When compared to some other genres out there, movies about sports can provide you with a completely different viewing experience. One of the main reasons behind this is that they usually deliver the perfect mixture of various things, including comedy, drama, anticipation, as well as excitement.
If you recently got interested in this particular type of movie, you might be wondering which options are the best of all time. Fortunately for all individuals that are wondering the same thing, we’ve compiled a list of the five sports films that you must watch at least once in your lifetime. Let’s take a look:
1. “The Wrestler”
Release Year: 2008
Sport: Wrestling
Metacritic Score: 80%
One of the first options that you should consider watching is “The Wrestler”, in which Mickey Rourke’s performance is, perhaps, the finest and most breathtaking one of his career. In it, he portrays a senior wrestler called Randy “The Ram” Robinson who is doing everything in his power to relive his glory days as a recreational superstar. With his performance, he perfectly captures an individual that is completely lonely in his post-fame days.
Though he has replaced arenas with gyms and different community centers, his love for wrestling has no limits, which is why he has a very difficult time when he has to reconsider all of his life choices after he suffers a heart attack. The film is, perhaps, one of the finest ones you could see and although it’s essentially a film about the loneliness of the wrestling industry, it’s also about coming to terms with aging.
2. “Free Solo”
Release Year: 2018
Sport: Free Climbing
Metacritic Score: 83%
You might be interested in watching a sports documentary and if so, one of the first options that you should consider is “Free Solo”, an exciting and nerve-wracking film created by the world-renowned photographer Jimmy Chin and prize-winning videographer E. Chai, who partnered with National Geographic. As you may have guessed from the title, it’s a movie about one of the most daunting and dangerous sports out there, free climbing.
The star of the film is a climber called Alex who has one goal in mind – to climb one of the most prominent rocks on our planet called “El Capitan”. Located in the Yosemite National Park, it’s over 3.000 feet tall and if you opt for watching this documentary, be prepared to get several adrenaline rushes, mostly because Alex will try to climb it – but without a rope securing him from falling down!
3. “Next Goal Wins”
Release Year: 2024
Sport: Football
Metacritic Score: 71%
If you’re looking for something new, exciting, and completely hilarious, you should consider watching “Next Goal Wins”. The screenplay was written by Iain Morris and Taika Waititi and it was established on a documentary with an identical title. The plot revolves around a Dutch-American trainer called Thomas Rongen and his efforts to do everything in his power to lead the American Samoa soccer team to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The team in question is considered to be the weakest and worst on earth, so, you can imagine how funny it’s going to be to witness how Thomas tries to turn them into an elite team. The cast of the film is also amazing with Michael Fassbender as the lead. The film is yet to be released and if you wish to learn more about it and see where you’ll be able to watch it once it comes out, check out The Vore.
4. “Murderball”
Release Year: 2005
Sport: Wheelchair Rugby
Metacritic Score: 87%
For a completely different experience, we recommend that you watch “Murderball” a 2005 documentary about wheelchair rugby. It features various interviews conducted with athletes, most of whom have lost the ability to walk due to life-changing injuries. Now, you should know that this film isn’t for the lighthearted, mostly because it does feature some bloody and quite brutal scenes, hence, be aware.
Although quite hard to watch at times, it does feature some truly heartbreaking moments. Just listening to all the individuals talk about how important organized sports are to them, as well as the community they’re a part of is heartbreaking, however, it does show the importance of sports for people with disabilities. It’s one of the best documentaries about sports out there, which is why you should watch it at least once in your life.
5. “Moneyball”
Release Year: 2011
Sport: Baseball
Metacritic Score: 87%
Jonah Hill stars as the main character in this particular movie and it was the first time that he played a role that was serious, instead of funny. “Moneyball,” tells the tale of the world’s focus on sports statistics. It’s based on a real story and while watching it, you’ll be able to learn how the general manager of the Oakland A’s turned the world of baseball upside down by hiring suitable athletes for the positions – and this doesn’t mean that he hired the best athletes out there.
This particular approach to hiring new players for a team is a requirement in today’s world and if you’re interested in seeing how everything started out, as well as how the entire movement worked – and still works – this movie should definitely be on top of your list. Brad Pitt also does a truly mesmerizing job at portraying the general manager that started the movement and it’s surely one of those performances that you must see.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a sports film to watch, the ones we’ve mentioned above are some of the finest ones that you could choose. Each of them will tell a different story about success, and failure, as well as the significance of redemption, and a few of them will also feature real athletes and their stories.
Since you’re now well aware of some of the top movies that you can choose to watch, you really shouldn’t lose any more of your free time reading articles similar to this one. Instead, you should browse through our list one more time and opt for a sports movie that you’ll watch first.