Even if the closest you’ve come to sports is watching a spot of Wimbledon, sports movies offer something for everyone. Whether you’re up for gore, drama, the feelgood or the funny factor, read on for our pick of the best…
Raging Bull (1980)
Martin Scorsese’s ‘Raging Bull’ is much more than a boxing movie. De Niro’s portrayal of real-life ’40s boxer Jake La Motta is one of cinema’s finest – not only for his ability to go from a lean boxing weight to a washed-up fatso, but for the gritty depiction of a man who’s hard to like. This brutal boxing film definitely earned De Niro a well-desrved Oscar and turned a blood-soaked piece of cinema into a modern classic.
The Wrestler (2008)
In a perfectly pitched example of art imitating life, Rourke takes on the role of a washed-up ageing wrestler on a quest for a second chance – and director Darren Aranofsky certainly puts him through his paces. With documentary-style cinematography that verges on the voyeuristic, we watch buffed, bleached and bronzed 1980s wrestling hero Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson escaping the grim reality of his trailer for a round in the ring each weekend. Awesome.
Jerry Maguire (1996)
This star-studded rom-com classic sees Tom Cruise working as a sports agent who smells corruption in the industry and is hell-bent on doing something about it. “Show me the money!” yells Cruise as he single-handedly takes on the big wigs, while pocketing a fair few quid and tasty single mum Renee Zellwegger in the process. Heart-warming stuff.
The Hustler (1961)
While films about cue sports aren’t exactly big business, The Hustler proves that pool can provide some scintillating viewing. Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason take the title roles as pool players with something to prove and Robert Rossen’s direction depicts the down-town pool hall in all its sleazy glory. Witness the hustles, smell the smoke and taste the alcohol while the balls clink toward victory or defeat.
Kingpin (1996)
The Farrelly brothers hallmarks are all over this cinematic bowling classic, with that simultaneously sweet and sickening variety of belly-laughs that the siblings from Pennsylvania have made their own. Woody Harrelson puts in a star turn as washed-up one-handed bowling champ Roy Munson, out to make a quick buck from super-talented Amish bowler Ishmael. Yep, it’s far-fetched but with a winning cast of crude comedians including Bill Murray and Randy Quaid, the movie manages to be pant-wettingly funny while also a touching tribute to the spirit of the game.
Rocky (1976)
Stallone puts in arguably the best performance of his career as Rocky Balboa, struggling to make a living in 70s Philadelphia as both a small-time boxer and the brawn of a loan shark. He finally gets his big break when he gets the chance to compete for the World Heavy-Weight Title in an unfeasible plot twist that manages to seem completely plausible thanks to the film’s realistic acting, superb dialogue and phenomenal music score.
Caddyshack (1980)
This movie must have spawned more quotable lines than any other cinematic 80s offering. But even if you’ve heard the classic lines a million times, the movie is still funny, largely thanks to the fact that director Harold Ramis managed to persuade the comedy holy trinity of Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield and Bill Murray to take part. Just avoid Caddyshack II at all costs.
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Clint Eastwood puts Hilary Swank through her paces in a boxing film about a woman’s struggle to prove herself in a man’s world. While this could have descended into schmaltzy Hollywood fare, Hilary Swank turns in a brilliant performance as amateur boxer Maggie Fitzgerald, and Eastwood himself makes a worthy appearance as her beleaguered coach, to create a spell-binding piece of cinema.
Dodgeball
Okay, so it’s not exactly an official sport, but any competitive game based on the premise that ‘if you can dodge a wrench you can dodge a ball’ gets our vote. This goofy US comedy starring slapstick kings Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn may not be the most intellectually stimulating film but as laugh-out-loud movies go, it’s up there with the best.
Karate Kid (1984)
This classic 80’s movie had teenage boys around the country donning their whites in a bid to learn to ‘wax on, wax off’ like Danny LaRusso. Starring one of cinema’s most famous characters, Mr Miyagi is the grandpa-esque martial arts guru who transforms a weedy geek into a lean martial arts machine. The ultimate feel-good underdog film.
