Devin Baker brings us his Top 10 Sports movies that you’d be crazy not to miss out on!
Sports in almost all countries around the world are now back in full effect, and the world has really come to a better understanding of just how much sports mean, not only to hardcore fanatics but to casual viewers as well.
If you’re a fan of racing, basketball, football, the other football, or just sports in general, then chances are you enjoy watching a great sports film now and then or perhaps all the time. If that’s you or even if it’s not, I think you’ll enjoy the entries on this list of the top ten sports movies of all time.
10. Craig Gillespie’s I, Tonya (2017)
In at number ten of our top 10 sports movies is I’ Tonya.
Figure skating is probably not the first sport you think of when you think of, well sports, but the story of Tonya Harding and “the incident” that occurred in 1994 is a rather intriguing story most people know of, but don’t really know much about.
In this loose biopic, we get to see the life of former olympic figure skater Tonya Harding through her eyes allowing us to step into her skates and see for ourselves how things “actually” went down from her childhood and all the way up and through the incident.
Margot Robbie is fantastic as a naive and tough Tonya Harding who really just wants to skate, but it’s Allison Janey as Tonya’s cold and abusive mother who steals the show and leads a rather very talented cast. Comedic, intriguing, often sad, and a little different from the sports narrative norm, I, Tonya is a great piece of sports and just general storytelling.
9. Bennett Miller’s Moneyball (2011)
A little different from baseball movies of the old and of the new, this drama/biopic took the focus off the boys in the dugout and put it on the boys in the front office instead.
Following the unconventional methods of former Oakland Athletics’ general manager Billy Beane, Moneyball is a sports movie that’s more a commentary on the sport of baseball itself more than it is a film about a player or players.
As the general manager of the struggling and financially lacking Oakland A’s, Billy Beane with the help of Peter Brand break the conventional “old school” rules of baseball and team building.
With a great cast that includes Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Chris Pratt, this unconventional sports film about an unconventional general manager is one that fans of all sports can enjoy.
8. Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler (2008)
There’s often a negative stigma associated around the validity of mainstream wrestling in terms of it really being a sport, or more so if it’s “real” or not, but The Wrestler should put all those thoughts to bed.
Following the everyday life of former star wrestler Randy “The Ram” Robinson, Darren Aronofksy’s film takes a deep look into the sport of professional wrestling and how very real it can be in both a physical and mental sense.
This movie is not your average sports film where the underdog wins and the guy gets the girl and the whole town cheers, it’s a rather dark narrative on the life of wrestlers who have outlived their glory and on people in general who get stuck in negative cycles and have tremendous trouble breaking them.
Mickey Rourke and Marisa Toemi absolutely shine as two performers looking for a change in their lives, but are both unsure about how to, and if they even can, achieve it.
7. Gavin Oconnor’s Warrior (2011)
Boxing is usually the combat sport that gets the most notoriety and attention when it comes to films and television, but mixed martial arts as Warrior proved is just as fascinating as a platform to use to tell a great sports related story.
Warrior follows the journey two estranged brothers take on their way to the top of “Sparta” the biggest MMA tournament, what unfolds is an in-depth look into the working of a family that is divided, dysfunctional, and in desperate need of a rekindling.
The fight scenes in the movie are believable and well shot, giving the already slightly gritty movie more credit in the realism department, and the performances delivered by Nick Nolte, Tom Hardy, and Joel Edgerton are what drive the movie and make it the great film that it is.
6. Ryan Coogler’s Creed (2015)
Coming off of the critically acclaimed Fruitvale Station Ryan Coogler and his star Michael B Jordan took their talents to the worn out and out of prime Rocky series and gave it new life and a new direction.
Creed does a tremendous job of building a new story for a new generation by using the old films as great backstory and motivation for what drives these characters. Following the life of Adonis Johnson, the son of Apollo Creed whom he never got to meet, we see more than a tale of being an underdog in the sport of boxing.
We see Adonis struggle to find himself and who he wants to be, we see Rocky having to cope with decisions from his past and complexities in the present, it’s much more than just another boxing film because it’s told well enough to stand on its own merits but also expertly weaves important context from its predecessors.
5. Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Sticking with the combo of combat sports, Clint Eastwood’s thrilling and gritty boxing film is one that’s not for the faint of heart. Following Hillary Swank as a waitress turned boxer this Eastwood directed and acted in film is one that’s more than just the boxing we see in the ring, and one that is rooted in what it means to be a family.
The film shines in its interactions between the all star cast of Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, and Hillary Swank, who make this story believable and one that viewers feel they can invest themselves in.
Capped off with an ending most sports films don’t go near, this award winning film is sports aside, storytelling at its finest.
4. James Mangold’s Ford v Ferrari (2019)
Not being the biggest fan of professional racing, I was very skeptical heading into James Mangold’s racing drama, but don’t worry I came out with zero doubts about whether this film was great or not.
Based on the true story about the rivalry between Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari, this racing filled film is one that does a great job at documenting the events that lead up to the now infamous 1966 Le Mans race.
The film however, repeats the trend of the other entries on this list as being more than just about the sport itself, Christian Bale and Matt Damon do a fantastic job portraying Ken Miles and Caroll Shelby as great friends and even better competitors, but also as people who have lives and stakes outside of racing.
The combination of fantastic in the car and out of the car moments, makes this racing flick a must see, and already a sports classic for years to come.
3. Sam Wood’s The Pride of the Yankees (1942)
Easily the oldest entry on the list, this world war two era classic has stood the ultimate test of time.
Coming out just one year after the death of Yankees and baseball legend Lou Gehrig, Sam Wood’s biopic of the Iron Horse captured the life of the legend and his love for the game as well as his love for his wife in a way that was heartfelt and genuine.
Gary Cooper knocked it out of the park as Lou and gave audiences a rather accurate depiction of what Gehrig was actually like and delivered one of the best moments in all of film with “the luckiest man alive speech.” Add on the fact that the Babe himself played himself in the film about his old teammate and one can see why this classic remains just that, and why Gehrig truly was the pride of the Yankees.
2. John G. Avildsen’s Rocky (1976)
When you think of sports films good, bad, or just run in the mill, the first title that probably comes to mind is Rocky.
The ultimate underdog tale, Rocky is what most sports films try to be nowadays and set the groundwork for another film that made its way onto this list.
Sylvester Stallone is perfect as the Italian stallion who has to deal with so much more in his life than just boxing, and that’s what makes this movie the formula that others follow. It’s not about whether Rocky wins or loses, nor is about boxing, it’s about life and the ups and downs it throws at you and how you bounce back when you’re knocked down.
Rocky has inspired generation after generation, and has motivated them all the same, for that reason alone it has stood the test of time, and remains a must watch for any fan of film.
1. Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull (1980)
Taking pride of place in our number one spot of top 10 sports movies is Raging Bull.
Almost the complete opposite of Rocky in terms of story content and fan impact, this gritty biopic is another great in a long line of collaborations between Martin Scorsese, Robert De’Niro, and Joe Pesci.
Following the life of troubled and talented italian boxer Jake LaMotta, Raging Bull spends most of its run time outside of the ring and more so in the house of LaMotta who has difficulties expressing himself to others, and who has a tumultuous and abusive relationship with his wife and brother.
Scorsese’s film showed audiences that these great athletes we see day in and day out are flawed in their own ways and get caught up in themselves just as much as the next guy, as well as convincing any would be boxer that perhaps this sport is not for them.
Top 10 Sports movies article by Devin Baker
