The latest movie with a Christian message, “Soul Surfer” debuted over the weekend with $11.1 million, beating out the star-studded film “Your Highness.” Though fourth at the box office, the inspirational film based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton had a higher per screen average than the weekend’s number one movie, Warner Bros.’ “Arthur.”

“Soul Surfer” tells the story of teen surfer Hamilton (played by AnnaSophia Robb), who lost her left arm in a shark attack at age 13. The film follows her brief struggle and reveals her strong Christian faith and optimism that gets her back on the board.

Hamilton’s story was first made known to the world through her book Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board, released in 2004, a year after the attack.

Actor Dennis Quaid told MovieGuide that he remembered watching the young surfer on “The Today Show” when she was promoting her new book.

“She was so inspirational,” he said. “She was so positive and her faith oozed out of her. It permeated like a light. It hit you at your core.”

Three days later, he was asked to play Hamilton’s father Tom in the film.

Though movie critic Roger Ebert says the surfer’s optimism is “almost eerie” in the film and hard to identify with, the film actually played down the optimism that the real Hamilton had after the shark attack.

In the film, Hamilton is shown struggling as she recovers from the ordeal while in the hospital. But in reality, Hamilton said she was “smiling and happy” during her time at the hospital, she told Colorado Springs’ The Gazette.

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