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Hillbilly Elegy, originally released in 2020, is a film adaptation of JD Vance's memoir of the same name. It gives viewers a glimpse into the life of a man who grew up in rural America, as he looks back at his life with his mother, sister, and grandparents in pivotal roles.
The story is shown in a nonlinear pattern but explores the struggles of a young boy living with his mother who has a serious drug problem that she is unable to overcome. This leads to his grandmother taking him in and raising him as her own. Despite straying from the right path towards the beginning, JD soon realisez that he needs to make something of his life and becomes a lot more focused in life, leading to things ending well for him.
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If you enjoyed watching Hillbilly Elegy on Netflix, here are 5 similar movies that you can watch next.
READ MORE: Why is Hillbilly Elegy a controversial adaptation of JD Vance's memoir? Explained
Coal Miner's Daughter, Winter's Bone, Songcatcher, and more - 5 movies to watch if you liked Hillbilly Elegy on Netflix
1) Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
Coal Miner's Daughter is a 1980 American musical biography. It follows the life of popular country singer Loretta Lynn and delves into details about her rise from a girl born into a poor family and getting married at 15 years of age to becoming one of the country's most popular country musicians.
The movie sees Sissy Spacek playing the role of Loretta Lynn and other actors like Tommy Lee Jones and Beverly D'Angelo in supporting roles. The depiction of rural America will be a delight to watch for all those who enjoyed Hillbilly Elegy.
2) Winter's Bone (2008)
Winter's Bone is a coming-of-age drama that sees Jennifer Lawrence stepping away from her usual goofy nature and taking up a much more serious role. She portrays the role of a poverty-stricken teenage girl, Ree Dolly, living in the rural Ozarks of Missouri.
To protect her family and prevent their eviction from their home, Dolly has to find her missing father. It touches the same nerve as Hillbilly Elegy as it also portrays a young child having to bear the consequences of the actions of an unavailable parent.
3) Songcatcher (2000)
Songcatcher released in 2000 follows the journey of a musicologist who ends up researching and collecting Appalachian folk music in the mountains of Western North Carolina when she impulsively visits her sister after a setback at the university she works for. Assisted by a musically talented orphan, she becomes privy to many different kinds of folk music through the mountains and records and shares these songs with the outside world.
Although a fictional film, Songcatcher is supposedly loosely based on the work of Olive Dame Campbell, who founded the John C. Campbell Folk School.
Those who enjoyed Hillbilly Elegy will most likely enjoy Songcatcher for its idyllic representation of small-town America and its heartwarming narrative.
READ MORE: 10 best movies to watch before The Bikeriders
4) October Sky (1999)
October Sky is yet another tale of rags-to-riches, with Jake Gyllenhaal playing the lead role. The story follows the young son of a coal miner who is heavily inspired by the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957.
Going against his father's wishes, he takes up rocketry and eventually becomes a NASA engineer. The hardships of an ambitious boy from rural America will be a plotline that is familiar and of interest to fans of Hillbilly Elegy.
5) Hell or High Water (2016)
A 2016 American crime-drama film, Hell or High Water follows the story of two brothers, played by Chris Pine and Ben Foster, as they commit a bunch of bank robberies to protect their family ranch.
They are, however, pursued by two Texas Rangers and are eventually caught due to a couple of rash decisions made by one of the brothers. However, the plot of the film is very gripping and will have viewers hooked till the very end.
These are some of the best rural American movies that should be on your watch list if you enjoyed Hillbilly Elegy on Netflix.
