We all tend to have a soft spot for an underdog especially when it comes to movies. We love seeing the long shot get the happy ending, the nerd gets to be with the prom king or queen, and the little engine that could get the job done.
In short, we love a long shot and movies have afforded us some of the best long shots that live on in our collective memory.
In every genre, every type of movie, corporate or independent, there’s a huge desire for us to see the little guy succeed.
What is a long shot?
The term itself is probably a reference to the “long” shots of the Old West and Wild West where sharpshooters took their shot and attempted to hit a target.
The odds were usually against them but they never let that keep them from trying.
In today’s modern mythology, the long shot is anything that seems to come out of nowhere and strike the heart of the target.
This can be societal, interpersonal, or physical. As long as the odds are not in the favor of the main character, it can be considered a long shot.
Some of the most heartfelt long shot movies in modern memory are based around sports.
The long-shot is often precluded by a journey for the character or team to reach the moment of their shot.
Long shots in modern movies
Modern movies play up the underdog genre which mimics the origins of America as an underdog nation fighting against tyranny.
There are several major genres of long shot movies including sports, underdog relationships, and historical.
Sporting long shots
Rooting for the underdog in sports is one of the greatest feelings of all time and movies capitalize on this sentiment year after year.
The real-life sports franchise is full of great long-shot moments and turning them into movies is relatively easy and they capture large audiences time and again.
One of the greatest long shots, made to overcome movies is one called Glory Road based on the story of some of the first African-American basketball players in the NCAA.
The movie follows the team as they start divided then rally together to win the championship game against all the odds, the long-shot team wins again.
A classic movie that touches the heartstrings in the longshot sports genre is Remember the Titans. The integration of a football team takes time to win over the hearts and minds of players and parents. But at the end of the movie, the team not only wins the society over but wins games as well.
While it’s not the same type of heart-string puller as team sports movies, gamblers who play the game and take the long shot and end up winning big can move the heart the same way.
A great comedy gambling movie is Maverick, a man who sets out to win a hugely profitable game without the use of modern technology like slot machines, databases, or pseudo-random number generators.
The Maverick spends the whole movie running from place to place, overcoming fears, and making sure that he can bring his skills (or non-skills) to the table for the big game.
Interpersonal long shots
Relationships are hard at the best of times but the ones that overcome obstacles, family obligations, and societal standards are the ones that remain lodged in our memories and imprinted on film.
It’s one of the most enduring love stories of all time, Romeo and Juliet, and has spawned dozens of versions of movies and plays.
The long-shot is a simple one: the couple must overcome the differences between their families to wed. While the story ends tragically, Romeo and Juliet do end up together overcoming the odds although it’s not as they originally intended.
A more modern version of the same story is The Fault in Our Stars.
A couple must overcome a simple issue with a complicated fallout: they both have cancer and can’t be together in the same physical place.
Plus their time is running out in this mortal coil. Despite the long-shot, they manage to develop a relationship together and celebrate the time they have.
Historical long shots
History is a great touchstone for long-shot stories. There’s always an underdog, someone who wants to make changes but just can’t.
The number one long shot historical movie is probably 300.
Based on a real-life story of the 300 Spartans, led by King Leonidas who stops thousands of Persians from taking over the capital with all odds stacked against them, they continue to live in our memory and movies.
Filled with action and adventure, moving speeches, and men and armies who stuck to their guns without fail, the movie 300 is one of the best long shot stories of all time.
In Conclusion
The long-shot is part of the story arc that we in America love and continue to shell out money to go see.
Whether it’s derived from sports, interpersonal long shots, or history, the story of the underdog who overcomes all odds is one that resonates with us throughout history.
The long-shot genre for sports keeps movies coming whether they’re based on true events or completely made-up stories.
Within interpersonal relationships, the underdog couple or person keeps the audience wanting more by keeping them rooting for the couple to be together.
History provides great story ideas based on real-life that show the greatness of the underdog and the hope that can be found in a long shot.
Each long-shot story keeps us engaged and wanting more.
Movies tease our imaginations and keep us coming back to the theater to feel with characters, hear their stories, and root for our favorite underdog.
