Good sports movies inspire you while the best sports movies motivate you to do something. I doubt thriller movies or even the best horrors have the same effect on you.
Also, the best movies about sports show you similar and unique struggles athletes go through. So, if you are going through ones yourself, and you can learn from them.
I love watching sports movies just as much as any comedy or other movie genres in existence. However, the best sports movies are kept for special occasions or times when the mood is right.
It’s in those times that those inspirational sports movies take the most effect and bring out the calling in you.
Rocky (1976)
Director: John G. Avildsen
Writer: Sylvester Stallone
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young
An example of the best sports movies is the most inspirational and motivational movies of all time. It in fact is one of the best space movies of all time.
The scene on top of the stairs is one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history because even though it has been almost half a century, it is remembered and respected.
It was the cornerstone of making boxing movies. Even though sports movies existed before and there were a few of the best sports movies, Rocky was the first boxing movie to gain as much success as it did.
Fighting With My Family (2019)
Director: Stephen Merchant
Writer: Stephen Merchant
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Lena Headey, Vince Vaughn
This is not one of the boxing movies or Olympics movies that feature the hardships of an athlete and inner struggles. But it is one of the best sports movies that features all those emotional aspects of an athlete in a different sport than the most usual ones people are used to seeing.
The movie explores childhood dreams and why some people achieve and some do not. But it goes deeper in exploring character arcs and developing a good and cohesive plot.
It is one of the best sports movies of all time that has wrestling as the main sport and plot in the movie.
White Men Can’t Jump (1992)
Director: Ron Shelton
Writer: Ron Shelton
Stars:Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Rosie Perez
It is one of the most inspirational sports movies which includes a comedic aspect to make it fun, and easy to watch.
With such incredible acting by Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, it could not have chosen a better cast than them, which makes it one of the best sports movies of all time, with a comedy twist.
It is about a white man who plays basketball well and uses the societal stereotype of people thinking “white men can’t jump” and hustles to make more money. A sports movie being this fun has never crossed my mind before.
Moneyball (2011)
Director: Bennett Miller
Writers: Steven Zaillian (screenplay), Aaron Sorkin (screenplay)
Stars: Brad Pitt, Robin Wright, Jonah Hill
One of the sports movies on our list that tackles the issues of financial matters of the team, and its general managers’ activities in a much interesting way.
It is a sports movie that is for a general audience, it has one of the best dialogue and script, storytelling, cinematography, and pretty much everything that movie needs.
As one of the best sports movies of all time, it is so good that upon first watch you cannot possibly find flaws because you are so bought into the story and in the movie.
Remember the Titans (2000)
Director: Boaz Yakin
Writer: Gregory Allen Howard
Stars: Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Wood Harris
It is a blueprint for inspirational sports movies that seek to truly inspire and motivate the audience. It also is the best soccer movie that is based on a true event.
Not the best performance from Denzel Washington, but overall it is an incredible performance and very engaging movie. But seeing Denzel in a movie already puts high expectations on him and if he does not come out like that you might be disappointed. But it is usually our fault.
Remember the titans is surely one of the best soccer movies of the previous century. Certainly of the sports movies that inspire, awe, and entertain you.
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Director: Clint Eastwood
Writers: Paul Haggis (screenplay), F.X. Toole (stories)
Stars: Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman
A boxing movie that is also one of the most inspirational sports movies of all time. It is so well written, filmed, acted, and everything else in between. It is simply one of the best sports movies of all time.
A masterpiece of Clint Eastwood that proves he is one of the best filmmakers of our time. Since this one came out there has not been a better boxing movie.
It is one of those movies that make you cry your heart out because you were so immersed in the movie.
For a sports movie to inspire an audience like this means it is above the sports movies category and that it had ascended to its own level of excellence.
Raging Bull (1980)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Jake LaMotta (based on the book by) (as Jake La Motta), Joseph Carter
Stars: Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci
The names Martins Scorsese and Robert De Niro would be enough for me to watch any movie no matter which period it was made, and for a boxing movie that is told through the talent of the former name, it is one of the best sports movies of all time.
It is in fact more than a boxing movie but more like a personal life of a boxer filmed in sports movies style of black and white 80s.
Back then, boxing was a popular sport and was often used to make sports movies, Scorsese, although, shows how to make the best sports movies.
Wrestler (2008)
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Writer: Robert Siegel
Stars: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood
Another wrestling movie in the list that is absolutely breathtaking and of the best sports movies with as many accolades as this one.
The one thing that I learn from this movie is that reality and acting are indeed as close as people might sometimes assume.
The Wrestler is like a sports movie of wrestlers which might remind of the Raging Bull of the 80s we just wrote about.
It is the inspirational sports movies that challenge us and give us hope and Wrestler is an excellent example of the best sports movies that do all those and well.
Ford v Ferrari (2019)
Director: James Mangold
Writers: Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth
Stars: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal
There was not a sports movie that involved racing yet or at one that was one of the best sports movies until Ford v Ferrari came along.
The movie has one of my favorite actors Christian Bale, and he never fails to deliver one of his best performances of the year. It is so based on true events that actually took place, and this alone makes it one of the best movies about athlets.
Inspirational sports movies try to base their heroes or characters on true events or tragedies to get the fans to like the movies. It is not always done in as much breathtaking a way as this one.
I, Tonya (2017)
Director: Craig Gillespie
Writer: Steven Rogers
Stars: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney
Another sports movie filming true events that inspires and makes us laugh both at the same time. It might not be the best sports movies of all time that is inspired by a true story but one that uses the cinematography and filming style in one of a kind way.
It is a sports movie that could be one of those Olympics movies with a female lead who goes through a lot of stuff to become a champion. It is pretty much the same here but it does it all as if it was one of the best sports movies of all time, and with such quality and quirkiness.
You don’t see Allison Janney in many sports movies nowadays, but every now and then when you see her, you know you are going to get an incredible performance.
The Fighter (2010)
Director: David O. Russell
Writers: Scott Silver (screenplay), Paul Tamasy (screenplay)
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams
Now I will reveal why I said earlier Christian Bale was my favorite actor. He has transformed his body and changed weights many times for the role that you cannot but appreciate all the hard work he goes through.
Fighter was one of those movies for which he had to lose a huge amount of weight to portray the character in the best possible way. It’s crazy how many times he did this and put his health and life in danger.
The only thing you can do as a fan is to appreciate his impeccable dedication to his craft and jaw-dropping performances.
The fighter won a lot of awards and makes the director stand out as one of the most capable in Hollywood.
I have written a lot about the biopic drama sports movies on this list, and each and every one of them are great on their own and are the best sports movies Hollywood has to offer.
Mcfarland USA (2015)
Director: Niki Caro
Writers: Christopher Cleveland (screenplay), Bettina Gilois (screenplay)
Stars: Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Ramiro Rodriguez
Over the years, Disney, well Hollywood in general developed a formula by which to make the most inspiring and the best sports movies. Even though you know it is one of those stories of underdogs and their journey to glory, you can’t help but be touched and love this movie.
It is also based on a true story and one of those rare gems that surely deserves to be on the list of the best sports movies of all time. It works very well as inspirational sports movies as well.
Even though there is this formula and structure that most movies follow, they do not always hit the notes or do the right things at the right time. And if Mcfarland accomplishes one thing, it is that it follows it, and hits every single note.
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Director: Cameron Crowe
Writer: Cameron Crowe
Stars: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., Renée Zellweger
Jerry Maguire is one of the best sports movies about a man finding himself some argue, but it is also a sports movie that explores the world of NFL and what it really takes to be successful.
It is a movie that has given us a lot of popular phrases that are still in use to this day, and one of the examples would certainly be the scene where Cuba Gooding says “Show me the money”.
It in fact is one of the most iconic moments in cinema history. One of the best soccer movies with a romantic touch and incredible cast and performance. Of course, one of the best performances from Tom Cruise, Regina King, and Cuba Gooding.
Warrior (2011)
Director: Gavin O’Connor
Writers: Gavin O’Connor (screenplay), Anthony Tambakis (screenplay)
Stars: Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte, Joel Edgerton
This is one of those action sports movies where a person trains for martial arts tournaments to beat his all-time Nemesis. Even though the movie’s premise is largely based on that, it is more than just a movie about fighters.
It explores the relationship between brothers which gives the movie a bit of drama to pack with so that it would not have to be an emotionless sports movie. And it succeeds at it very well, because it is as emotionally rewarding as it is a sports movie.
In Conclusion
Best sports movies might not always bring out that calling in you, but they always pack a huge punch that gets to your core and spirit.
Anyone can enjoy sports movies whether you are a sportsman or not and that aspect that anyone can relate to and watch them grow and overcome struggles is the outstanding theme of many sports movies.
That theme is what makes these movies so special that I take time to watch, just like the majority of people.
If you are a cinephile, you know that the best sports movies are not the kind you watch Sunday afternoon with leftover food from Saturday.
It is those inspirational sports, boxing movies, Olympics movies that might need some special time and attention to be fully enjoyed. However, the best sports movies are the ones that are to be easily enjoyed.
