When it comes to ranking the best sports movies of all time, there are some familiar names that usually crop up. The likes of Rocky and Any Given Sunday usually make an appearance – and rightfully so. They are some of the best movies ever made, no matter what category is being talked about.
But the natural drama and passion of sports have always provided filmmakers with the opportunity to tell a gripping story. That is why it is quite common for sports movies to be based on true stories. If you take a look at a sportsbooks review, you are hoping to find out that you can place bets on winners. But it is not always the winners that are the center of attention in true-life sports movies.
Quite often, filmmakers use sports to convey deeper messages and storylines to their audiences. That is why everyone loves an underdog story, even if the team doesn’t end up winning the championship. With that in mind, we thought we would profile seven of the best sports movies that were based on real-life events.
Miracle (2004)
The “Miracle on Ice” is one of the most well known stories in the history of US sports. So it is unsurprising that Hollywood wanted to take a go at retelling the story of how a team of college and minor league hockey players took on the very best at the 1980 Winter Olympics and ended up winning the gold medal.
Everyone knows that the US won gold, so that is not a spoiler. But this movie, starring Kurt Russell as the coach brought in to achieve the impossible, does show that defeating the Soviet Union was actually not the gold medal game. This film has been criticized for being cliché-ridden but every true underdog sports story will always use clichés to tell the story.
Rush (2013)
Motorsports movies always have the ability to excite, as there is an inherent danger to the action. In this biographical film, directed by the great Ron Howard, we get a front row seat to witness the rivalry between two 1970s Formula 1 drivers, James Hunt and Niki Lauda.
The movie concentrates on the 1976 season in which the two very different drivers – with an initial dislike of each other – spurred each other on to greater performances and risks. Some of the facts are exaggerated but Rush shows how two sportsmen pushed each other on and ultimately showed respect to their opponent.
Ali (2001)
He is widely considered to be the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) and this 2001 biopic from Michael Mann successfully shows just how Muhammad Ali claimed the world heavyweight championship – and was then banished from the sport. Will Smith plays the iconic boxer in one of the most tumultuous periods of his life.
The decision to limit the scope of Ali to just ten years is a clever one, considering just how many stories could be told about the man and his fascinating life. The film was actually a box office failure, failing to recoup the production cost. But it has been recognized by the critics as an incredible story well told.
A League of Their Own (1992)
This classic 1990s sports comedy is found well within the confines of “based” on a true story. But the performances from Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, and Madonna shine as director Penny Marshall brings the wartime All-American Girls Professional Baseball League to life.
Davis and Madonna play two sisters who do their best to outdo each other and keep the league alive when WW2 brings a halt to Major League Baseball. The story is humorously told and in 2012 it was selected to take its place in the National Film Registry as “a culturally…significant” piece of art.
Moneyball (2011)
The fact that the Oakland Athletics will no longer play in the city after 2024, ahead of a relocation to Las Vegas, only makes this story of how the general manager attempted to revolutionize the sport in the way he assembled a team to compete, even more compelling.
Based on the book by Michael Lewis, Moneyball stars Brad Pitt as the GM who uses an analytical approach to player recruitment and development in order to gain an advantage against clubs that could spend far more money on the biggest hitters and fastest pitchers. This film put a whole new spin on the sports underdog story.
Figure 2 Team sports has the natural drama needed for storytelling
Raging Bull (1980)
We mentioned Rocky at the beginning of this article as an example of the kind of movie that usually gets mentioned as one of the best sports films of all time. Sly Stallone’s masterpiece might have been a work of fiction but this classic from Martin Scorsese was a biopic about the brutal life of middleweight champion, Jake LaMotta.
Scorsese might not be immediately thought of when it comes to sports movies but Raging Bull highlights the harsh realities of a boxer as he fights his way from the streets but never fully escapes his past. The story is compelling and the fight scenes with star Robert De Niro are some of the most brutally realistic ever captured on film.
Hoosiers (1987)
We have returned to the underdog theme repeatedly in this guide to the best true-life sports movies – and Hoosiers is possibly the greatest example of the genre. Gene Hackman stars as the coach of a small Indiana high school basketball team that goes all the way to the state championship.
Hoosiers captures the small-town life, centered around its school sports team, perfectly, as well as the relationships and arguments among the players, fans, and coaches. We won’t give away the ending if you’ve never seen the film, but just get ready to cheer on a basketball team you’ve never heard of as if you were a lifelong fan.
