American Real: The Forrest Lucas Story (2014)

Forrest Lucas is an American icon. In the past 25 years he has built Lucas Oil Products, Inc., into an industrial empire. But this film, shot over the past two years by Director Brad Grimm and written by Adam Cicco is not the usual recounting of an entrepreneur's genius highlighting factory production lines and mega business triumphs. Instead, it is a moving, sometimes sad recounting of an extraordinary life well lived by a man who understands that his poverty riven upbringing gives him a different perspective on life along with great concern for everything he touches. For the first time, Forrest Lucas goes back to where his childhood home once stood in rural Indiana, to wrestle with demons of the past. With the help of his sisters, he relives a painful youth. What starts out as a simple documentary about the life of one of America's self-made millionaires turns into a journey of self-discovery and forgiveness. Hesitant to dredge up old memories of pain and strife, Forrest explores a range of emotions he's kept bottled inside for most of his life. Along with the retelling of Forrest's past, the film also explores the story of his wife, Charlotte Lucas, and their tale of love and sacrifice. Their bond is what their company, Lucas Oil, was truly built upon. Through interviews with many of Lucas' employees, the film looks at what drives Forrest and, as Charlotte says, "keeps the ball rolling."