Movies are a great way to escape the reality of our everyday lives and experience something new. They can also be a powerful tool for inspiring change and moving us emotionally. If you’re searching for a truly moving film experience, check out one of these superb true story movies! Each of these movies is based on a real-life event, and will leave you feeling motivated and inspired.
The Shawshank Redemption
Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) has been falsely accused of his wife and her lover’s murder, so he is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in a tough prison. Despite the severity of this harsh punishment, Andy does not allow himself to be broken by it. As time passes, he forms an unlikely friendship with Red (Morgan Freeman). He learns how to survive within the brutal atmosphere and even helps the warden which eventually leads him towards freedom after 19 long years.
Watch “The Shawshank Redemption” Trailer Below:
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) is a man with a low IQ who has accomplished great things in his life and been present for key historical events – in spite of his mental challenges.
Watch The “Forrest Gump” Trailer Below:
The Pursuit of Happyness
Despite facing numerous adversities, single father Chris Gardner (Will Smith) commits to creating a better life for he and his son (Jaden Smith). From being evicted from their apartment to having no source of income when landing an internship at a prestigious brokerage firm, the pair live in shelters as they fight against all odds. Refusing to give up hope or be defeated by despair, Chris continues striving towards success and stability.
Watch “The Pursuit of Happyness” Trailer Below:
Miracle
On February 22, 1980, the United States Olympic hockey team pulled off one of the greatest sports upsets in history when they defeated the seemingly invincible Soviet squad at the Winter Olympics. This inspiring true story chronicles the miraculous journey of a team of underdogs who came together to achieve the impossible.
Watch The “Miracle” Trailer Below:
Invictus
Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) is released from prison after 27 years of imprisonment, and is elected president of South Africa. However, with the country still racially divided in the aftermath of Apartheid, Mandela knows he must unite his people if he is to lead them into a new era. He finds common ground with the captain (Matt Damon) of the country’s rugby team, and together they attempt to use the sport to bring the people of South Africa together.
Watch The “Invictus” Trailer Below:
The Fighter
Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Melissa Leo star in The Fighter, a 2010 American biographical sports drama film directed by David O. Russell. The film focuses on Micky Ward (Wahlberg), an Irish-American boxer who grew up with Dicky Eklund (Bale). Dicky was once a professional boxer himself, but he now trains his younger half-brother Micky. While Micky has the potential to be a successful boxer, his Brother’s crack addiction and criminal activity stand in the way.
Watch “The Fighter” Trailer Below:
The Help
The Help is a 2011 period drama film directed and written by Tate Taylor and based on Kathryn Stockett’s 2009 novel of the same name. The film stars Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain, Mary Steenburgen, Mike Vogel and Cicely Tyson. The film and novel recount the story of African Americans working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960s.
Watch “The Help” Trailer Below:
Remember the Titans
In 1971 high school football was everything to the people of Alexandria, Virginia. But when the local school board is forced to integrate an all-black school with an all-white school, the very foundation of football’s great tradition is put to the test. Head coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) is hired to lead T.C. Williams High School’s football team. But racial tensions run high, as black and white students struggle to work together towards a common goal.
Watch The “Remember the Titans” Trailer Below:
A Beautiful Mind
John Nash (Russell Crowe) is a brilliant mathematician who suffers from schizophrenia. He begins to see patterns in numbers and people that don’t exist, but his delusions lead him down a path of paranoia and violence. However, with the help of his wife Alicia (Jennifer Connelly), Nash is able to overcome his illness and win the Nobel Prize.
Watch “A Beautiful Mind” Trailer Below:
The King’s Speech
When King George VI (Colin Firth) is thrust onto the throne after his brother abdicates, he must overcome a lifelong stutter to lead his country through the perils of World War II. With the help of his unorthodox speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), the king learns to speak in public and inspire his people.
Watch “The King’s Speech” Trailer Below:
The Blind Side
The Blind Side is the true story of Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a homeless teen who is taken in by a wealthy family, the Tuohys (Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw). With the help of his new family and tutor Leigh Anne Tuohy (Bullock), Oher develops into a star football player and earns a scholarship to Ole Miss.
Watch “The Blind Side” Trailer Below:
127 Hours
127 Hours is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston (James Franco). While climbing in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park, Ralston becomes trapped by a fallen boulder. With no one to help him, Ralston must cut off his own arm to escape and survive.
Watch The “127 Hours” Trailer Below:
Life of Pi
Life of Pi is a fantasy adventure novel by Yann Martel. The story follows Pi Patel, a Indian boy who becomes stranded on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. Despite the odds, Pi and the tiger form a bond that sustains them through their journey.
Watch The “Life of Pi” Trailer Below:
Argo
Argo is a 2012 historical drama directed by Ben Affleck. The film tells the story of the rescue of six American diplomats from Iran during the 1979-1981 Iran hostage crisis.
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Lone Survivor
Lone Survivor is a 2013 war film based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Marcus Luttrell. The film follows a team of Navy SEALs on a mission to capture or kill Taliban leader Ahmad Shahd. However, the mission goes awry and the SEALs find themselves fighting for their lives in the Hindu Kush mountains.
Watch The “Lone Survivor” Trailer Below:
The Imitation Game
The Imitation Game is the story of Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch), a British mathematician and codebreaker who helped crack the Nazi’s “Enigma” code during World War II. However, despite his heroic efforts, Turing was convicted of “gross indecency” for being gay and was forced to undergo chemical castration.
Watch “The Imitation Game” Trailer Below:
Unbroken
Unbroken is the story of Louis Zamperini (Jack O’Connell), an Olympic runner who was drafted into the Army during World War II. While serving as a bombardier, Zamperini’s plane crash-lands in the Pacific Ocean and he is stranded on a life raft for 47 days. He is then captured by the Japanese and sent to a POW camp, where he is tortured and beaten. However, Zamperini never gives up hope of return to his family.
Watch The “Unbroken” Trailer Below:
The Theory of Everything
The Theory of Everything is the story of Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne), a world-renowned physicist who is diagnosed with ALS at the age of 21. Despite his debilitating illness, Hawking goes on to achieve great things, including marrying Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones) and having children. The film chronicles Hawking’s remarkable life, from his early days as a student at Cambridge to his present-day status as one of the most respected scientists in the world.
Watch “The Theory of Everything” Trailer Below:
Selma
This film tells the story of the Selma to Montgomery civil rights marches that took place in 1965. The film highlights the racism and violence that black Americans faced during this time period. It also showcases the strength and resilience of those who fought for their right to vote.
Watch The “Selma” Trailer Below:
Dallas Buyers Club
Dallas Buyers Club is the story of Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey), a man who is diagnosed with AIDS in the early 1980s. At the time, there was no effective treatment for the disease and patients were given little hope of survival. Woodroof decides to take matters into his own hands and starts importing unapproved drugs from Mexico. He also starts the Dallas Buyers Club, which provides these drugs to AIDS patients at a fraction of the cost.
Watch “The Dallas Buyers Club” Trailer Below:
What other inspiring films have you seen? Share in the comments below!
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