10 Essential Sports Movies Everyone Should See At Least Once

From classics like The Karate Kid and Rocky to real-life dramas like Rudy and I, Tonya, sports films have a way of sticking with the viewer long after the credits role. Whether it’s about the underdog or a team that is defying societal prejudice, this genre has a way of inspiring moviegoers and leaving them with a sense of excitement. Have it be a fictional story or a dramatic retelling of real-life events, the sports genre is always in style, bringing action, suspense, and epic final games to the silver screen for people to enjoy.

Due to the large catalog of sports movies, it might be difficult for people to pick and choose which ones are worth watching. And while they all deserve their time to shine, there are a few movies that are essential to the genre with stories that are meant to be on the silver screen with characters that need to tell their tales. From teams that need to actually become a team to players that want nothing more than to prove themselves, these sports movies are in a league of their own.

10 ‘Rudy’ (1993)

Directed by: David Anspaugh

A biographical sports film based on the life of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger (Sean Astin), Rudy brings viewers on a heartfelt journey, exploring the life of a guy who wants nothing more than to go to school at the University of Notre Dame and play for their legendary football team. Set in 1960s Joliet, Illinois, Rudy is from a low-income household, works at a steel mill, and has no money to attend college, let alone the tuition needed to attend Notre Dame. Money isn’t the only issue; Rudy isn’t academically qualified, so he enrolls in Holy Cross College, eventually transferring to Notre Dame after three rejections. Now, it’s a matter of becoming a walk-on for the football team. A small guy with no formal training, Rudy eventually dresses for a home game his senior year, actually making it onto the field for a play, too.

Between money issues, academic hardships, and people not believing in him (mostly his brother, Frank (Scott Benjaminson), Rudy doesn’t let anyone or anything discourage him from following his dreams. The movie is all about overcoming hardships to achieve something great, even when you’re the underdog in your own story. It is a sports movie with highs and lows, good times and bad, and is one that everyone should watch at least once.

9 ‘Caddyshack’ (1980)

Directed by: Harold Ramis

Set in the snob-infested Bushwood Country Club, Danny Noonan (Michael O’Keefe) wants to spend his time making money as a caddy to help pay for his college tuition. In the hopes of winning the caddie scholarship program, Danny caddies for Elihu Smails (Ted Knight), a prominent golfer and judge of the scholarship program who cheats during the Caddie Day tournament. Fed up with his cheating ways, Danny goes to play with Ty Webb (Chevy Chase) and Al Czervik (Rodney Dangerfield). By the end of the tournament, the stacks are high, and a bet is made: double or nothing if Danny makes a very difficult putt. While all of this is going on, greenskeeper Carl Spackler (Bill Murray) is in a standoff with a pesky gopher. He decides to rig the course with explosives in hopes of getting rid of the animal, and, in the process, the shaking ground helps Danny’s ball go in the hole, winning him the match and scholarship money.

Caddyshack definitely isn’t a typical sports film. There is no moral to the story; it isn’t based on a true event, and there isn’t a traditional underdog. Even so, it is definitely a sports film worthy of attention. According to ESPN, it is one of the funniest sports movies ever made and one of the most quotable. It is hands down one of the best golf movies ever created. The comedy expertise of Chase, Murray, and O’Keefe is not to be overlooked, and the overall subplot of a crazy groundskeeper having a fight with a gopher is just too crazy that viewers have no choice but to become invested in their standoff.

8 ‘I, Tonya’ (2017)

Directed by: Craig Gillespie

Based on the life of figure skater Tonya Harding, I, Tonya, brings viewers into one of the most notorious scandals in American sports history. The first woman to land a triple axel in competition, Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie), is on top of her game, gearing up to hopefully compete for the United States in the 1994 Winter Olympics after coming in fourth in 1992. That’s when everything goes downhill. When Harding’s ex-husband Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan) conspires to injure fellow skater and rival Nancy Kerrigan (Caitlin Carver), Harding’s reputation, life, and legacy as a skater crashes and burns.

A mockumentary based on Harding’s life and the infamous scandal, I, Tonya, is interesting because viewers really don’t know what to believe. The interviews given by Harding, her mother (Allison Janney), and Gillooly contradict one another, making them unreliable narrators who want to fix their reputations. While most people know of the 1994 assault, this film dives into Harding’s life and the events and relationships that led up to the infamous scandal that ruined her competitive career. It is one of those rare films that is able to incorporate humor into what is a horrible event that altered the lives of many people.

7 ‘Field of Dreams’ (1989)

Directed by: Phil Alden Robinson

Taking a different route when it comes to the sports genre, Field of Dreams dives into fantasy with ghosts of baseball legends and the main character, Ray (Kevin Costner), hearing voices. A farmer who, one night, hears a strange voice telling him, “If you build it, he will come.” The strange order prompts Ray to build a baseball diamond in the cornfield on his property. Eventually, the ghost of “Shoeless” Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) appears in the diamond, along with other players from the Chicago Black Sox, all of whom begin a game. Of course, the film is about more than former baseball legends. By the end of the film, Ray learns that the “he” is his father, a man Ray had a troubled relationship with and the catcher on the field.

Field of Dreams isn’t about being an underdog or winning the big game; it is about following your gut and learning valuable lessons along the way. In this case, it is about making amends and building something for everyone to enjoy. While everyone thought Ray was a bit crazy, they eventually saw the beauty in the field, and neighbors and townspeople would drive to the field to do something simple: sit together and watch a fun game of baseball.

6 ‘The Karate Kid’ (1984)

Directed by: John G. Avildsen

The 1984 film The Karate Kid is one every kid (and adult) should watch. After moving with his mother to Southern California, Daniel (Ralph Macchio) finds himself the target of the school bullies, led by Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), a black belt at the Cobra Kai dojo. Insert Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), the handyman at Daniel’s apartment complex and the man who inevitably teaches him how to defend himself, but not with the aggressive form of karate Johnny is taught, but with menial chores and muscle memory. Eventually, Daniel enters a tournament, wanting to prove to himself and his bullies that he can take care of himself. In this case, against all odds and a messed up knee thanks to an illegal blow, the underdog winds up winning the title.

The Karate Kid is more than a fighting movie; it is about meeting people and learning about their stories. It is about self-improvement, development, and important life lessons that will follow you into old age. Most importantly, The Karate Kid is about being the bigger person and not stooping down to a bully’s level but practicing a skill in order to prove yourself. One of the best underdog movies, The Karate Kid is essential viewing for anyone who enjoys not only a good story but has amazing character relationships and showcases the results of doing something even though you know it is wrong.

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5 ‘Remember the Titans’ (2000)

Directed by: Boaz Yakin

Set in 9171 Alexandria, Virginia, football is life. But when the school board votes to integrate the school and hires a Black football coach, tensions run high. Remember the Titans follows Coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) as he becomes the head coach of the football team, attempting to bring together his team and have them look past the color of one another’s skin. The team clashes on more than one occasion, especially Gerry Bertier (Ryan Hurst) and Julius Campbell (Wood Harris). But something finally clicks, and the team realizes they are so much more than the color of their skin; they are a team on and off the field, and they are going to prove to the people of Alexandria that color doesn’t matter.

Remember the Titans is an inspirational film about a group of people who, against all odds and in a world that’s telling them they shouldn’t talk to one another, become friends. While the plot has to do with football and winning a championship, the story is so much more. A team coming together and thinking of one another as brothers instead of enemies, Remember the Titans is not only essential viewing and one of the best football movies around, but it also holds an important message that everyone should listen to.

4 ‘Rocky’ (1976)

Directed by: John G. Avildsen

The quintessential underdog movie, Rocky stars Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, a working-class guy and small-time boxer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When Rocky is chosen to compete against reigning world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), he takes his training up a notch. Undergoing weeks of strange training sanctioned by his trainer, Mickey (Burgess Meredith), Rocky sets his eye on winning the match against Creed and the prize of $150,000, a large sum for “The Italian Stallion.” When it is time for the match, it is believed Creed would win by a landslide. The opposite happens, and Rocky gives him the fight of his life, ending with a split decision and Creed the victor.

It is an interesting take on the underdog trope, as Rocky doesn’t actually win the end match, and the two characters state that there wouldn’t be a rematch. It is a spectacular movie about motivation and succeeding in something you are passionate about, even if it doesn’t result in actually winning. Even for people who are not fans of boxing, Rocky is one of those films that brings viewers into the ring, rooting for a working-class guy who is down on his luck and wants to make a name for himself.

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3 ‘Hoosiers’ (1986)

Directed by: David Anspaugh

Starring Gene Hackman as failed college basketball coach Norman Dale, Hoosiers follows his story as he brings a High School team together in the tiny Indiana town and sets his sits on the state championship. Not getting support when he first arrives, Dale struggles to find a strategy that will produce a winning team. That’s when Jimmy (Maris Valainis), a former star player, decides to join, against the advice of his teacher. With an unconventional coaching method, a temper, and a strange choice of an alcoholic assistant coach, Dale somehow leads his team to the championship game and wins.

The story was inspired by the high school state champions of 1954, the Milan High School team. It is a story of coming together as a team, even in the face of controversy and a town that doesn’t necessarily believe you can win. It is an underdog story, one of the best basketball movies, and with the exceptional performances and story of a rage-filled coach it is a hard one to resist.

2 ‘A League of Their Own’ (1992)

Directed by: Penny Marshall

A fictionalized account of true events, A League of Their Own tells the story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, the first all-women baseball team in the United States. With World War II taking many men away from their families, careers, and the country to fight, the MLB is on the brink of shutting down. However, Chicago Cubs owner Walter Harvey is able to persuade other owners to open a women’s league, something that would allow sports to continue. Traveling the country and recruiting women, the Peaches is eventually formed. Of course, an all-women’s team wasn’t exactly something the people of the US were used to, so publicity campaigns and advertisements occurred, and, eventually, tickets were sold. The Peaches even make it to the World Series,

With an all-star cast of ladies, including Geena Davis, Madonna, Lori Petty, and Rosie O’Donnell, with Tom Hanks rounding out the cast, playing the has-been manager Jimmy Dugan, A League of Their Own is light, charming, and too incredible not to become invested in the events. It is a story about a team that, technically, never should have happened and was put together only because of horrible circumstances. With sibling and team rivalries, “no crying in baseball,” and the story of women’s liberation in a man’s world, this film is one that shouldn’t be overlooked.

1 ‘Raging Bull’ (1980)

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

An adaptation of real-life middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta and his memoir Jake LaMotta, the Robert De Niro-led film Raging Bull follows the trials and tribulations of one man as he fights his way to the top of his sport. Working his way to the top of middleweight boxing in order to earn the crown, LaMotta’s rage, jealousy, and anger take a toll, and as quickly as he rises in the boxing scene, he falls just as quickly. It is often considered not only one of the greatest sports movies ever made but one of the greatest movies ever made/

Often difficult to watch, De Niro’s use of human emotion is unlike anything he’s shown fans before. Explosive and yet entertaining, Raging Bull shows how one man’s emotions can get the best of him, making things up in his own head to make everything make sense. It is a powerful film that everyone should see at least once, even those who aren’t necessarily boxing fans.

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