Market Charts > 2009 > Sources > Based on Real Life Events

Domestic Box Office Performance for Based on Real Life Events Movies in 2009

← 2008 Summary for all Years 2010 →
RankMovieRelease
Date		 GenreMPAA
Rating		2009 GrossTickets Sold
1 Michael Jackson’s This Is It Oct 28, 2009 Documentary PG $72,091,016 9,612,135
2 The Haunting in Connecticut Mar 27, 2009 Horror PG-13 $55,389,516 7,385,269
3 Notorious Jan 16, 2009 Drama R $36,843,682 4,912,491
4 The Soloist Apr 24, 2009 Drama PG-13 $31,853,584 4,247,145
5 The Fourth Kind Nov 6, 2009 Thriller/Suspense PG-13 $25,396,720 3,386,229
6 Valkyrie Dec 25, 2008 Thriller/Suspense PG-13 $22,373,908 2,983,188
7 Under the Sea 3D Feb 13, 2009 Documentary G $19,416,024 2,588,803
8 Jonas Brothers: The 3D Conc… Feb 27, 2009 Concert/Perfor… G $19,162,740 2,555,032
9 Milk Nov 26, 2008 Drama R $17,246,974 2,299,597
10 Capitalism: A Love Story Sep 23, 2009 Documentary R $14,363,397 1,915,120
11 Coco avant Chanel Sep 25, 2009 Drama PG-13 $5,977,223 796,963
12 Deep Sea 3D Mar 3, 2006 Documentary G $5,275,270 703,369
13 Bright Star Sep 17, 2009 Drama PG $4,444,637 592,618
14 Food, Inc. Jun 12, 2009 Documentary PG $4,417,674 589,023
15 Good Hair Oct 9, 2009 Documentary PG-13 $4,146,170 552,823
16 Magnificent Desolation Sep 23, 2005 Documentary Not Rated $3,834,397 511,253
17 The September Issue Aug 28, 2009 Documentary PG-13 $3,815,372 508,716
18 Space Station Apr 19, 2002 Documentary Not Rated $3,297,132 439,618
19 Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric… Oct 5, 2007 Documentary Not Rated $2,353,743 313,832
20 Waltz with Bashir Dec 25, 2008 Documentary R $2,116,972 282,263
21 Dolphins and Whales Tribes … Feb 15, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $2,026,763 270,235
22 Valentino: The Last Emperor Mar 18, 2009 Documentary PG-13 $1,755,134 234,018
23 Every Little Step Apr 17, 2009 Documentary PG-13 $1,725,141 230,019
24 Che, Part 1: The Argentine Dec 12, 2008 Drama R $1,619,535 215,938
25 It Might Get Loud Aug 14, 2009 Documentary PG $1,610,163 214,688
26 Polytechnique Feb 6, 2009 Drama Not Rated $1,418,304 189,107
27 The Young Victoria Dec 18, 2009 Drama PG $1,397,166 186,289
28 X Games 3D: The Movie Aug 21, 2009 Documentary PG $1,391,434 185,525
29 Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg Jul 10, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $1,132,496 150,999
30 More Than a Game Oct 2, 2009 Documentary PG $950,675 126,757
31 Tyson Apr 24, 2009 Documentary R $887,918 118,389
32 The Cove Jul 31, 2009 Documentary PG-13 $861,796 114,906
33 Seraphine Jun 5, 2009 Drama Not Rated $857,513 114,335
34 The Wonder of it All Jul 17, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $780,110 104,015
35 The Cross: The Arthur Bless… Mar 27, 2009 Documentary PG $741,557 98,874
36 Anvil! The Story of Anvil Apr 10, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $667,911 89,055
37 U2 3D Feb 15, 2008 Concert/Perfor… G $555,683 74,091
38 Roving Mars Jan 27, 2006 Documentary G $545,961 72,795
39 Little Ashes May 8, 2009 Drama R $481,586 64,211
40 Der Baader Meinhof Komplex Aug 21, 2009 Action R $476,270 63,503
41 La Danse Nov 4, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $395,472 52,730
42 Outrage May 8, 2009 Documentary R $287,198 38,293
43 Larger than Life 3D: The Da… Dec 11, 2009 Concert/Perfor… PG $246,042 32,806
44 Il Divo Apr 24, 2009 Drama Not Rated $240,159 32,021
45 Les plages d'Agnès Jul 1, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $224,318 29,909
46 Enlighten Up! Sep 12, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $213,423 28,456
47 Cadillac Records Dec 5, 2008 Drama R $209,638 27,952
48 Soul Power Jul 10, 2009 Documentary PG-13 $207,121 27,616
49 Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 Nov 19, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $205,760 27,435
50 Herb & Dorothy Jun 5, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $194,721 25,963
51 Fuel Nov 14, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $169,340 22,579
52 Youssou N'Dour: I Bring Wha… Jun 12, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $164,929 21,991
53 Crude Sep 9, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $163,141 21,752
54 The Yes Men Fix the World Oct 7, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $159,033 21,204
55 Hunger Dec 5, 2008 Drama Not Rated $150,523 20,070
56 The Horse Boy Sep 11, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $137,495 18,333
57 Examined Life Feb 25, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $120,712 16,095
58 Throw Down Your Heart Mar 13, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $115,778 15,437
59 Ballerina Jan 16, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $114,507 15,268
60 The Way We Get By Jul 17, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $106,542 14,206
61 Bronson Oct 9, 2009 Drama R $104,979 13,997
62 Afghan Star Jun 26, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $102,115 13,615
63 No Impact Man Sep 11, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $100,028 13,337
64 Under Our Skin Jun 17, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $92,022 12,270
65 Lord, Save Us From Your Fol… Jun 13, 2008 Documentary PG-13 $61,941 8,259
66 Visual Acoustics Oct 9, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $61,642 8,219
67 William Kunstler: Disturbin… Nov 13, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $57,769 7,703
68 Collapse Nov 6, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $56,436 7,525
69 The Boys: The Sherman Broth… May 22, 2009 Documentary PG $55,513 7,402
70 In a Dream Apr 10, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $55,270 7,369
71 Dalai Lama Renaissance May 21, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $49,675 6,623
72 American Casino Aug 14, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $46,710 6,228
73 Until the Light Takes Us Nov 20, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $45,326 6,043
74 Pressure Cooker May 27, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $44,802 5,974
75 We Live in Public Aug 28, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $44,344 5,913
76 The End of Poverty? Nov 13, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $41,880 5,584
77 One Day You'll Understand Nov 21, 2008 Drama Not Rated $38,557 5,141
78 Oh My God Nov 13, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $38,245 5,099
79 Pray the Devil Back to Hell Nov 7, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $38,180 5,091
80 The Most Dangerous Man in A… Jan 29, 2010 Documentary Not Rated $36,875 4,917
81 Our City Dreams Feb 4, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $34,972 4,663
82 L'Enfant sauvage Sep 9, 1970 Drama G $34,208 4,561
83 Trouble the Water Aug 22, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $33,569 4,476
84 The Edge of Love Mar 13, 2009 Drama R $33,260 4,435
85 Of Time and the City Jan 23, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $32,677 4,357
86 Man on Wire Jul 25, 2008 Documentary PG-13 $30,171 4,023
87 American Swing Mar 27, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $30,156 4,021
88 The Betrayal Nov 21, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $29,807 3,974
89 The Singing Revolution Dec 7, 2007 Documentary Not Rated $28,025 3,737
90 Stranded: I've Come from a … Oct 22, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $27,360 3,648
91 Guest of Cindy Sherman Mar 27, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $27,052 3,607
92 The Garden Apr 24, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $26,931 3,591
93 Earth Days Aug 14, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $26,748 3,566
94 Not Quite Hollywood Jul 31, 2009 Documentary R $21,152 2,820
95 Walt and El Grupo Sep 10, 2009 Documentary PG $20,521 2,736
96 A Wink and a Smile May 1, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $20,169 2,689
97 Blessed is the Match: The L… Jan 28, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $18,654 2,487
98 The Beautiful Truth Nov 14, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $12,361 1,648
99 Sex Positive Jun 12, 2009 Documentary R $12,069 1,609
100 Fallen Idol: The Yuri Gagar… Oct 2, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $11,853 1,580
101 Chelsea on the Rocks Oct 2, 2009 Documentary R $11,799 1,573
102 One Peace at a Time Dec 4, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $11,698 1,560
103 I.O.U.S.A. Aug 22, 2008 Documentary PG $10,850 1,447
104 Oblivion Apr 22, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $9,939 1,325
105 An American Journey Oct 2, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $8,868 1,182
106 Objectified May 8, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $8,668 1,156
107 Winter of Frozen Dreams Apr 10, 2009 Drama R $8,321 1,109
108 Monsieur Verdoux Apr 11, 1947 Black Comedy Not Rated $8,264 1,102
109 Eleven Minutes Feb 13, 2009 Documentary R $7,986 1,065
110 Louise Bourgeois Jun 25, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $7,868 1,049
111 Scott Walker: 30 Century Man Feb 27, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $6,840 912
112 The Good Soldier Nov 11, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $6,000 800
113 Call+Response Oct 10, 2008 Documentary PG-13 $4,183 558
114 Made in Jamaica Jan 23, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $3,149 420
115 Angry Monk: Reflections on … Jan 2, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $2,125 283
116 Yiddish Theater: A Love Story Nov 21, 2007 Documentary Not Rated $1,470 196
117 Food Beware Oct 16, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $1,181 157
Total Gross of All Movies$381,328,352
Total Tickets Sold50,843,783

Note: This chart ranks movies by the amount they earned during 2009. It includes movies released in previous years that earned money during 2009. For example, a movie released over Thanksgiving in 2010 will most likely earn money in 2010 and 2011. Click on the individual movie to see its total gross over all the years in which it played.

Inflation-adjusted figures are based ticket sale estimates, and may not be precise due to rounding errors.

Our Theatrical Market pages are based on the Domestic Theatrical Market performance only. The Domestic Market is defined as the North American movie territory (consisting of the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Guam).

The yearly amounts on our Theatrical Market pages are based on box office years. Each box office year starts on the first Monday of the year, so the previous year ends on the Sunday before the first Monday. For example, the "2017 box office year" started on January 2, 2017 so the "2016 box office year" ended on Sunday, January 1, 2017.