feel-good films
Movies inspired by and based on true stories.
View trailers, reviews, films, and facts about feel-good, inspirational films. Discover the facts vs. fiction, history vs. Hollywood.
Most films included are highly rated on Rotten Tomatoes and the Internet Movie Database (IMDb). They have at least a 70% rating from critics and audiences alike, many with 80% or above. Enjoy the best true story feel-good films!
Scene from The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
"Don't ever let somebody tell you you can't do something, not even me. . . You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they want to tell you you can't do it. If you want something, go get it." These words are spoken by a struggling father to his son in The Pursuit of Happyness, one of many critically acclaimed feel-good, inspirational films inspired by a true story.
Feel-good films give us the warm fuzzies. Who doesn't want to be inspired and motivated to do good, to persevere, to achieve your dreams, and to navigate through hardships? Some say that American movies have too many happy endings. Sure, not all of reality is sunshine and rainbows, and toxic positivity exists, just as toxic negativity. But some real-life events do have happy endings and feel-good moments. These films might bring a tear to the eye and move us beyond emotions to inspire positive actions.
A feel-good film is not necessarily a comedy that only evokes laughter and joy. Comedy and tragedy are two sides of the same coin, and some feel-good films based on true stories and events evoke a range of emotions from sadness to endearment, bittersweetness, and more. So many true story movies address dark subject matter, like true crime and war. While interesting and profound, they don't often leave you feeling uplifted. Here's a breath of fresh air. Check out these inspirational films, and discover the facts vs. fiction behind them.
Films in alphabetical order:
PG-13 | Biography, Drama, Sport | In 1947, Jackie Robinson becomes the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball after Branch Rickey, manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, signs him onto the team, resulting in racism from the public, press, and other players.
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'42' Gets The Story Of Jackie Robinson Right by All Things Considered on NPR
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Biography of Jackie Robinson on biography.com, jackierobinson.com, and history.com
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THIS DAY IN HISTORY | APRIL 15 Jackie Robinson becomes first African American player in Major League Baseball on History.com
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11 Things You May Not Know About Jackie Robinson on History.com
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Jackie Robinson quotes with sources on wikiquote
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I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me. All I ask is that you respect me as a human being. I am not ashamed of my dark skin. You and every other white American should understand that we believe our color is an asset. Your dislike of my aggressiveness has no effect on me. I'm after something much more important than your favor or disfavor. You should at least respect me as a man who stands up for what he believes in." - Jackie Robinson to an umpire, as quoted in Baseball Has Done It (1964) by Robinson, pp. 9-10
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"I do not care if the guy is yellow or black, or if he has stripes like a zebra. I'm the manager of this team, and I say he plays. What's more, I say he can make us all rich. And if any of you cannot use the money, I will see that you are all traded." - Leo Durocher, as quoted in Out of the Shadows: African American Baseball from the Cuban Giants to Jackie Robinson (2005) by Morgan Freedmon
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Unrated | Animals, Biography, Drama, Family | In London, a stray ginger cat changes the life of James Bowen, a homeless street musician and recovering drug addict.
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A Street Cat Named Bob: And How He Saved My Life autobiographical book by James Bowen on Amazon
PG-13 | Adventure, Biography, Comedy, Drama, History, Sport | British ski jumper Eddie Edwards is an underdog who travels to Germany to develop ski jumping skills, aiming for the improbable: to compete in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta.
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PG | Adventure, Animals, Drama, Family | Amy stumbles upon abandoned Canada goose eggs, and when the eggs hatch, she and her dad work together to teach the motherless birds to fly south for the winter.
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PG-13 | Biography, Crime, Drama, Education | A dedicated young teacher in a racially divided Los Angeles school strives to teach her class of at-risk students tolerance, an interest in learning, and journaling.
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The Freedom Writers Diary (Movie Tie-in Edition) book by Erin Gruwell on Amazon
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The Freedom Writers Diary (20th Anniversary Edition) book by The Freedom Writers and Erin Gruwell on Amazon
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Dear Freedom Writer: Stories of Hardship and Hope from the Next Generation book by The Freedom Writers and Erin Gruwell on Amazon
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The Freedom Writers Diary Teacher's Guide book by Erin Gruwell on Amazon
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Teach with Your Heart: Lessons I Learned from The Freedom Writers book by Erin Gruwell on Amazon
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Teaching Hope: Stories from the Freedom Writer Teachers and Erin Gruwell book by The Freedom Writers and Erin Gruwell on Amazon
G | Animals, Biography, Drama, Family | A music professor bonds with an abandoned Akita puppy he takes into his home, and the loyal dog waits for his human companion at the train station every evening.
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10 things you didn't know about Hachiko, Japan's most loyal dog article on TimeOut
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Rare Photos Of Hachiko Patiently Waiting For His Owner Have Surfaced And It’s Heartbreaking To See article on Bored Panda
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The Amazing And True Story Of Hachiko The Dog article by Maria Wulff Hauglann on Nerd Nomads
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"No Animals Were Harmed" article on humanehollywood.org
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The True Story article by Vicki Wong, creator-producer of the American movie
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Hachikô monogatari (1987) Japanese film on IMDb
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Hachikō article on Wikipedia
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Hachiko: The True Story of the Royal Dogs of Japan and One Faithful Akita nonfiction children's book by Julie Chrystyn on Amazon
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Hachi-Kō: At The Centennial Of His Birth nonfiction book by Mayumi Itoh on Amazon, the 2023 revision of the author's two previous books on Hachi
PG-13 | Biography, Comedy, Drama, Music | The story of Paul Potts, the shy amateur opera singer who auditions on Britain's Got Talent 2007.
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PG-13 | Biography, Comedy, Drama, Romance | Hunter "Patch" Adams struggles with depression in a mental hospital, followed by deciding to become a doctor. Disillusioned by his school's clinical perspective on patient care, Adams opens his own medical clinic for patients without insurance.
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Is Patch Adams a True Story? article by Noor Malhotra on TheCinemaholic
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PG | Biography, Drama, Sport | In 1971, Alexandria, Virginia, the school board is forced to integrate an all-black school with an all-white school, bringing challenges to the beloved tradition of high school football.
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TV-PG | Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family | At the age of six, Ruby Bridges is one of the first black children to attend an all-white school in the deep south in New Orleans.
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IMDb
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Coming soon!
PG | Biography, Drama, Sport | Rudy Ruettiger dreams of playing football for the University of Notre Dame, determined to leave the steel mill where he works. He has many obstacles to overcome: he was told that he was too small for college football, plus he lacks the money for tuition, has dyslexia, and lacks the grades for a scholarship, but with perseverance and the help of a tutor, he is admitted to the university.
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PG-13 | Biography, Drama, Sport | The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All-American football player and first-round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.
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The True Story of Michael Oher and 'The Blind Side' by Jordan Zakarin on Biography.com
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The Real Story Behind The Blind Side – Where Is Michael Oher Now? by Bianca Mercuri on Goalcast. Excerpts from the article:
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Oher’s 2014 memoir, I Beat the Odds, further addresses his views on The Blind Side.
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“I felt like it portrayed me as dumb,” Oher wrote, “instead of as a kid who had never had consistent academic instruction and ended up thriving once he got it.”
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One good deed can change the course of someone’s life. The way that Oher and the Tuohys’ lives merged fulfilled them both. “When I moved in with Leigh Anne and Sean, I felt loved, like part of a family,” wrote Oher, who went on to found the Oher Foundation, dedicated to providing underprivileged children with a pathway to success.
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PG-13 | Biography, Drama | A group of Sudanese orphans arrive in Kansas City, Missouri to resettle after their village is destroyed and their parents are killed, and they meet an employment agency counselor who helps them rebuild their lives.
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Coming soon!
PG | Biography, Drama, Musical | In the early 1800s, the imaginative visionary P.T. Barnum rises from nothing when he enters show business, creating Barnum & Bailey circus, which becomes the greatest show on Earth.
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The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
PG-13 | Biography, Drama | Chris Gardner is a single father and struggling salesman who endures hardships, getting evicted from his apartment and living in shelters with his son, but Chris does not give up on his professional journey and dream to create a better life for himself and his son.
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17 Inspiring Facts About The Pursuit Of Happyness on Movie Trifles. Exerpts:
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On the incorrect spelling of "Happiness": "The reason is because of a mural that contained this word just outside the daycare facility that Gardner’s son attended."
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"Struggling with his meager earnings as a medical salesman, Christopher Gardener had a meeting that changed his life forever. When he saw a neatly dressed man drove up in a red Ferrari, he got curious and asked the man what he was doing for a living."
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'The Pursuit of Happyness' Tells Real-Life Rags to Riches Story of Successful Businessman Chris Gardner on voanews.com. Excerpt:
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"The Pursuit of Happyness takes its misspelled title from the line in the U.S. Declaration of Independence. As Chris Gardner explains, what Thomas Jefferson wrote says happiness is not guaranteed; it is something you have to pursue."
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PG | Drama, Sport | When a plane crash claims the lives of members of the Marshall University football team and some of its fans, the team's new coach and his surviving players try to keep the football program alive.
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We are Marshall: What Was True and What Was Not? on The Grueling Truth
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The Real Story Behind We Are Marshall by Tracy V. Wilson on howstuffworks
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Historical Newspapers Clippings, Videos and Documents on Marshall University website
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PLANE CRASH MEMORIAL on Marshall University website
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"We Are Marshall" And "The Marshall Story" - Hollywood vs Reality by Jon Johnston
More to Come!
Are there any more feel-good, inspirational films based on a true story to include here? Any more facts vs. fiction? Reach out and contact me. I am open to respectful questions, comments, positive feedback, and constructive feedback about this website. Thank you, and enjoy the movies!
