| 100% | BASED | 5 | ___ on a true story |
| 100% | BASED | 5 | "___ on a true story" |
| 100% | BASED | 5 | "— on a true story" |
| 100% | BASED | 5 | "___ on a true story..." |
| 100% | BASED | 5 | "___ on a true story!" |
| 92% | SHE | 3 | “___ Said” (2022 drama based on a true story) |
| 89% | NORM | 4 | "Based on a True Story: Not a Memoir" comedian/writer Macdonald |
| 88% | EVE | 3 | "The Three Faces of ___" (classic noir film based on a true story) |
| 85% | ALIVE | 5 | 1993 film drama starring Ethan Hawke and Vincent Spano based on a true story |
| 85% | ARGO | 4 | 2012 spy thriller directed by and starring Ben Affleck, based on a true story |
| 84% | BOYSROUNDHERE | 13 | Blake Shelton hit single from the 2013 album "Based on a True Story... " (3 wds.) |
| 84% | RUDY | 4 | 1993 film based on a true story starring Sean Astin as football player Daniel Ruettiger |
| 84% | INVINCIBLE | 10 | 2006 film based on a true story starring Mark Wahlberg as football player Vince Papale |
| 83% | THEAERONAUTS | 12 | 2019 adventure film based on a true story about a historic gas balloon flight (2 wds.) |
| 83% | HILLBILLYELEGY | 14 | 2020 drama based on a true story with Amy Adams as a troubled mother: 2 wds. |
| 82% | DOOR | 4 | "The Shrink Next ___," psychological drama based on a true story, where Will Ferrell plays a neurotic patient |
| 82% | THEBLINDSIDE | 12 | 2009 film based on a true story starring Quinton Aaron as football player Michael Oher (3 wds.) |
| 82% | JUSTMERCY | 9 | Legal drama based on a true story starring Brie Larson, 17-Across, and 32-Across (2 wds.) |
| 82% | WHITEHEAD | 9 | Colson whose 2019 “The Nickel Boys” is based on a true horror story |
| 81% | BRIANSSONG | 10 | 1971 film based on a true story starring Billy Dee Williams as football player Gale Sayers (2 wds.) |
| 81% | BLACKBIRD | 9 | Apple TV+ miniseries based on a true story starring 15-Across, 24-Across, and 30-Across (2 wds.) |
| 80% | ADOGSTALE | 9 | "Hachi: ___," movie starring Richard Gere that is based on a true story of a dog named Hachiko: 3 wds. |
| 79% | SNOWMAN | 7 | "The Falcon and the ___," spy drama film based on a true story that features Sean Penn as Andrew Daulton Lee |
| 75% | FINDMEGUILTY | 12 | Comedy drama crime film starring Peter Dinklage which is based on a true story of the longest Mafia trial in American history: 3 wds. |
| 73% | LOOSELY | 7 | How a movie might be based on a true story |
| 67% | TRUE | 4 | "Based on a ___ story" |
| 67% | TRUE | 4 | "Based on a ___ story..." |
| 67% | TRUE | 4 | Based on a ___ story |
| 66% | UANDI | 5 | "___: A True Story" by Nicholson Baker: 3 wds. |
| 66% | UANDI | 5 | "___: A True Story," by Nicholson Baker: 3 wds. |