Stronger: Is The Movie Based On A True Story?

Despite leading stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Tatiana Maslany — hot off the end of "Orphan Black" – and a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, 2017's "Stronger" was a box-office bomb. A recent resurgence on Netflix, however, has given "Stronger" the attention it never got in theaters, leaving many wondering if it's a true story. 

Audiences will be pleased to know that "Stronger" tells the real-life story of Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman, taking inspiration from his book of the same title. Bauman wasn't a runner but attended the infamous 2013 Boston Marathon to cheer on his girlfriend, waiting at the finish line when the bombs exploded. He woke up in the hospital with both of his legs amputated. He later identified the bombers, which helped the FBI capture them both. 

Bauman quickly became the face of the Boston Strong movement, appearing at multiple sporting events in the city and inspiring countless people nationwide. "Stronger" focuses on Bauman's life following the race, recovering from his injuries, and adjusting to his new life. 

Despite his incredibly inspirational story, Bauman doesn't like others referring to him as a hero. Instead, he elevates the first responders and hospital employees who saved his life, hoping everyone will do the same.

Although Jeff Bauman won't call himself a hero, it's not stopping the world, or even Jake Gyllenhaal, from finding true inspiration in his journey. Naturally, the actor met Bauman before playing him in "Stronger," and it's safe to say he did right by Bauman, with critics praising his performance as one of Gyllenhaal's best. He wanted to focus on Bauman's heroic and inspirational story, calling him one of the strongest people he knows. 

"I've been asked over my career, in interviews, 'We hear you almost played this superhero ... when are you going to make a superhero movie?'" Gyllenhaal said at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival, reported by The Hollywood Reporter. "I feel like I finally kind of have." 

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bauman praised Gyllenhaal's performance of him, saying the actor wanted to know every detail of the events and how it affected him. While he admits that reliving some of those moments was hard, Bauman praised "Stronger" for telling a true story. Tatiana Maslany, who played Bauman's girlfriend, Erin Hurley, also recognized the importance of bringing the "Stronger" story to life. 

"I don't think these kinds of parts come along that often, so I feel really lucky to be part of it," she said to IMDb. During TIFF in 2017, she admitted that it wasn't until she met the real-life Hurley that she understood the person behind the character, saying they shared many similarities and related to each other on a personal level.