Stuti Gokhale
Directed by Scott Hicks, ‘The Lucky One’ is a romantic drama movie that revolves around Logan, an ex-Marine living with PTSD, who goes searching for a woman whose photograph he found in the warzone in Iraq. He eventually finds out that she is a woman named Beth, who lives with her son Ben in Hamden, Louisiana. Logan travels on foot there with his dog Zeus from Colorado and seeks employment at Beth’s dog kennel. An initially closed-off Beth soon begins opening up to him and the two bond over their past traumas and grief.
Logan and Beth’s growing closeness irks Beth’s ex-husband Keith, who sets out to expose his secret. When she realizes that Logan is connected to her deceased Marine brother Drake, Beth is torn between resenting Logan and giving in to her love for him. Starring Zac Efron and Taylor Schilling in the lead, ‘The Lucky One’ is a heart-wrenching tale of love, loss, and destiny. The gripping performances by the cast members, as well as the realistic narrative, make one wonder whether it is a true story. If that’s your case too, we have all the information you need!
Is The Lucky One Based on a True Story?
No, ‘The Lucky One’ is not based on a true story. However, it is based on the 2008 bestselling novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. The author stated in an interview that the novel and its characters are inspired by his own experiences living near the Fort Bragg and Fort Lejeune military bases in North Carolina. He stated, “We have 200,000 active military and their families nearby. They are part and parcel of my town and life. We see them and I remember every single one of them had either gone to Iraq or Afghanistan and when they come back – they are all changed…All different. Some very shaken.”
Therefore, it is highly likely that Sparks drew inspiration from these real army veterans he encountered in his life. He intended to depict the troubles soldiers face while readjusting to normal life in his novel. The Christian drama movie ‘Indivisible’ also depicts the conflicted mind of an ex-Army Chaplain while trying to overcome the trauma of war and save his marriage. Much like ‘The Lucky One,’ the former film explores the impact of war on soldiers and their personal relationships.
Another movie that has similar themes is ‘The Hurt Locker,’ a war film that beautifully chronicles the lives of soldiers surviving in Iraq. It has even been praised by Sparks for the sensitive portrayal of the subject. Yet one more movie that shows the effects of war on a soldier’s psyche is the biographical war drama ‘Thank You for Your Service.’ It follows Sergeant Adam Schumann, who has troubles adjusting to civilian life after serving for 15 months in Iraq. The painful memories of the war haunt him and he begins combating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Thus, even though ‘The Lucky One’ is not a real story, it certainly depicts true aspects of human life and the psychological devastation caused by wars and abusive marriages. In addition, the brilliant screenplay adapted for the screen by Will Fetters adds a true-to-life element to the movie. Lastly, the believable characters make the audience feel deeply about human emotions like grief and hope.
Read More: Best Romantic Drama Movies of All Time
