Bruce R. Cross

I love watching a good movie.

At times catching a good flick is a mental escape from the day to day. It is a “take five” moment to be appreciated.

At other times watching a good movie is like a magnet pulling us into something larger than life.

When I see the words “Based on a True Story” appear on the “big screen” before the main feature, something resonates deeply within me about what I am about to view.

Of all the types of movies I have seen, I am particularly drawn to stories around an underdog overcoming the odds.

My hunch is you too may feel the same.

Why is that?

I believe it can be summed up in a short phrase – we identify!

We love to be inspired and we have an affinity for unexpected outcomes.

Many refer to it as a “David vs. Goliath” phenomena.

We love to cheer on a person or a team we least expect to win.

The world of sports is full of “David vs. Goliath” analogies.  This analogy has been grossly overused.

I am currently reading a book which goes against the notion of David being a supposed underdog; the idea David was not an underdog is kind of fascinating.

For now, let’s go with the underdog persona.

• We struggle with William Wallace in Braveheart as he fights for freedom at the cost of his own life.
• We pray for slavery to be abolished in England as William Wilberforce leads the struggle for twenty six years as depicted in Amazing Grace.
• We are in the stands hoping Rudy gets into one game as a wanna-be Notre Dame football player overcomes obstacle after obstacle and gets his chance to get on the field – for seven seconds!
• Our hearts are thrilled when Jim Morris walks into Texas Stadium and fulfills his dream to pitch in the big leagues as shown in The Rookie.
• We admire the courage of Bethany Hamilton to get back on the board after a shark attack in Soul Surfer.
• We step in the ring and take blow after blow with James J. Braddock in Cinderella Man as he typifies the common man inspiring a community as he overcame the odds in making a comeback in the Depression era.
• Rooting for the underdog has its place in fiction as well as Elizabeth Bennett marries well to do Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.
• No story was more improbable than that of the 1980 United States Men’s Olympic hockey team referred to as the Miracle on Ice. It was truly a scenario with such and improbable and unifying outcome.  It was the medicine our country needed at a moment in time!

Our stories, if we let them, can take on a similar flavor.

For most of us, life is not and has not been handed to us on a silver platter.

We scratch.

We claw.

We get knocked down.

We get back up, to get knocked down, sometimes again and again and again.

Our choice to stay down or get back up is what makes the difference.

Some of our underdog moments may be small fare – those born of the day to day scenes which enter our vision field.

Other underdog moments may truly be gigantic in our eyes. Not insurmountable by any stretch of the imagination, but nonetheless a test and an opportunity to overcome.

Whatever the case, we have a choice – stay down or get back up.

Much like the storyline in a good movie, the choice is ours.

After all, like the movies, your life is “based on a true story!”

In the list of movies listed above, I have provided a link to the official trailer.

I invite you to take choose a movie or two to get the feel of what it is like to beat the odds.

It is contagious in the best sense of the word.

Choose the awesome outcome which you deserve!

Overcome!

Can you name a favorite movie which strikes a chord with you and helps you picture how you would like your story to be told?