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AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt star in director Sean McNamara's idealized take on one-armed surfer Bethany Hamilton.

Sportswriters invariably call any last-minute heroics or unbelievable upset a “Hollywood ending,” yet in reality Hollywood usually does a poor job with sports stories based on real-life events. Such stories force filmmakers to drastically alter the filmmaking playbook, draining away all color or quirks of personality from characters based on living people and removing any complications that might distract viewers from the “inspirational” message they’re determined to convey.