Sport: 85

The American sports drama film, Rocky Balboa (2006), was written, directed by, and starred Sylvester Stallone. The protagonist, now 60 years old and retired from boxing, leads a quiet life as a widower. His wife Adrian passed away four years prior after losing her battle to cancer. Rocky now operates a successful Italian restaurant named after her, where he entertains customers with stories from his past. Alongside coping with his grief over Adrian’s death, Rocky also struggles with his strained relationship with his son Robert – now a moderately successful young corporate lawyer. His brother-in-law and best ...

Cars (2006) is an American animated sports comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. In a world where vehicles are the main population, the Dinoco 400 race is the ultimate event of the Piston Cup season. This race heightens tension between the retiring seven-time champion, Strip ‘The King’ Weathers, the sly Chick Hicks, and the talented yet cocky rookie, Lightning McQueen. Determined to secure a spot on the renowned Dinoco team, Lightning struggles with working as a team due to his selfish demeanor. During this high-stakes competition, Lightning narrowly avoids getting caught up in Chick’s attempt to cause a major ...

Facing the Giants (2006), an American Christian drama sports film directed by and starring Alex Kendrick, tells the story of Grant Taylor. As head football coach of the Shiloh Christian Academy Eagles for seven years, he has faced numerous challenges: no state playoffs, no winning record. And this season has started out especially rough with three consecutive losses and the loss of a key player to another school. Adding to his struggles, his home is in disrepair, his appliances are failing, and his car is unreliable. But perhaps the biggest blow for Grant is learning that he is infertile and unable to give his wife ...

Clint Eastwood directs, co-produces, scores, and stars in the American sports drama Million Dollar Baby (2004). Written by Paul Haggis and based on stories from F.X. Toole’s Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner, this film follows the journey of Margaret ‘Maggie’ Fitzgerald, a waitress from the Ozarks who seeks out the guidance of Frankie Dunn, a cantankerous Irish-American trainer at his rundown boxing gym in Los Angeles. Despite initially refusing to train her due to both her gender and ...

The American sports film Miracle (2004), directed by Gavin O’Connor and written by Eric Guggenheim and Mike Rich, follows the story of Herb Brooks, head ice hockey coach at the University of Minnesota. He interviews for the national team coach’s job with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), sharing his strategies on how to defeat the dominant Soviet team who have won the gold medal in the previous four Olympics. Despite initially doubting Brooks, the USOC ultimately hires him and he meets assistant coach ...

The French film, Michel Vaillant (2003), stars Sagamore Stévenin and Diane Kruger. It tells the story of events surrounding the 24 hours of Le Mans race, which is based on a popular comic featuring the character, Michel Vaillant. The racing team, Vaillante, owned and operated by the Vaillant family has a rich history of success in various motor sports for many years. Michel Vaillant, the son of founder and owner Henri and younger brother of manager Jean-Pierre, is their most renowned driver. One night, Michel’s mother Élisabeth has a nightmare about her son’s ...

Hardball (2001) is an American sports drama/comedy film directed by Brian Robbins. Conor O’Neill, a gambler, finds himself in debt with two bookies after secretly betting $6,000 on his late father’s account. A corporate friend suggests that he coach a team of troubled African-American fifth graders from Chicago’s ABLA housing projects for ten weeks in exchange for a weekly payment of $500. Focused on getting his paycheck, Conor arrives at the baseball field to meet an eclectic group of players, including Andre Ray Peetes, a witty captain who forms a strong bond with Conor; Kofi Evans, a hot-tempered ...

Michael Mann’s biographical sports drama film Ali (2001) follows the journey of boxer Cassius Clay Jr. leading up to his first championship match against heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. Clay taunts Liston and initially dominates the fight, but midway through he experiences a burning sensation in his eyes, causing him to briefly believe Liston has cheated. With encouragement from trainer/manager Angelo Dundee, Clay regains his vision and ultimately wins the match, becoming the second-youngest heavyweight champion at that time. Along the way, he meets with Malcolm X and is eventually given the name Muhammad Ali ...

Directed by Renny Harlin, Driven (2001) is an American action sports film that follows the story of rookie sensation Jimmy Bly during the 2000 Champ Car Season. With five wins already under his belt, Jimmy’s success has sparked jealousy from reigning champion Beau Brandenburg, who blames his fiancée Sophia for distracting him from his driving. As a result, Beau ends their engagement and regains his winning streak in Chicago. Meanwhile, Jimmy’s team owner Carl Henry worries about his performance on the track and turns to retired Champ Car champion Joe Tanto for guidance and mentorship. Joe agrees to help and ...

Remember the Titans (2000), an American biographical sports comedy-drama film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin, tells the story of a high school football team. In 1981, a group of former coaches and players attend a funeral for one of their own. The events leading up to this moment begin ten years earlier in the summer of 1971, when head coach Bill Yoast is leading his white players in summer workouts at T. C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia. However, things take an unexpected turn when Herman Boone is assigned to Yoast’s ...

The sports comedy film The Replacements (2000), directed by Howard Deutch, centers around a professional football league that is facing a players’ strike with only four games remaining in the season. In response, the league’s owner, Edward O’Neil, reaches out to his former coach Jimmy McGinty and asks him to return and coach the Washington Sentinels for the rest of the season. O’Neil informs McGinty that winning three out of the four remaining games will secure their spot in the playoffs. However, McGinty agrees to return on one condition – that he has full control over selecting his own players ...

The American sports film, The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), tells the story of Hardy Greaves, a senior who has experienced his fair share of health issues while playing golf. His late wife used to question why he continued to play ‘a game that seems destined to kill’ him. Despite this, Greaves shares his love for the sport by recounting his childhood hero: Rannulph Junuh. Junuh is the beloved son of Savannah, Georgia, known as a talented golfer from a privileged background. Alongside his stunning girlfriend Adele Invergordon, they appear to have the perfect life. However, after experiencing the horrors of World War I and losing his entire company in ...

Michael Corrente’s A Shot at Glory (2000) is a film that experienced limited commercial and critical success. The story centers around Gordon McLeod, the manager of a second tier Scottish football team. Under pressure from his American owner, McLeod must sign a marquee player in hopes of improving the team’s fortunes and preventing it from being relocated from its dedicated town after a century of history. Along the way, he faces personal battles with his daughter and a former colleague who betrayed him. The fictional Scottish football club featured in the film, Kilnockie FC, is based on a Second Division ...

The American biographical sports drama film, The Hurricane (1999), was directed and produced by Norman Jewison. It tells the story of Rubin ‘The Hurricane’ Carter, a middleweight boxer wrongfully convicted of a triple murder in Paterson, New Jersey. After spending nearly two decades in prison, his sentence was finally overturned. The film focuses on Carter’s life from 1966 to 1985 as he fights against the unjust conviction. In parallel, we follow the journey of Lesra Martin, an underprivileged Afro-American youth from Brooklyn now living in Toronto. In the 1980s, Lesra becomes intrigued by ...

Play It to the Bone (1999) is an American sports comedy-drama directed and written by Ron Shelton. Close friends Vince Boudreau and Cesar Dominguez, both aging prizefighters, often regretted not having one last chance in the ring. That opportunity unexpectedly presents itself when boxing promoter Joe Domino faces a predicament. The fighters scheduled for his Las Vegas undercard, leading up to heavyweight Mike Tyson’s main event, suddenly pull out. In desperate need of replacements, Vince and Cesar are contacted from Los Angeles. With both willing to step into the ring, Domino decides to pit them against each ...

The film For Love of the Game (1999), directed by Sam Raimi and written by Dana Stevens, is based on Michael Shaara’s novel of the same name. The Detroit Tigers are scheduled to play a final series against the New York Yankees in New York City. Despite their 63-97 record, which eliminates them from any chance at the playoffs, they take pride in facing the Yankees who are vying for the American League East title. In his Manhattan hotel suite, 40-year-old pitcher Billy Chapel waits for his girlfriend Jane Aubrey, but ...

Directed by Oliver Stone, Any Given Sunday (1999) follows the struggles of fictional American football team, the Miami Sharks. The once-dominant team is struggling to secure a spot in the 2001 AFFA playoffs, under the leadership of long-time coach Tony D’Amato. However, tensions arise between D’Amato and young team owner Christina Pagniacci, as well as his expected successor Nick Crozier, who serves as offensive coordinator. In a pivotal game during the thirteenth week of the season, both starting quarterback Jack ‘Cap’ Rooney and backup player Tyler Cherubini are injured and unable to play. In ...

The American sports drama film, He Got Game (1998), was written, produced, and directed by Spike Lee. It centers around Jesus Shuttlesworth, an exceptional high school basketball player being heavily recruited by top college programs. However, his father Jake is currently serving time at Attica Correctional Facility for accidentally killing Jesus’ mother Martha six years ago. The governor of ‘Big State’, one of the schools vying for Jesus’ talents, grants Jake a work release in hopes that he can convince his son to sign with their program and secure an early release from prison. As soon as he is ...

Tin Cup (1996) is a romantic comedy and sports film that was co-written and directed by Ron Shelton. It follows the story of Roy ‘Tin Cup’ McAvoy, a former golf prodigy living a directionless life. After making a risky move during the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament, he lost his chance at becoming a professional golfer. Currently, he spends his time drinking and hanging out with his friend Romeo Posar and their group of friends at his run-down driving range in West Texas. One day, Molly Griswold, a clinical psychologist, shows up seeking golf lessons. She happens to be dating David Simms, a top professional ...

Director and writer Cameron Crowe brought the American sports comedy-drama film Jerry Maguire (1996) to audiences. The titular character is a smooth 35-year-old agent at Sports Management International (SMI). A revelation brought on by criticism from a player’s son causes Jerry to pen a mission statement calling out the dishonesty he sees in his industry. He vows to work with fewer clients and forge stronger, more caring relationships with them. SMI responds by sending Jerry’s apprentice, Bob Sugar, to terminate him at a restaurant. This sparks both men into action as they frantically reach out to every one ...