10 best sports biography movies
10 best sports biography movies: With all the sports movies that have been made, there are some factors that determine its reception. Rotten Tomatoes ratings, critical acclaim and awards are part of it, but what matters most is this intangible quality called “it”.
Sports movies often include fictional characters and plots. A League of Their Own, The Wrestler, and Hoosiers are not 100 percent accurate in their portrayal of their subject matter.
1. Chariots of Fire:
Chariots of Fire takes us on a journey through the inspiring lives of Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, two British men from different backgrounds who came together at the 1924 Olympics. The film is driven by their deep religious faith, as well as their competitive spirit, as they both experience tough struggles within the Olympic games.
2. Concussion
Concussion, which is based on research by Dr. Bennet Omalu, confirms that brain injuries in football players need to be taken more seriously. Will Smith gives an incredible performance in this movie.
Concussion received positive feedback from viewers and is rated 77% on the website Rotten Tomatoes. USA Today gave good reviews with the reviewer stating that Will Smith played his most transformative role yet.
3. Glory Road
Glory Road is a movie about the 1966 Texas Western basketball team that successfully makes sports movies socially relevant. Coach Don Haskins, played by Josh Lucas, starts five black players in a championship game and beats Adolph Rupp’s all-white Kentucky squad.
Glory Road won the best sports movie of 2006 and has a higher audience rating (81%), but a lower critical rating (55%).
4. The Rookie
Jim Morris, a high school baseball coach and pro pitcher, had the opportunity to pitch at age 35. He made his debut as The Rookie in 2002. Starring Dennis Quaid, the movie was received favorably because of his natural acting that brought believability to his character.
Unabashedly, The Rookie has a 83% certified fresh rating based on Rotten Tomatoes reviews. The movie is based on a true story and it is lyrical and beautifully filmed. The movie preaches an optimistic philosophy- if you are what you could have been, it’s worth it.
5. Rudy:
Rudy is a football movie about an undersized long shot that walks on to the Notre Dame team. The film succeeded in evoking the historic spirit of Notre Dame football, by “waking up the echoes”.
6. Hoosiers:
Hoosiers is loosely based on the true story of an Indiana underdog team that won a state title. Although the movie’s inaccurate depiction of a historical fact is an error in the film, it stands out as a high school sports classic due to Gene Hackman’s well-played performance.
Along with garnering a nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and one Golden Globe, the film was nominated for two Academy awards.
7. Somebody Up There Likes Me
This movie is based on the life of Rocky Graziano, it stars Paul Newman who plays a young boxer. He is like an early version of Raging Bull as they both contain real-life stories of boxers from the 1940s. Somebody Up There Likes Me can have cliche moments but it’s still an entertaining film for boxing movie enthusiasts.
8. Remember the Titans
According to a summary by Jeff Merron, the drama and execution of the film makes it wholly entertaining, even if it is not 100% accurate. Some of the events portrayed in the film are fictional, but Remember the Titans is based off a true story about how black head coach Herman Boone helped understandings between white players and black players on a high school football team in Alexandria, Virginia.
The Remember the Titans film grossed over $20 million on opening days, and 73% of approved critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave it a positive review.
9. The Pride of the Yankees
The Pride of the Yankees, an American film based on Lou Gehrig’s life. Released in 1942 one year after his death. Gary Cooper starred as the first baseman, tackling Lou Gehrig’s famous “luckiest man” speech while Babe Ruth joined him on screen portraying himself. Three-quarters of a century later, the film has a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
10. Cinderella Man
Cinderella Man is a movie following the true story of James Braddock, who is beaten down from the impact of the Great Depression. After two years of struggling and winning, he became world heavyweight champion of the world despite all odds.
The Awards for Cinderella Man were three Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards with an 80 percent rating on the Rotten Tomatoes website.