In a world so vast with daily acts of human kindness, it is possible to forget those heroes who’ve carried on despite the boulders in front of them. For when you feel down on your luck or like giving up, here are 7 awe-inspiring biopics to give you your dose of encouragement and inspiration:
Julie and Julia (2009):
Two women, decades apart lead parallel lives and unbeknownst to each other, find solace in cooking away their moments of failure, loss, and doubt. Julie and Julia, played by Amy and Adams and Meryl Streep is the retelling of two true stories. Julia Child was a famous cook who opened the doors for women in cooking shows in the 1950s and wrote several cookbooks while Julie Powell is a young blogger who decides to emulate her idol, Julia Child when she picks up her cookbook. This story of two women will make you feel grateful for those around you and most importantly, for food.
Schindler’s List (1993):
This beautiful historical drama tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a man who saved more than a thousand Jewish lives during the Holocaust. Liam Neeson’s portrayal of a man who is unaffected by the German’s tyranny to a remorseful, sympathetic, brave, and kind hero to many is painfully inspiring. For its heartwrenching storytelling, this Liam Neeson starring movie won seven Academy Awards and continues to be designated as one of the most culturally and historically significant movies.
Frida (2002):
Salma Hayek plays the Spanish, tortured artist, Frida Kahlo who suffered a life-altering accident at the age of eighteen. The movie that begins visually as a painting and then seamlessly transitions into a live-action depiction by the end, tells the story of Frida and her complicated relationships with art and the people surrounding her. The pain, the victories, and failures are so glaringly portrayed in this biographical drama that you empathize with an artist who was in 1907.
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006):
Chris Gardener is a homeless salesman, struggling to provide for his son. The movie depicts the real-life one year struggle of Gardener who does not pursue success, or fame but simply ‘happyness’. Through his struggles and triumphs, Gardener went on to form his own multimillion-dollar brokerage firm. For his portrayal of Chris Gardener, Will Smith was nominated for an Oscar.
Erin Brokovich (2000):
An unemployed single mother and paralegal help 634 plaintiffs receive compensation when a huge corporation contaminates their water. The summary of this Julia Roberts’ movie can do no justice to the powerhouse woman she embodied in the movie. Fierce, unafraid, and unabashed, Erin Brokovich is a source of inspiration to look up to.
GoodFellas (1990):
It’s a lesser-known fact that this Robert De Niro starring Martin Scorsese’s movie is based on a true story. The movie is the story of Henry Hill, played by Ray Liotta, a young man who was enchanted by a life of violence, fame, and glamour and his path to self-improvement and redemption. With Scorsese’s classic direction and the talented cast, GoodFellas is still widely regarded as the best Mafia movie of all time.
Hidden Figures (2016):
Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae Robinson, Hidden Figures is the story of three female, African-American mathematicians and their significant yet overlooked contribution to America’s journey to the moon. Hidden Figures is a beautifully shot movie of three motivating and encouraging women — Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson.
Walking a mile in someone else’s shoes is always regarded as a difficult task that will leave you more empathetic for the future, perhaps embodying and living someone else’s life for months is harder. Yet, these actors have taken the task head-on and done so effortlessly.
(Contributed by Sakshi Prabhu)