5) Rocky (1976)
Rocky is one of the first sports movies that comes to mind when thinking of the genre for many, for a good reason too. So why is it at the bottom of the list? The sharp decline of the sport of boxing.
The movie follows the rise of small-time fighter Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stalone) after being called upon to fight for the world heavyweight title. Yes, the movie is phenomenal in nearly every aspect, you’d be soulless to not be moved by the character arc of Rocky Balboa.
But no one cares about boxing anymore. It’s seen as an old man’s sport. With the meteoric rise of the UFC, MMA has become the go-to combat sport. So, while many love the movie, it has continued to fall out of the cultural zeitgeist due to the sport it is anchored to.
4) Days of Thunder (1990)
Racing movies have always had a very hit-or-miss history… see Driven (2001) for a miss or Ford v. Ferrari (2019) for a hit.
Days of Thunder is a NASCAR movie following rookie Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) as he’s coached by his veteran crew chief Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall).
The movie came out as NASCAR as a sport was experiencing an immense surge in popularity. This combined with the star power of Tom Cruise led to the movie being a massive box office success. Fun aside, Tom Cruise already had a racing background.
Days of Thunder also suffers from the same issue as Rocky, as since the early 2010s, NASCAR has been on a slow decline and stagnation in popularity with Formula One overtaking it as the most popular motorsport. Even with this issue, Days of Thunder remains a classic in the eyes of NASCAR fans.
3) Remember the Titans (2000)
Remember the Titans is based on the true story of the racial integration of a Virginia high school’s football team.
The film manages to take a tough subject and make it into a PG Disney movie. With football being the most popular sport in America, it gives Remember the Titans a huge leg up on the list.
Where the movie falters though is its prevalence in pop culture, you rarely see people reference the film, which cannot be said for most of the other movies on this list. The plot and themes of the film are excellent and I have yet to meet someone who has not seen it, more than likely due to the distribution power of Disney.
The cast of the film also has decent star power with Denzel Washington as well as Ryan Gosling, who until writing, I had no idea was in the film.
2) Moneyball (2011)
The quintessential baseball movie, Moneyball is based on the unlikely success of the 2002 Oakland A’s. Billy Beane, (Brad Pitt) the general manager of the team is given the seemingly impossible task of assembling a team on a shoestring budget.
The film captures the fascinatingly analytical side of baseball many hardcore fans of the sport are already familiar with. The film manages to walk a fine line between exploring this side of the sport while not boring audiences with technical jargon.
The film, as many sports movie does, tugs at the audience’s heartstrings, as the team goes from a non-threat in the league to breaking records. The movie was hailed by critics and fans alike and is still considered one of the best depictions of modern baseball.
1) Slap Shot (1977)
Ok, I know putting a hockey movie at the number one spot is gonna rattle some cages, but hey, that’s showbiz.
This movie is everything a sports movie should be, an underdog story, a reflection on the state of the sport and society as a whole, as well as having endless quotable bits.
The film follows a season with the Charlestown Chiefs as old time team coach Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman) brings the limelight upon the struggling team through a new violent approach with the help of new recruits.
The movie makes commentary on the role of violence in the sport as well as intertwining the effects of deindustrialization in America at the time. Please watch this movie if you haven’t already, you will not regret it.
