In our list, you will find both sports movies based on real events and fictional stories in which sport plays an important role.
In a healthy body, there is a healthy spirit. An old saying that is worth repeating at every opportunity. Unfortunately, it is much easier to say it than to put it into practice. It’s much simpler to cheer on professional athletes who cross new boundaries, and amaze with their skills, and if they can inspire even a little, it will be another success.
This motivation is particularly evident in films about sports, which, in order to increase the drama and tell the story more efficiently, reach for various ways of making it more attractive.
Best sports movies
- A man’s game
- King Richard
- Million Dollar Baby
- Moneyball
- Raging bull
- Borg vs McEnroe
- Le Mans ’66
- He Got Game
A man’s game
The next movie is also about football, but the American one. For some reason, the Yankees said that a discipline in which the ball can be kicked, but is mostly played with the hands, will take its name from the feet, but let’s not pick on the details. It is important that “A Men’s game” is a dynamic show that does not slow down for a moment, filled with spectacular actions on the pitch, scheming in the dressing room, politics, huge money, and beautiful women, all to the rhythm of pulsating music and spectacular editing, in which Oliver Stone is really good. On top of that, there’s also a great cast – Al Pacino, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, and even LL Cool J.
King Richard
This is the newest movie in our sports movie ranking, but its presence here is fully deserved. Thanks to him, we have the opportunity to see how the phenomenon of the Williams sisters was born, who for many years dominated women’s tennis, and Serena is considered by many to be the most outstanding tennis player in history. However, endowed with enormous talent, they would not have had a chance for such a successful career, if not for the ambition (sometimes even morbid) and persistence of their father. It was he who saw their sports talent in them and gave them everything so that they could develop and play better and better. It was for this film that Will Smith received an Oscar and if only that is why it is worth seeing (do you still remember that infamous award ceremony and the confrontation with Chris Rock?).
Million Dollar Baby
One of Clint Eastwood’s greatest directorial achievements. Contrary to what one might expect, this is not a Western, but a heartbreaking story of a young ambitious boxer who wants to be successful at all costs. Clint plays the role of her initially reluctant trainer, who eventually takes her under his wing. Little by little, young Maggie (Hillary Swank) is climbing the career ladder, but someone would be mistaken to consider this film another Rocky variation. However, I can’t reveal anything more, because in the spoiler category it would be 10 out of 10. I can only recommend it to anyone who has not had the opportunity to meet this title yet.
Moneyball
Let’s go back to the American pitches for a moment because Moneyball is a highly motivating story that gives hope that you don’t have to be a superman with superhuman abilities to achieve great results. Sometimes it is enough to be good at one particular speciality. In the film, we watch the story of the average baseball team struggling with financial difficulties. Unable to afford the best (and therefore the most expensive) players, they decide to bet on carefully selected players who are great at specific tasks. They choose them on the basis of a complicated mathematical and statistical analysis, which is initially accepted, to put it mildly, sceptical, but turns out to be extremely effective.
Raging bull
We will remain in the ring for a while, but I will not describe the saga in which the main character is Rocky Balboa. Instead, I will recommend you the true story of Jake LaMotta. Robert De Niro plays him in the film, for which he was awarded an Oscar. The title itself reflects the character of the character he plays well. For LaMotta was exactly like that – filled with aggression, adrenaline, a thirst for success, glory and recognition, and he treated everyone who stood in his way as his worst enemy, which is not enough to defeat but must even be humiliated. An outstanding film regularly appears in the most important rankings in the history of cinema.
Borg vs McEnroe
I chose this sports film for the compilation not only because of its quality, but also still under the influence of the news that Roger Federer is ending his outstanding career. This not only sparked a wave of nostalgia for the departing champion but also sparked another discussion about who is the best tennis player in history. In modern times, mainly Federer, Djokovic and Nadal are mentioned, but it is impossible to forget about those players who dominated the world’s courts before them. Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe are also among them, and this film is a record of their fierce rivalry bordering on madness, culminating in the 1980 Wimbledon tournament that has gone down in history. I would highly recommend it.
Le Mans ’66
Let’s go back a little further into the past and replace the elegant grassy courts with the smell of gasoline in the morning. Le Mans ’66 is an exciting history of competing in the legendary 24 Hours race. The competition, then dominated by the Italian brand Ferrari, enjoys great interest and prestige. So when a cheeky Ford that produces cars for ordinary people, but with no experience, challenges them, it must end up with a really hard drive. This film works great as both a sports drama and a captivating story of ambition, hard work, consistency and persistence to climb to the top. And about the price that often has to be paid for glory.
He got Game
This movie is not your typical sports movie, but basketball plays a key role in it. Here we see a young boy (played by Ray Allen) who is extremely talented, and as he is just graduating from high school, he becomes a tasty morsel for anyone who is able to earn money from it. Prestigious universities are fighting in his favour, and he is encouraged to turn pro and play in the NBA right away. There is also his father (Denzel Washington) who tries to convince him to choose a particular university. Only in this way will his sentence be shortened for the manslaughter of his wife and the boy’s mother. Since he still blames him for this tragedy, it will not be that easy.
Other good movies about sports
As it happens in sports, competition means that someone has not managed to achieve final success and must be content with further placement. In this case, it means that the best sports films are not included in the list, but it does not mean that they are not worth seeing. I could exchange for a long time. It’s definitely worth remembering the whole series about Rocky (and its sequel – Creed), even though these films have little in common with real boxing. Be sure to also watch the movie “Ali”, in which Will Smith plays the legendary boxer.
Formula 1 fans should definitely watch “Rush”. A nice idea for the screening is also the little-known “The Replacements”, in which the main role is played by Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman. And it is impossible to ignore the classic over the classics, that is “Chariots of Fire”.
