep has a cameo as Emmeline Pankhurst.

Description: Both films tell true stories of women breaking barriers in male-dominated fields (NASA for Hidden Figures, law for On the Basis of Sex). They share themes of perseverance against systemic discrimination and celebrate unsung heroes of civil rights movements.

Fact: The real Katherine Johnson attended the premiere at age

Description: Like On the Basis of Sex, Marshall is a legal drama based on the early career of a groundbreaking civil rights figure (Thurgood Marshall). Both films show how these future Supreme Court justices fought injustice through the legal system.

Fact: Chadwick Boseman's final film before his passing. Focuses on one of Marshall's early cases before Brown v. Board. The real case helped establish the right to effective counsel.

Description: Like On the Basis of Sex, The Post is a historical drama about important real-life events that shaped American society. Both films feature strong female leads (Meryl Streep as Katharine Graham) fighting against systemic injustice, though in different contexts (press freedom vs gender equality).

Fact: Steven Spielberg directed the film in just 9 months. It marked the first collaboration between Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. The Pentagon Papers case depicted in the film directly preceded the Watergate scandal.

Description: RBG is a documentary about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the same real-life figure portrayed in On the Basis of Sex. Both works highlight her groundbreaking legal career and fight for gender equality. The documentary provides a more comprehensive look at her life, while the film focuses on a pivotal case.

Fact: RBG was co-directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen. The documentary was released while Ginsburg was still serving on the Supreme Court. It features interviews with Ginsburg herself, her family, and colleagues.