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Hillbilly Elegy: A Look at the Film and the Memoir

The Movie

"Hillbilly Elegy" is a 2020 American drama film directed by Ron Howard from a screenplay by Vanessa Taylor. It is based on the 2016 memoir of the same name by J.D. Vance. The film stars Amy Adams, Glenn Close, Gabriel Basso, and Haley Bennett.

The film tells the story of J.D. Vance (Basso), a Yale Law student who returns to his hometown in Kentucky after receiving an urgent phone call. He finds his family in crisis, and he must come to terms with his past in order to save his future.

The Memoir

"Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis" is a bestselling 2016 memoir by J.D. Vance. The book tells Vance's personal story of growing up in a working-class Appalachian family, and it explores the social and economic challenges facing the region.

The book has been praised for its honest and insightful look at life in Appalachia. It has also been criticized for its portrayal of the region and its people. Despite the controversy, "Hillbilly Elegy" remains a bestselling book and has been translated into 20 languages.

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