Are you looking for a great sports movie to sit back and enjoy? You’re certainly spoiled for choices and we’ve marked down some of our top picks that you should definitely watch sooner rather than later.
Ford V Ferrari
If you count racing as a sport, and we think you should, then this one is not to be missed. This Christian Bale and Matt Damon have an unforgettable bromance in this film which charts how Ford took on Ferrari at the 1966 Le Man’s race. Beautiful, expertly filmed, with incredible acting and spellbinding special effects, this one will make you believe that racing is like poetry. It was easily one of the best movies a couple of years ago and will likely stand the test of time.
The Longest Yard
There are countless great films based on American football. Remember The Titans? Or, how about The Blind Side? Will Smith’s more recent film Concussion also showed a more damning side to this sport but if you want the most watchable film, it has to be The Longest Yard. This one has been remade countless times but for our money, it’s Adam Sandler’s version that is perhaps the best. Sandler has great fun in this role while he has enough great supporting players such as Chris Rock to bring real heart to the story of an underdog football team behind bars. While completely fictional, it’s beautifully made and never crosses a line to make you think it couldn’t happen somewhere in the world.
Invictus
Invictus is a film based on the events in South Africa before as well as during the Rugby World Cup. If you’re not familiar with this event, then it might shock you to learn that it’s largely focused on Nelson Mandela. However, Francois Pienaar also plays a part, played beautifully by Matt Damon. Together with Morgan Freeman, this is a powerhouse combination and the film was rewarded with positive reviews upon release. It’s a highly authentic film accurate to history, down to the rugby kit that was used for the movie. You can find similar ones online if you love the look of this film.
Rudy
Rudy is arguably one of the greatest sports movies ever made and will make even the toughest men sob by the end. It’s been said that the best stories are true and this 1993 film certainly proves that. The biographical tale is the path of a young man’s dream, played expertly by Sean Astin to play football for the University of Notre Dame. A true underdog story, Rudy faces countless challenges trying to get on the field. We won’t list them here and to do so would be to spoil a truly fantastic ending that has been referenced countless times in other media.
We hope these films help fill the gap while you’re waiting for the next great sports movie. If these titles don’t tickle your fancy then there are countless others to choose from including The Way Back, Coach Carter, The Greatest Game, and many more. Alternatively, Ted Lasso returns to Apple this July.