Top 10 moving moments in a bio-pic

This is a ranking of my favourite moving moments in bio-pics.

This could be during the middle of the film or towards the end.

Please note: This is not taking into account how historically accurate the moments are, just simply how emotionally powerful the scene is

With that being said, here is a list of the top 10 moving moments in bio-pics, in my opinion:

#10: Hacksaw Ridge

Desmond Doss portrayed by Andrew Garfield

The first film I watched during the month of April 2020, at home.

Hacksaw Ridge is one of those films that shows the true side of war, specifically WWII. The film follows Desmond Doss, a Christian combat medic who refused to carry a firearm or weapon of any kind.

One of his courageous acts of bravery was rescuing a staggering 75 of his fellow soldiers who were still on the battlefield of Okinawa, wounded and unable to move. Risking his own life without bareing a gun to protect himself from the Japanese soldiers, he repeatedly uttered the words, 'Lord, help me get one more.'

His heroic self-less action awarded him the Congressional Medal of Honor.

#9: Bohemian Rhapsody

Freddie Mercury portrayed by Rami Malek

One of first films I saw in 2019 as a CineWorld Unlimited member.

Perhaps the only genuinely emotional and beautifully shot scene in the entire film was Freddie getting diagnosed with Aids.

The scene started off with a news broadcast stating how uncureable the disease is. Queen's 'Who Wants To Live Forever' is played softly in the background as Freddie decides to go to the hospital to gets tested.

'The results unfortunatley came back positive.'

Knowing he has been diagnosed, he tells his band members.

The film then cuts to the LiveAid performance. Regardless how inaccurate the order was, the first piano note Freddie hits is immsenly powerful.

#8: The Professor and The Madman

Dr. William Chester Minor portrayed by Sean Penn

I first saw this film at home, first Amazon Original film I saw on Prime.

The film starts of with Chester holding a gun in pursuit of a George Merret. He eventually guns him the man down in front of George's wife, Eliza. William is then locked up at Broadmoor Asylum for accidently killing a innocent man.

Dr. Minor is becomes filled with guilt and sorrow because he took George away from Eliza. Through the power of literature he slowly begins to heal and forgive himself for his actions.

Both Minor and Miss Merret meet later on. It is then revealed Eliza can not read or write. He teaches her how over the course of a few visits. Before she leaves after a visit, she then says 'I wrote this' as she hands him a note.

The note read: 'I Can Because of You.'

Symbolising that she has forgave William, no matter how much she misses her late husband.

#7: Stan & Ollie

Oliver Hardy portrayed by John C Reilly and Stan Laurel portrayed by Steve Coogan

I first saw this film in one of the first CineWorld Unlimited preview screenings I ever attended. December 2018.

The movie's main premise is how Laurel and Hardy's friendship has slowly became more corporate than brotherly in their older years. 

Oliver hated Stan for leaving and Laurel hated Hardy for quicking replacing him.

It is evident that during the later half of the film, Oliver's health and wellbeing was deteriorating

The moving scene was when they put their petty past differences aside to perform in front of a sold-out audience.

#6: Saving Mr. Banks

Pamela Travers portrayed by Emma Thompson and Walt Disney portrayed by Tom Hanks

This was one of the first Disney films I saw on Disney+, April 2020.

Pamela is hesitant on giving the Mary Poppins rights over to Walt as she fears he may tarnish the original creation by using cartoon characters and whimsical singing.

It is later revealed the story of Mary Poppins is loosely based on Pamela's life when she was a child and her experiences with her father who was a banker.

The moving scene is in the TCL Chinese Theatre when Pamela is over-come with emotions watching her creation and also childhood story come to life.

#5: A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood

Mr. Rogers portrayed by Tom Hanks

This was the last film I saw in January 2020.

Honestly, the whole film was completely moving. Tom Hanks was the perfect choice to play the Fred Rogers.

I never grew up watching Mr. Roger's Neighbourhood but after watching a "few" videos on Youtube, I wish I did.

The moving moment that actually brought me to tears was honestly more of a call back to an earlier scene than anything.

In the subway train, Fred teaches Tom the hand sign for 'friend'.

Later on in the film, after everything Tom done to people who loved him and also Mr. Rogers. Fred, without saying a word, done the hand sign toward Tom before leaving him. He still, no matter what, considered him a friend.

#4: Judy

Judy Garland portrayed by Renee Zellweger

I saw this film at the start of October 2019, after Joker.

I didn't really enjoy this film, felt it was honestly quite boring.

The one and only scene I liked and was moved immensly by was during the final performance.

Unable to sing the final song of her tour, the entire theatre begins to sing for her, in a very heartwarming moment.

#3: Dark Waters

Robert Bilott portrayed by Mark Ruffalo

The first film I saw in March 2020.

The whole film focuses on one man trying to uncover some evil secrets of a water corporation.

Midway through the film he has a large majority of the population of Ohio give a blood sample to see if the drinking water is completley safe.

The 60,000+ tests take agonising 7 years to be complete. When he finally hears that the results came back mostly positive, he is emotional and relieved that his efforts didn't go un-noticed.

#2: Just Mercy

This moving scene having nothing to do with the main character, instead it involves a side character.

The scene focuses on Herbert Richardson, a former army soldier who suffered from PTSD.

The moment I am referring to is when he is put on the electric chair.

The stomach turning intense build-up to the lever being switched was so long that the incredibly short but brutal shock honestly made me cry.

I think that was probably the most realisitic the electric chair has ever been depicted in film.

#1: Rocketman

Elton John portrayed by Taron Egerton

I saw this during a Unlimited Screening in May 2019. It is also one of my favourite films of 2019.

The scene I chose for this film, focuses on the relationship between Elton and his father.

As a child, his father never loved him.

Later when Elton is a rock star, Elton decides to vist him.

During their conversation, his father asks him to sign a record. Stunned by the propsal, Elton immeadiatley writes 'To, Dad' before his dad says the autograph was for one of his friends. Elton then scratches his father's name.

Even when he was global superstar, his dad still didn't love him.