21 best sports movies

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

These stories will teach you how to overcome difficulties and believe in victory.

1. Raging bull

• USA, 1980.
• Drama, film-biography.
• Duration: 129 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 2.

The script for the film is based on the memoir of real boxer Jake LaMotta. The fighter nicknamed "Raging Bull" was cruel and merciless not only in the ring, but also in life. The film explores his destructive relationships with loved ones - his wife and brother.

It is impossible to tell about "Raging Bull", which instantly became a classic of cinema, in a couple of sentences. It is better to watch this film in order to appreciate both the genius of editing, and the talent of Robert De Niro, for whom this film became the fourth joint project with Scorsese, and the subtlety of playing with the audience's feelings.

2. Million Dollar Baby

• USA, 2004.
• Sports drama.
• Duration: 132 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

The plot is based on the relationship between an ambitious woman and an experienced elderly coach. The meaning of life as a waitress Maggie is boxing. In the role of her mentor, she wants to see only the gloomy old man Dunn, but that time after time she refuses, because she "does not train girls."

Clint Eastwood's multifaceted talent never ceases to be amazed. In "Baby" Clint acted as a director and actor, and he succeeded in both. In total, the film received four Oscars.

But it’s not worth watching the film because of the awards, or even for the constellation of artists such as Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman. Million Dollar Baby is one of the most poignant stories in cinema. Boxing is nothing more than a backdrop for a touching tale of love, loneliness and humanity.

3. Rocky

• USA, 1976.
• Drama.
• Duration: 119 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

Rocky Balboa is a second-rate loser boxer. World heavyweight boxing champion Apollo Creed decides to take on some hopeless rookie. And his random choice falls on Rocky, for whom this fight becomes a chance to prove his exclusivity.

Rocky, 1976, is considered a pop cultural achievement and one of the most important films of the era. Over time, it morphed into a heavyweight long-running franchise of eight films, including Creed: The Rocky Legacy and Creed 2.

Both spin-offs have adequately complemented the original films and, in addition to commercial success, have received high reviews from critics.

4. Wrestler

• USA, France, 2008.
• Sports drama.
• Duration: 111 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 9

The main character, Randy Robinson, is a former wrestling star. After a heart attack, he is forced to forget about battles forever. However, trying to put things in order in his own life, Randy realizes that he has nothing but the ring.

Darren Aronofsky got his fill of stories about people who slowly go insane. "The Wrestler" is another director's reflection on the topic of life crisis and personality decay.

The incredibly convincing performance of Mickey Rourke, who partly played himself, helps to penetrate the film even more. The role of the fighter Danny became a kind of "resurrection" of the actor after a protracted decline in his career.

5. The invisible side

• USA, 2009.
• Sports drama.
• Duration: 129 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

The film is based on the true story of Michael Oher, a professional American football player. A poor African American boy meets a woman from a well-to-do area of the city and becomes part of her ideal family.

Whether it was originally conceived or not, it is a fact: the movie turned out to be more about family values than about sports. Critics praised Sandra Bullock's performance. Other interesting actors in the film include Katie Bates (Misery, Dolores Claiborne) and a very young Lily Collins.

6. The man who changed everything

• USA, 2011.
• Biography, drama.
• Duration: 126 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

Billy Bean is the manager of a poor baseball team. Competitors have lured the best players, the situation seems hopeless. Help unexpectedly comes in the face of a graduate of the Faculty of Economics. The guy offers a selection system based on mathematical statistics. Billy decides to take a chance and recruit a team of little-known athletes.

An emotional drama about baseball from one of the most famous screenwriters of our time, Aaron Sorkin (A Few Good Guys, Charlie Wilson's War, The Social Network).

The role of Jonah Hill here is one of the best in his career. But the main decoration of the film is definitely Brad Pitt. His Billy Bean is a dreamer, enthusiast and affectionate father. Such people want to empathize both in movies and in life.

7. Tonya against everyone

• USA, 2017.
• Black comedy, sports film, biography film.
• Duration: 121 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

Figure skating is a sport for good girls from respectable families. This is not about Tona Harding, a savage from the American slums. Her life is an endless cycle of violence: first a cruel mother, then a sadistic husband. But in spite of everything, Tonya becomes an ice star, ready for anything for the sake of superiority.

A film based on the biography of an American figure skater who was the first in the United States to make a triple axel. Usually a biopic is a success story, not a fall. And "Tonya against all" is unique in this sense, because it makes the viewer empathize with the heroine who is far from the image of the "right girl". And the issue of domestic violence covered in the film is more relevant than ever in our time.

8. Miracle

• USA, 2004.
• Sports drama.
• Duration: 135 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

The true story of coach Herb Brooks, who must lead the US Olympic hockey team to victory over the indestructible Soviet national team.

For Americans, this iconic hockey match in 1980 really became a real miracle, comparable to the landing of Neil Armstrong on the moon. Events of this level are inevitably filmed. In total, one documentary and two feature films were shot about "Miracle on Ice".

9. 42

• USA, 2013.
• Sports drama.
• Duration: 128 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

In 1947, Jackie Robinson becomes the first African American to make it to Major League Baseball. And on his professional path, he is expected to face hostility and racism.

Based on true events, the story of how segregation was destroyed in baseball. Chadwick Boseman, who played Jackie Robinson, is now best known as. For Harrison Ford, the role of Branch Ricky was the first biographical work.

10. Eddie Eagle

• UK, USA, Germany, 2016.
• Drama, comedy, sports film, biography.
• Duration: 106 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 4.

Based on a true story of British skier Eddie Edwards. Despite constant setbacks and a complete lack of skills, Eddie does not give up trying to fulfill his dream - to get to the Olympic Games.

This is a classic story about a "little man", spiced with emotional humor. Hidden underneath the funny packaging is the idea that even if your goals are not of great importance to society, they are worth pursuing.

11. Coach Carter

• USA, Germany, 2005.
• Sports drama.
• Duration: 136 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

Former basketball player Ken Carter becomes coach of the Richmond team. In his work, he uses rather tough methods, but the guys win one match after another. But when it suddenly turns out that the guys' academic performance is lame, Carter cancels the training and sends his players to the library. As a result, the team misses matches and earns two technical defeats.

A true story that happened in California in 1999. Director Thomas Carter puts an important thought in the mouth of his protagonist: winning is, of course, good, but not more important than finishing school and going to college. The second valuable message: sport is, first of all, teamwork. In essence, this is what a good coach should teach.

12. Jerry Maguire

• USA, 1996.
• Sports drama, comedy.
• Duration: 139 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

Successful sports agent Jerry Maguire fired for criticizing his superiors. The main character does not give up and decides to found his own company. He is supported only by a single mother in love with him and an eccentric capricious football player.

Jerry Maguire was critically acclaimed and unofficially considered Tom Cruise's best acting. An amazingly kind film about how money comes and goes, but love is eternal.

13. The karate guy

• USA, 1984.
• Action, drama, family film.
• Duration: 126 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

It's not easy to be a beginner. Dan moves with his mother to Los Angeles and immediately makes a lot of enemies for himself. The teenager is taken to help his new friend - an old Japanese Miyagi, a martial arts master.

A nostalgic film that has become a cult classic for fans of martial arts and spawned an entire franchise. The song You’re the Best became the symbol of the picture.

And if you want something fresh on the same topic, you can safely include the excellent series "Cobra Kai", released on YouTube Premium.

14. Battle of the sexes

• USA, UK, 2017.
• Comedy, drama, sports film.
• Duration: 121 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 7.

The eccentric and experienced Bobby Riggs is ready to prove his superiority over any woman on the court. And he challenges young tennis player Billie Jean King. The reputation of all women's sports is ultimately at stake.

Cinema with a social message based on real events. The exhibition match between Riggs and King played an important role in women's struggle for their rights and went down in history as the Battle of the Sexes. Emma Stone and Steve Carell are almost indistinguishable from historical prototypes here.

15. Play like Beckham

• Great Britain, Germany, 2002.
• Comedy.
• Duration: 109 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 7.

Jess is a soccer fan. She lives in London and dreams of playing like David Beckham someday. However, the Indian family sees her only in the traditional role of a married woman. One day Jess meets the same obsessed football player Jules, who invites her to a real team.

A funny comedy about women's football, stereotypes and the clash of dissimilar cultures. The film became one of the first in the career of Keira Knightley and brought international creative success to its creator, British Indian Gurinder Chadha.

16. Above the ring

• USA, 1994.
• Sports drama.
• Duration: 96 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 6.

Kyle Lee Watson is a talented young basketball player. The film follows his intricate relationship with a drug dealer and former basketball star school security guard.

A crime sports drama, interesting in that the cult rap musician Tupac Shakur starred in it. The main role is played by professional basketball player Duane Martin.

17. Moving up

• Russia, 2017.
• Sports drama.
• Duration: 133 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 6

Basketball teams of the USSR and the USA are preparing to confront each other at the Munich Olympics. The American team is considered invincible, but the coach of the Soviet national team believes in his players. In the end, the viewer will find out why the final of the 1972 tournament went down in history as “basketball 3 seconds”.

It's hard not to mention the story with a review from BadComedian, which caused many to reconsider their attitude towards the film. In a two-hour analysis, the blogger accused the filmmakers of distorting the facts and pointed out the suspicious similarity of the script with the film "Miracle".

"Moving up" really looks like, if not plagiarism, then a free remake, for sure. Although it is possible that this is partly to blame for the cinematic clichés that almost all sports dramas sin.

The only thing we can say with confidence is that our film was shot much more beautifully. The only pity is that at the same time in "Moving Up" there is a barrel of historical blunders and inaccuracies for one spoonful of truth.

18. Powerful ducklings

• USA, 1992.
• Comedy, drama, family film.
• Duration: 100 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 5.

Fault lawyer Gordon Bombay is sentenced to community service - he will become the coach of a children's hockey team. True, there are no players from the kids, but Gordon has never been stopped by such nonsense.

Inspirational film for children and adults. Ducklings have become a pop cultural phenomenon and have even been parodied in one of the South Park episodes.

19. She is a man

• USA, 2006.
• Youth comedy.
• Duration: 105 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 4.

High school student Viola is a football player anywhere. But the small women's football team is not allowed to the school tournament, and Viola asks to include its participants in the male squad. However, the coach refuses her, because the girls will never catch up with the guys. And the only way out is to change into your brother Sebastian and qualify for the men's team of another school.

Free retelling of Shakespeare's play "Twelfth Night". Suitable for everyone who loves watching comedies of the 2000s out of research interest. It is possible that the film will inspire someone to read Shakespeare.

20. Space Jam

• USA, 1996.
• Comedy, family film, animation.
• Duration: 87 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 4.

Cartoon aliens invade Earth to capture Bugs Bunny the rabbit, Duffy Duck, Porky the pig and the rest of the Looney Tunes characters. But Bugs and company do not give up so easily and answer the usurpers with a challenge to a basketball game.

True, there is almost no chance of winning, and then the cartoons decide to call basketball superstar Michael Jordan for help.

The very idea to combine Looney Tunes and basketball was taken from popular commercials with a similar storyline. Michael Jordan's benefit performance turned out to be weird, but cute. It's worth watching for the powerful rush of nineties nostalgia and Bill Murray as Bill Murray.

21. Bring it on

• USA, 2000.
• Comedy.
• Duration: 98 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 0.

The plot centers around the girls from the cheerleading group and their relationship with each other. High school student Torrance becomes the new captain of the cheerleader team and discovers that her predecessor secretly borrowed someone else's performance programs.

Typical life-affirming youth comedy. The film has grown into an epoch-making franchise of five full-length films, of which only the first is worth watching: the young Kirsten Dunst of the times of "The Virgin Suicides" redeems everything.