The “what happened next” after these 11 inspirational true-life movies will tip you into despair

Everyone adores the exhilarating feeling when an underdog, gritty, resilient character, who has faced hardships, ultimately receives the acknowledgement they deserve and emerges victorious amid adversity. The crowd erupts in applause, it’s time for the closing credits.

However, if a title suggests “Fred Bloggs moved to a rabbit farm and had 14 children,” it usually doesn’t provide the full account, especially when the narrative is quite dark or troubling.

Here are 10 times that you probably won’t thank us for telling you what happened next…

1. A Beautiful Mind – John Forbes Nash, Jr

Nash, depicted by Russell Crowe, battled with paranoid schizophrenia during the ’60s, which resulted in lengthy hospitalizations. However, his symptoms lessened sufficiently by 1970, enabling him to resume work, and he eventually received a Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Isn’t that fascinating?

Then he and his wife were killed in a car crash on the New Jersey turnpike.

2. The Revenant – Hugh Glass

Instead of the original, you could rephrase it as: After Leonardo DiCaprio endured harrowing experiences like being attacked by a bear, being buried alive, and traversing 200 miles of harsh sub-Arctic terrain for his vengeance, one might expect peaceful winter strolls or cozy fireside moments. However, what occurred next was…

This version maintains the original’s dramatic tone while making it easier to read by breaking up some of the complex sentence structures and using more common phrasing.

In the year 1833 during the spring season, Hugh embarked on a hunting trip along the Yellowstone River with two fellow trappers who specialized in furs. Unfortunately, they were ambushed and Hugh was brutally slain by an unexpected attack from a group of Arikara natives.

3. Erin Brockovich

It was impressive that Erin Brockovich, having fought against powerful corporations and societal norms, not only achieved a monumental victory for the underdog and secured an unprecedented settlement, but also returned to her sturdy partner, a biker and construction worker, who embraced her strength and took on the role of stepfather with confidence.

Yeah, not so much in real life.

After the film’s release, Jorge Halaby (portrayed by Aaron Eckhart) met up with Erin’s former spouse Shawn Brown and lawyer John Reiner. Later, Reiner blackmailed Ed Masry (Albert Finney in the movie) for $310,000, threatening to reveal that he had been involved romantically with Erin, and that she was unfit as a mother.

Brockovich and Masry strongly refuted the accusations. Later, authorities took action against them based on suspicions of extortion, leading to their arrest during an undercover operation not long after.

In 2001, the accusations against Halaby and Brown got dismissed, leaving me relieved since they weren’t involved in any wrongdoing. However, it wasn’t all good news; Reiner was convicted for attempting extortion and conspiring to commit extortion. It’s a reminder that everyone needs to play fair in this gaming world, or else they’ll face the consequences.

4. Apollo 13 – John Swigert

Three days prior to launch, the Apollo mission’s brave astronaut, portrayed by Kevin Bacon, was given the assignment due to an unforeseen circumstance: his original teammate, Ken Mattingley, had inadvertently been exposed to German measles.

In a challenging situation, the Apollo 13 crew faced an issue that seemed dire. However, through extraordinary bravery under duress and ingenious on-the-spot problem-solving, they miraculously returned safely to Earth.

Incredible! Swigert was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. His impressive political career culminated in a landslide victory, earning him a seat in Congress.

Then he got cancer of the bone marrow and lungs and died before he could even take office.

5. Chariots of Fire – Eric Liddell

If you’ve watched the movie “Chariots of Fire,” you’ll likely remember Ian Charleson as the religious athlete Liddell, portrayed brilliantly. He participated in the 1924 Olympics in Paris but missed an opportunity for a 100m victory by choosing not to compete on the Sabbath.

Can you believe it? He clinched the 400-meter race! Cue the triumphant fanfare and medals galore. What a remarkable individual. Following his victory, he dedicated himself to teaching and spreading his beliefs as a missionary in China.

In an internment camp, he was taken by the Japanese, where his suffering was immense. He passed away from a brain tumor within that camp in 1945, which was seven months prior to the war’s conclusion.

6. Seabiscuit

Indeed, there’s a remarkable tale about the diminutive horse, Seabiscuit. Despite his unassuming stature and knobby knees, this underdog defied expectations, conquering inherent disadvantages – not forgetting a string of injuries – to emerge as an incomparable champion, captivating audiences across America during the trying times of the Great Depression.

However, at just 14 years old, it’s believed that he succumbed to a possible cardiac incident. On average, a thoroughbred horse lives between 25 and 30 years.

7. My Left Foot – Christy Brown

In 1990, Daniel Day-Lewis earned his first Oscar for portraying Brown, an Irish writer and artist who suffered from cerebral palsy and emerged from a life marked by poverty as the eldest of 22 siblings, to achieve literary acclaim. He achieved some financial stability, relocated to America, and intended to wed his beloved Beth Moore.

However, he did not remain single. Instead, he lived with Mary Carr, who was previously an alcoholic and had worked in the sex industry (as stated by Brown’s brother). The fact that she was a former sex worker is not necessarily relevant, but according to Brown’s brother, she often mistreated the writer. Tragically, Brown passed away at the age of 49 following a choking incident involving a lamb chop. There remain lingering doubts about the exact cause of his death due to suspicious bruising found on his body.

8. The Accused – Cheryl Araujo

In a remarkable turn of events, Cheryl Araujo bravely shared her heartrending tale of being violently assaulted by a group in broad daylight at a bustling bar, facing both personal tragedy and societal disdain along the way. Despite attempts by the defense lawyers to portray her as a ‘promiscuous’ individual who was somehow inviting such an attack, she successfully stood her ground in court, resulting in four convictions and sparking a global discussion on the contentious topic of victim-blaming.

Exiled from her community due to a perceived disgrace, she chose Miami as her new home post-trial and decided to pursue a career as an educator. Unfortunately, her life was tragically cut short at the age of 25 in a car accident. Regrettably, all those responsible for her death were released from prison within six and a half years.

9. The Imitation Game – Alan Turing

It’s no secret that mathematical genius Alan Turing might have ended the war on his own by inventing the computer, potentially saving 14 million lives. However, Britain’s societal disapproval of homosexuality hindered him, ultimately ending his story.

In this version, I’ve used active voice and simpler sentence structures to make it easier for readers to understand quickly. The meaning remains the same as in your original text.

In 1952, he was apprehended for an act considered extremely inappropriate, resulting in his sentence for chemical castration rather than imprisonment. Tragically, he succumbed to cyanide poisoning at the age of 41 in 1954, and an investigation concluded that his death was a suicide.

10. Rescue Dawn – Dieter Dengler

The documentary “Little Dieter Needs To Fly,” followed by the film “Rescue Dawn,” chronicle the story of Dieter Dengler, a German-American pilot, who was forced down over Laos and taken prisoner by the Viet Cong and Pathet Lao communist rebels.

For several months, he endured extreme torment: suspended headfirst above a colony of venomous ants, kept in an icy well, subjected to brutal treatment involving bamboo beneath his nails, and deprived of food.

As a fervent admirer, I’d like to share an incredible tale of resilience in my own words. In a desperate situation, I found myself faced with adversity – surrounded by enemies and their guards. In a bid for freedom, I acted swiftly, neutralizing the guards. With the jungle of my enemy looming before me, I embarked on an arduous journey, spending weeks navigating the dense terrain on foot and occasionally by raft. The only sustenance to be found was raw snake meat, which I relied upon to keep myself alive. Miraculously, after many trials and tribulations, I eventually reached Thailand, finding safety at last.

Unfortunately, he later contracted ALS (or motor neuron disease), leading him to take his life in 2001.

11. The Killing Fields – Dr Haing S Ngor

In this instance, I’d like to clarify that instead of discussing the character of Dith Pran, portrayed by Ngor in the movie, we’re focusing on Ngor himself.

Similar to Pran, Ngor endured the hardships of the Khmer Rouge, forced to flee Phnom Penh during the upheaval and imprisoned in rural labor camps against his will.

He endured the genocide by subsisting on scorpions, beetles, and worms, yet his wife perished during childbirth because he couldn’t disclose his profession as a gynecologist for fear that their secret would result in all three of them being executed (as the Khmer Rouge indiscriminately killed anyone suspected of being an intellectual).

By now, Ngor had slimmed down to just four stones in weight. Somehow, he managed to wriggle through the gaps between the Khmer and Vietnamese lines and made his way to a Red Cross camp.

He moved to America, where he established a fresh start advocating for the Cambodian community, and received an Oscar for his depiction of Dith Pran, whose tale mirrored his own experiences quite profoundly.

He was shot dead in a robbery by LA gang members in 1996.

Read More

2025-06-18 17:21