My Favorite Movies Based on a True Story

There's just something about watching a movie, knowing that is is based on actual events, actual people and an actual time in history. Sure, there are times when things are added to make the actual story more dramatic but nonetheless, I love watching movies based on a true story. Here are some of my favorites.

(2005) Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick

Walk the Line is based on the true story of legendary singer/songwriter, Johnny Cash and how he and June Carter met and eventually married. In the movie, Johnny is haunted by the memory of his brother who died in a tragic accident while cutting lumber. Johnny believes his father blames him for his brother's death and is convinced his father wished Johnny had died instead.

Along with struggling with a terrible relationship with his father, Johnny also struggles with drug and alcohol abuse and develops a serious drug addiction. During all of this Johnny is traveling the music scene with future wife, June Carter who has struggles of her own. She gets divorced twice - something she was harshly criticized for because of her Christian upbringing.

Eventually, June and her family are able to help Johnny with his drug addiction. Although the movie showed one scene of Johnny and June going to church together, it did not go on to show the strong faith in God that they had. Johnny and June became devout Christians, traveling extensively with famed evangelist, Billy Graham and also many trips to Israel.

Johnny Cash died in September 2003, just four months after June had passed away.

(1994) Starring: Luke Perry, Stephen Baldwin, Cynthia Geary, James Rebhorn, Carrie Snodgress

The movie, 8 Seconds, is based on the true story of Lane Frost - a World Champion Bull Rider.

Ever since Lane Frost was a young boy, he knew he wanted to ride bulls for a living. His dad had been a rodeo champion as well, but riding horses instead of bulls. In the movie, Lane and his father did not have a good relationship but in reality they had been very close and his father was very proud of Lane.

Lane meets, falls in love with and later marries Kellie Kyle - a barrel racer. When they first meet, Kellie tells her mom she didn't like bull riders much because they are "little men with big egos." To which her mom replied, "Lane seems kind of different."

Unlike many rodeo cowboys. Lane didn't drink, didn't fight, didn't swear and wore flowered shirts that his mom had sewn for him.

Lane Frost died in 1989 when he was attacked by a bull he had ridden at Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming. His best friend, Tuff Hedeman, went on to win the world championship that year, something that Lane had predicted before his death.

(2003) Starring: James Caviezel, Monica Bellucci, Maia Morgenstern, Christo Jivkov, Francesco De Vito

The movie, The Passion of the Christ, is based on the true story of the time leading up to the death of Jesus on the cross. The movie begins in Gethsemane and ends with His resurrection.

As Jesus is seen carrying and struggling with the cross, there are many flashback scenes that show Jesus as a child and a young man. Through these scenes, one can see the strong relationship that Jesus has with his mother. In one scene as a small child, Jesus is shown falling down and his mother runs to make sure he is okay.

In the present, Jesus falls while carrying the cross and his mother wants to help him get up. He looks at her and says, "Mother, I have come to make all things new."

Many may argue that this movie is not actually based on a true story. Others who believe the movie to be somewhat truthful say that Jesus did not endure that kind of violence and that he did not become so disfigured. Others simply say this movie was an anti-Semitic attack.

But despite the many controversies surrounding this movie, those who see it and believe it to be true, agree that the movie is extremely powerful. The Passion of the Christ also serves as a reminder for Christians of how much Jesus suffered for us and that He did rise from the dead, conquering the grave once and for all.

(2004) Starring: Cuba Gooding Jr., Ed Harris, Debra Winger

The move, Radio, is based on the true story of the friendship between high school football coach Harold Jones, and a young man, James Robert Kennedy, who is mentally challenged and known as "Radio."

The coach notices the young man as he and his high school football team are holding practice. He becomes angry at his team when he finds that some of the football players tie up Radio and locks him in a shed. Coach Jones decides to let Radio hang out with him and those on the team end up befriending Radio.

The coach discovers that Radio lives with his mother, who spends much of her time working, so Radio is left to fend for himself. The coach talks the high school principal into allowing Radio to hang out at the school, although he is never officially a student there.

The coach is criticized for allowing Radio to get so involved in the school and with some of the sports teams. It is the 1960s and it does not sit well with members of the community that Radio, who is black, is getting special treatment.

When his daughter asks why Coach Jones is doing so much for Radio, the coach recounts a heartbreaking story that happened to him in his youth. He had the chance to help someone and he failed to do so. Eventually Coach Jones surprises everyone by resigning as head coach.

In 2011, Radio celebrated his 64th birthday and still attends T.L. Hanna High School and helps with the football games.

(2009) Starring: Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener, Tom Hollander

The movie, The Soloist is based on the true story of Nathaniel Ayers, a gifted musician who struggles with schizophrenia and as a result of his illness, ends up homeless.

Steve Lopez becomes infatuated with Nathaniel after discovering he is a cello prodigy who once attended Julliard. He wonders how such a gifted person could end up homeless. He begins to realize that Nathaniel has a mental disorder. As a reporter for the L.A. Times, Lopez thinks Nathaniel's situation would make a good story.

The reporter's infatuation with Nathaniel becomes somewhat obsessive as he determines it is up to him to help Nathaniel find a home and get help for his condition.

Lopez doesn't succeed in helping to get Nathaniel medicated but he does convince him to stay at a place called the LAMP Community. LAMP is located on Skid Row in L.A. and is a place where those with mental illnesses can learn to become self-sufficient.

There is now The Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Foundation "for the artistically gifted mentally ill."

(2006) Starring: Louie Leonardo, Chad Allen, Jack Guzman

The movie, End of the Spear, is based on the true story of a group of Christian missionaries who travel to the jungles of Ecuador in the 1950s to evangelize the Waodani people. The Waodani were an isolated tribe who were known for their violence not only against outsiders but their own people. All five missionaries were speared to death by members of the tribe.

The story is told from the perspective of Steve Saint, the son of one of the missionaries who was killed. He was not deterred by the death of his father and he actually befriends Mincaye, a member of the Waodani tribe who had been involved in killing his father.

Through the years, Mincaye and Steve develop a very close friendship. Mincaye was there for Steve when his college-aged daughter died suddenly from a cerebral brain hemorrhage in 2000.

Jim Elliot was another missionary who was killed and the movie shows his sister, Rachael and his wife, Elisabeth returning to Ecuador to continue working with the Waodini after the missionaries were killed. Elisabeth went on to write the best-selling book, Through Gates of Splendor and became a popular Christian author and speaker.

(1987) Starring: Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto

The movie, La Bamba, is based on the true story of rising rock star, Ritchie Valens whose young life was tragically cut short in a plane accident while on tour.

Richard Steven Valenzuela lives in poverty in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles in the 1950s. While in high school, he becomes known for playing the guitar and writing and singing music. Bob Keane, the owner of a recording company discovers Ritchie and Bob adds him to his record label.

One of Ritchie's first recordings is the song "Donna" which he wrote for his girlfriend. He also performs "Donna" during an appearance on American Bandstand.

In the movie and in real life, Ritchie had a fear of flying. While in junior high, there was a freak accident where two airplanes collided, landing in the schoolyard and killing his best friend. Ritchie had recurring dreams about the accident.

Despite his fear of flying, his manager, convinces him that it is the only way he can travel to his increasing number of appearances. One of these appearances is during the tour, The Winter Party Dance where he appeared with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper.

All three of them were killed when the plane crashed on a flight from Clear Lake, Iowa to Fargo, North Dakota on a frigid night in the middle of a snowstorm.That day, February 3, 1959 has since been dubbed, "The day the music died" and is the subject of the hit song, "American Pie" by Don Mclean.

(2004) Starring: Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson, Noah Emmerich, Nathan West

This movie is based on the true story of the Miracle that happened during the 1980 winter Olympics when the United States hockey team beat the Russians in a pre-medal round. They went on to defeat Finland for the gold medal.

The movie focuses on Coach Herb Brooks, who won three collegiate championships while at the University of Minnesota. He had also been a member of the 1964 and 1968 U.S. Olympic hockey teams.

Coach Brooks has what seems like an impossible job of getting amateur and college hockey players who had played against one another to come together and form an Olympic team. While at first the team did not understand what the coach expected of them, they came to respect him greatly. He works his team so hard that others disapprove of the tactics he uses.

The climax of the movie takes place in Lake Placid, New York when the young, amateur American team beats the Soviet team - the best in the world at the time - with a score of 4-3. In the last seconds of the game, sportscaster Al Michaels yells into his microphone, "Eleven seconds, you've got ten seconds, the countdown going on right now! Morrow, up to Silk. Five seconds left in the game. Do you believe in miracles?...YES!"

While Herb Brooks played an integral part in making the movie, he died in a car accident before the movie was released. The end of the movie states, "He never saw it. He lived it."