If you loved
Breakthrough
Roxann Dawson · Film · 2019
What hooked you in Breakthrough was the way a sudden, life-altering family crisis forces parents to confront the absolute limits of their faith and devotion.
Books on the same thread
The Horse Whisperer
Nicholas Evans · Book · 1995
Much like the mother in Breakthrough, you will find a similar emotional resonance in this story of a parent navigating the aftermath of a horrific accident to heal their child.
The Rage: A Game of Survival
Natica Brown · Book · 2017
If the desperate fight for survival in Breakthrough kept you captivated, this story of a teenager struggling to stay alive under impossible circumstances provides that same high-stakes intensity.
The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity
William P. Young, Wayne Jacobsen, Brad Cummings · Book · 2009
Fans of Breakthrough who appreciate stories of deep spiritual resilience will find this exploration of grief and faith to be a profound companion to the film's central themes.
The Great Alone
Kristin Hannah · Book · 2019
The resilience required to survive in an unforgiving environment mirrors the struggle in Breakthrough, as this family pushes through isolation and hardship to protect their own.
Series on the same thread
Defending Jacob
Mark Bomback · Series · 2020
The heart-wrenching ordeal of a mother in Breakthrough is echoed here, as a family faces the potential loss of their teenage son following a life-altering legal crisis.
Your Honor
Peter Moffat · Series · 2020
Just as the parents in Breakthrough fight for their son in the hospital, this narrative explores the agonizing moral choices a father makes to protect his son from disaster.
When They See Us
Ava DuVernay · Series · 2019
The intense focus on families caught in an unforeseen nightmare, found in Breakthrough, is mirrored in this story of parents fighting against a system to save their children.
The Undoing
David E. Kelley · Series · 2020
This story captures the same sense of a sudden, shattering disruption to domestic life that you witnessed in Breakthrough, forcing characters to navigate a reality they never expected.
Podcasts on the same thread
To Live and Die in LA
Tenderfoot TV & Audacy · Podcast · 2023
Much like the family in Breakthrough seeking answers after a tragedy, this investigative narrative follows a family's relentless pursuit of truth in the wake of a sudden disappearance.
CounterClock
Audiochuck · Podcast · 2025
If you connected with the persistent hope and search for truth in Breakthrough, this investigative look at cold cases will satisfy your interest in uncovering what was lost.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Breakthrough based on a true story?
The film Breakthrough depicts the real-life tragedy of a fourteen-year-old boy who falls through the ice of a frozen lake. The story follows his mother, Joyce, as she remains by his bedside and prays for a miracle while he fights for his life after being trapped underwater.
How long was the boy trapped underwater in Breakthrough?
In the movie Breakthrough, the fourteen-year-old boy is trapped beneath the ice of a frozen lake for over fifteen minutes. Following this event, he is rushed to the hospital where his family and pastor gather to pray for his recovery.
What is the central conflict in Breakthrough?
The central conflict in Breakthrough involves a mother named Joyce facing a desperate situation after her son falls through a frozen lake. The narrative focuses on the boy's fight for survival and the intense prayers offered by his mother, her husband, and their pastor at the hospital.
Who stays by the boy's side in Breakthrough?
Throughout the medical crisis in Breakthrough, the boy's mother, Joyce, is joined by her husband and their pastor. These individuals remain by his bedside at the hospital to provide support and pray for a miracle while the teenager continues to fight for his life.