Vote for the best Massachusetts' based on a true-story movie | Elite 8
Vote for the best Massachusetts' based on a true-story movie | Elite 8
Zulekha Monique Pitts, Janson McNair, Faith Harrington, Catherine Messier and Hazel Gandhi, USA TODAY NETWORK - New England... See moreWed, October 14, 2026 at 8:01 AM UTC
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You have selected the Elite Eight of Best Movies and Show Based on a True Story from Massachusetts.
If you are new to the bracket, here's what's happening. The 11 USA TODAY Network papers in Massachusetts are working together to find the Best Movie (or limited series) Based on a True Story from Massachusetts. Over the past two weeks, your votes have narrowed 32 to potential winners down to eight.
This week, your votes will narrow the bracket even further, as you decide who will win each region - True Crime, Against All Odds, Trailblazers and Historic Moments. What is the definition of best, that is up to each voter — most accurate, most dramatic, or just the one you love — to decide.
Read a little about each movie/series, head a streaming service if you want to watch one, and vote in our matchups. Here's Round 3 with 8 adaptations for you consider. Voting will close at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. The fourth round of voting will open on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
True Crime region
Which 2015 movie will win this bracket region? Last week, "Spotlight" beat out "Boston Strangler" 73% to 27% to move on to take on "Black Mass," which beat out "Chappaquiddick." These had bet out "JFK", "The Girl from Plainville," "Murder on the Cape" and the newest release "Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story." The winner of this region will go on to compete against the winner of Against All Odds region.
Spotlight vs Black Mass
“Spotlight,” released in 2015, turns one of Boston’s biggest journalism stories into an Oscar-winning newsroom drama. The film follows The Boston Globe’s Spotlight team as reporters uncover decades of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and a wider institutional cover-up. The real investigation won the Globe the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. Hollywood followed suit. “Spotlight” went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Where you can watch it now:fuboTV, Tubi, YouTube Free, Kanopy and available to rent or buy digitally.
“Black Mass,” released in 2015, stars Johnny Depp as notorious South Boston mob boss James “Whitey” Bulger, whose deal with FBI agent John Connolly helped him dodge law enforcement while expanding his power. If Bulger’s story sounds familiar, it should. He also inspired Jack Nicholson’s Frank Costello in Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed.” “Black Mass” takes the less fictional route, chronicling Bulger’s rise and his corrupt alliance with the FBI.Where you can watch it now: Rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play Movies and Fandango At Home.
Vote now for "Spotlight" or "Black Mass"
Against All Odds
This region once again has the largest and smallest gaps between the winning movies. "The Fighter" bet out "The Finest Hours" with just 51.6% of the vote. While "The Perfect Storm" dominated in its battle of "Captain Phillips," to be fair the amount of the movie tied to Massachusetts is much, much larger in "The Perfect Storm" as opposed to a quick car ride to Logan in "Captain Phillips."
Earlier in this category, "The Pregnancy Pact," "Stronger," "A Civil Action" and "21" all lost in Round 1 voting. The winner of this region will go on to compete against the winner of the Trime Crime region.
The Fighter vs The Perfect Storm
“The Fighter” released in 2010 tells the true story of Lowell boxer “Irish” Micky Ward and his rocky road to becoming a world champion. Starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, the movie follows Micky as he tries to build his boxing career while dealing with a family that seems to be holding him back, including his troubled half-brother and trainer, Dicky Eklund. The movie was filmed in the community that raised him and other local Massachusetts communities, including Lawrence and Lexington. Where you can watch it now: Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Paramount+
"The Perfect Storm" (2000) is based on the disappearance of a commercial fishing vessel, Andrea Gail, off the coast of Gloucester. In October 1991, the ship and its six-man crew found themselves in the middle of a rare and catastrophic weather event that brought together hurricane-force winds and dangerous waves to the sea, sinking the ship and all men aboard. The intense disaster drama portrays the men’s struggles to return to the coast following a scant fishing day. Where you can watch it now: Philo and other streaming platforms
Vote now for "The Fighter" or "The Perfect Storm."
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Trailblazers
As we said before Bay Staters are Trailblazers, and in this category the HBO limited series "John Adams" beat out "Malcom X" and "The Social Network" bet out "Julia." The votes were 72% to 29% and 53% to 47%. The winner of this category will move on to compete against the winner of the Historic Moments region.
Earlier competitors in this region were "Dickinson," Maestro," "Temple Grandin" and "Professor Marston and the Wonder Women."
John Adams vs The Social Network
“John Adams” is a seven-part HBO miniseries portraying the presidency of John Adams as well as his role as a founding father. Adams lived in what is now Quincy. He was Massachusetts' representative to the Continental Congress and more. Paul Giamatti stars as the titular role and earned high praise, winning the Primetime Emmy for “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries of a Movie,” in 2008, according to the Television Academy. Where you can watch it now: HBO MAX
"The Social Network" is an Oscar award-winning film surrounding the meteoric rise of Facebook, and the interpersonal fallout that surrounded its founders. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg and Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Severin, according to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. The two, along with several of their other Harvard classmates, are credited with founding Facebook, with the film depicting the company’s beginnings and the tense legal battle that followed. Where you can watch it now: YouTube (free), Apple TV
Vote now for "John Adams" or "The Social Network"
Historic Moments
The Historic Moments region is down to a 2016 Mark Wahlberg movie and a 2002 Kristie Alley movie, both of which can be streamed on Amazon Prime. "Patriots Day" squeaked by with a win over "Glory" 54.6% to 45.5%, while "The Salem Witch Trials" easily beat out the ABC movie "The Kennedys for Massachusetts," 66% to 33%. Which of these two will move on to battle the winner of the Trailblazer region.
This category also once included "Julie & Julia," "Tracks of Glory," "The Great Debaters" and "The Legend of Lucy Keyes."
Patriots Day vs The Salem Witch Trials
“Patriots Day” released in 2016 is an action thriller based on the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. Featuring Mark Wahlberg as Sgt. Tommy Saunders, Kevin Bacon as FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers and John Goodman as Police Commissioner Ed Davis, the film follows a team of key figures during the marathon and following days-long terrorist manhunt. Where you can watch it now: Amazon Prime Video
“Salem Witch Trials” released in 2002 retells Salem’s infamous witch trials and examines the modern consensus of the events that came before them. Many real-life Massachusetts colonists are portrayed in the film, including Ann Putnam, Rebecca Nurse, Sarah Good and John Proctor. Where you can watch it now: Amazon Prime Video
Vote now for "Patriots Day" or "Salem Witch Trials."
Remember voting in Round 3 with 8 movies/limited series for you consider will close at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. The fourth round of voting will open on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
Caitlyn Kelleher of the USA TODAY Network contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Vote for the best Massachusetts' based on a true-story movie | Elite 8
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