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

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 $26,218,170 3,495,756
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 $14,683,305 1,957,774
10 Capitalism: A Love Story Sep 23, 2009 Documentary R $14,363,397 1,915,119
11 Coco avant Chanel Sep 25, 2009 Drama PG-13 $5,997,682 799,690
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 Magnificent Desolation Sep 23, 2005 Documentary Not Rated $4,434,163 591,221
15 Food, Inc. Jun 12, 2009 Documentary PG $4,417,674 589,023
16 Good Hair Oct 9, 2009 Documentary PG-13 $4,146,170 552,822
17 The September Issue Aug 28, 2009 Documentary PG-13 $3,817,531 509,004
18 Space Station Apr 19, 2002 Documentary Not Rated $3,314,255 441,900
19 The Young Victoria Dec 18, 2009 Drama PG $2,456,337 327,511
20 Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric… Oct 5, 2007 Documentary Not Rated $2,299,538 306,605
21 Waltz with Bashir Dec 25, 2008 Documentary R $2,063,408 275,121
22 Dolphins and Whales Tribes … Feb 15, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $2,013,083 268,411
23 Valentino: The Last Emperor Mar 18, 2009 Documentary PG-13 $1,755,134 234,017
24 Every Little Step Apr 17, 2009 Documentary PG-13 $1,725,141 230,018
25 It Might Get Loud Aug 14, 2009 Documentary PG $1,610,163 214,688
26 Che, Part 1: The Argentine Dec 12, 2008 Drama R $1,584,051 211,206
27 Polytechnique Feb 6, 2009 Drama Not Rated $1,418,304 189,107
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 $1,133,662 151,154
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 $857,997 114,399
34 The Wonder of it All Jul 17, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $780,661 104,088
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 89,054
37 Roving Mars Jan 27, 2006 Documentary G $545,961 72,795
38 U2 3D Feb 15, 2008 Concert/Perfor… G $544,857 72,647
39 Little Ashes May 8, 2009 Drama R $481,586 64,211
40 Der Baader Meinhof Komplex Aug 21, 2009 Action R $476,270 63,502
41 La Danse Nov 4, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $417,932 55,724
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 32,805
44 Il Divo Apr 24, 2009 Drama Not Rated $240,159 32,021
45 Les plages d'Agnès Jul 1, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $225,188 30,025
46 Enlighten Up! Sep 12, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $213,423 28,456
47 Soul Power Jul 10, 2009 Documentary PG-13 $207,121 27,616
48 Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 Nov 19, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $204,458 27,261
49 Herb & Dorothy Jun 5, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $194,721 25,962
50 Fuel Nov 14, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $169,340 22,578
51 Youssou N'Dour: I Bring Wha… Jun 12, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $164,929 21,990
52 Crude Sep 9, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $163,417 21,788
53 The Yes Men Fix the World Oct 7, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $160,901 21,453
54 Hunger Dec 5, 2008 Drama Not Rated $150,523 20,069
55 The Horse Boy Sep 11, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $137,495 18,332
56 Examined Life Feb 25, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $120,712 16,094
57 Throw Down Your Heart Mar 13, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $115,778 15,437
58 Ballerina Jan 16, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $114,507 15,267
59 The Way We Get By Jul 17, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $106,542 14,205
60 Bronson Oct 9, 2009 Drama R $104,979 13,997
61 Afghan Star Jun 26, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $102,115 13,615
62 No Impact Man Sep 11, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $100,028 13,337
63 Under Our Skin Jun 17, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $92,022 12,269
64 Visual Acoustics Oct 9, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $74,898 9,986
65 Lord, Save Us From Your Fol… Jun 13, 2008 Documentary PG-13 $61,941 8,258
66 William Kunstler: Disturbin… Nov 13, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $57,769 7,702
67 Collapse Nov 6, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $56,436 7,524
68 The Boys: The Sherman Broth… May 22, 2009 Documentary PG $55,513 7,402
69 In a Dream Apr 10, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $55,270 7,369
70 Dalai Lama Renaissance May 21, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $49,675 6,623
71 American Casino Aug 14, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $46,710 6,228
72 Until the Light Takes Us Nov 20, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $46,285 6,171
73 Pressure Cooker May 27, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $44,802 5,973
74 We Live in Public Aug 28, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $44,344 5,912
75 The End of Poverty? Nov 13, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $41,880 5,584
76 One Day You'll Understand Nov 21, 2008 Drama Not Rated $38,557 5,140
77 Oh My God Nov 13, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $38,245 5,099
78 Pray the Devil Back to Hell Nov 7, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $38,180 5,090
79 Our City Dreams Feb 4, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $34,972 4,662
80 L'Enfant sauvage Sep 9, 1970 Drama G $34,208 4,561
81 Trouble the Water Aug 22, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $33,569 4,475
82 The Edge of Love Mar 13, 2009 Drama R $33,260 4,434
83 Of Time and the City Jan 23, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $32,677 4,356
84 American Swing Mar 27, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $30,156 4,020
85 The Betrayal Nov 21, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $29,807 3,974
86 The Singing Revolution Dec 7, 2007 Documentary Not Rated $28,025 3,736
87 Guest of Cindy Sherman Mar 27, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $27,052 3,606
88 The Garden Apr 24, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $26,931 3,590
89 Earth Days Aug 14, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $26,748 3,566
90 Stranded: I've Come from a … Oct 22, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $25,473 3,396
91 Not Quite Hollywood Jul 31, 2009 Documentary R $21,152 2,820
92 Walt and El Grupo Sep 10, 2009 Documentary PG $20,521 2,736
93 A Wink and a Smile May 1, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $20,169 2,689
94 Man on Wire Jul 25, 2008 Documentary PG-13 $19,252 2,566
95 Blessed is the Match: The L… Jan 28, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $18,654 2,487
96 The Beautiful Truth Nov 14, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $12,361 1,648
97 Fallen Idol: The Yuri Gagar… Oct 2, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $12,345 1,646
98 Sex Positive Jun 12, 2009 Documentary R $12,069 1,609
99 Chelsea on the Rocks Oct 2, 2009 Documentary R $11,799 1,573
100 One Peace at a Time Dec 4, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $11,698 1,559
101 I.O.U.S.A. Aug 22, 2008 Documentary PG $10,850 1,446
102 Oblivion Apr 22, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $9,939 1,325
103 An American Journey Oct 2, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $8,868 1,182
104 Objectified May 8, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $8,668 1,155
105 Winter of Frozen Dreams Apr 10, 2009 Drama R $8,321 1,109
106 Monsieur Verdoux Apr 11, 1947 Black Comedy Not Rated $8,264 1,101
107 Eleven Minutes Feb 13, 2009 Documentary R $7,986 1,064
108 Louise Bourgeois Jun 25, 2008 Documentary Not Rated $7,868 1,049
109 Scott Walker: 30 Century Man Feb 27, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $6,840 912
110 The Good Soldier Nov 11, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $6,000 800
111 Call+Response Oct 10, 2008 Documentary PG-13 $4,183 557
112 Cadillac Records Dec 5, 2008 Drama R $3,783 504
113 Made in Jamaica Jan 23, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $3,149 419
114 Food Beware Oct 16, 2009 Documentary Not Rated $1,181 157
115 Yiddish Theater: A Love Story Nov 21, 2007 Documentary Not Rated $632 84
Total Gross of All Movies$380,899,633
Total Tickets Sold50,786,572

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.