Is ‘Ben Is Back’ Based on a True Story?

After hitting Netflix late last week, 2018 drama film Ben Is Back is getting a second wind and many more pairs of eyes since its initial release, leaving fans wondering about the film’s origins.

Written and directed by Peter Hedges, Ben Is Back tells the story of 19 year-old Ben Burns (Lucas Hedges) after he unexpectedly turns up at his family’s suburban home on Christmas Eve to take a brief break from the rehab facility he’s been recuperating at for the last several months. Ben’s mom, Holly (Julia Roberts), is relieved to see her son, but remains wary of her his drug addiction and how his instability may affect her other children. Within the span of 24 turbulent hours, new truths are revealed, and a mother’s unyielding love for her child is tested as Holly goes to great lengths to keep Ben clean.

Though the film received critical acclaim, it wasn’t a huge box office success, meaning that its appearance on Netflix has created the opportunity for millions of people across the world to see Ben Is Back for the first time. For those still wondering whether or not the heart-wrenching movie is based on a true story, we’ve got you covered.

Is Ben Is Back Based on a True Story?

No, it is not. Ben Is Back is a work of fiction from the talented mind of Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, director, playwright, and novelist Peter Hedges. Though Hedges may have taken inspiration from his own experiences growing up in a family affected by alcoholism and addiction, the story and characters themselves are figments of his own sprawling imagination, and any resemblance they may have to real figures is likely incidental or unintended at most. Even so, the story is one that rings true, and paints an emotional picture of trying to navigate family and suburban life amidst trouble brewing at home, thereby feeling like a real, relatable or at least impactful story to many viewers.

Ben Is Back is now streaming on Netflix.