The Top 10 Greatest Football Movies of All Time
10. The Replacements (2000)
IMDb Score: 6.6
The Replacements is a 2000 film that hyper fictionalized the NFL's 1987 lockout, where owners hired replacement players while the league's most important workers, the players, were on strike. Staring big names like Keanu Reeves, Gene Hackman, Keith David and Jon Favreau this movie is worth the rewatch for just the chaos of the players strike alone. Available to stream on HBOMax as of writing.
9. Varsity Blues (1999)
IMDb Score: 6.5
I don't want your life. This movie earns its R rating in more than a few ways so definitely not one for kids, just as certain dialogue REALLY catches you off guard so just a heads up. But this film starring 90's heartthrob James Van Der Beek and Paul Walker before he joins (starts?) the Fast Family. It is wild seeing Jesse Plemons so young in this movie (he was 10-11) before his rise in acting prominence. This movie is a high school football classic that might be best left as a memory, but you will enjoy the ride on rewatch. Available to stream on HBOMax as of writing.
8. The Express (2008)
IMDb Score: 7.3
The Express follows the incredible story of Ernie Davis but, while I love him for making football movies, ultimately this movie has way too much Dennis Quaid. Which is something he has since learned from, but it definitely took a while. This movie has a great cast from Rob Brown playing Ernie Davis, to Chadwick Boseman and Clancy Brown. This movie is definitely worth watching for Ernie Davis' story alone, though I wish we fleshed it out a bit more.
7. Rudy (1993)
IMDb Score: 7.5
Oh Rudy, a delightful film that followed one our favorite Hobbits but has been so overrated over the years. It also really does not help reading comments from players that were on the team at the time, including Joe Montana.. read at your own risk. Available to stream on Starz as of writing.
6. Any Given Sunday (1999)
IMDb Score: 6.9
Thought "The Replacements" was hyper fictionalized? Any Given Sunday scoffs at its PGness compared to this film's brutal take on America's favorite gladiators. Everything is turned to 11 in this movie on the field and off it. The inches we need are all around us. Man, Al Pacino is just incredible alongside, guess who, Dennis Quaid, Jamie Foxx, and Cameron Diaz. Available to stream on HBOMax as of writing.
5. Invincible (2006)
IMDb Score: 7.1
The story of Vince Papale is a rough 180 from the brutalness of the Replacements, to the heartwarming literal Disney movie that is 2006's Invincible. Mark Wahlberg stars and I swear this is the only movie where you actually see how short he is because it is beneficial to the story. This is a story about one of the boys, substitute teacher/part time bartender becoming a hometown hero as he tries out for the Eagles. Available to stream on Disney+ as of writing.
4. We Are Marshall (2006)
IMDb Score: 7.1
Does green mean heartwarming? I swear I am seeing a pattern here. Whew this is real life horror story that turns into hope and the human spirit to triumph through tough times. In November 1970 nearly the entire Marshall football team and staff died in a plane crash, this film follows the real-life story about how the school rallied behind the survivors to play again the next season. Available to stream on HBOMax as of writing.
3. Remember the Titans (2000)
IMDb Score: 7.8
A movie dealing with so much heavy subject matter that it should have fallen flat on its face but this movie stands strong as one of the best sports films of all time, and just has a ridiculous cast from Denzel Washington to Ryan Gosling to Will Patton to Donald Faison and just keeps going. So many actors went on to do great things from this. But this film itself has just so many classic moments, it easily has an argument to be at the top of this list. Available to stream on Disney+ as of writing.
2. American Underdog (2021)
IMDb Score: 7.5
Off the bat, this could 100% be recency bias because it has been so long since we have gotten a good football movie. But I ADORED this movie, yes stuff at times looks goofy but it is the 90's everything looked goofy, trust it because this movie is very self-aware about a lot of that. This just incredible story of Kurt Warner's struggles and then rise to fame is worth watching by every single football fan. It is still in theaters as I type this, go see it ASAP!
1. Friday Night Lights (2004)
IMDb Score: 7.2
If you have ever talked to me about football movies you knew this was coming. This is high school football, Friday nights under the lights, family struggles, recruiting, and just the immense pressure put on these kids. Do NOT come at me talking about the crappy show that essentially just stole the name and used none of the story. This is Billy Bob Thornton at his absolute peak, hearing him talk about his real life struggles he was going through while filming and how his big speech was almost entirely off script makes me love this movie so much more. If one thing can be said about this movies message is life isn't a fairytale, it's tough, but that doesn't mean the hard work and the journey weren't worth it. Available to stream on Hulu as of writing.
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