TOP 50 SPORTS MOVIES OF ALL-TIME
written by: clarkey
After numerous of attempts, here is my full list of what I think are the best sports movies ever made.
#50 Blue Crush
This movie is a good movie and it helps to have 3 lovely ladies in bikinis every other scene. Kate Bosworth is great as usual, the surfing scenes are great, the characters and the story have been done before, but they still are solid. People write this movie off too quickly, check it out. It is a good sports movie about a cool sport: surfing.
#49 Seabiscuit
A great story about underdogs and comebacks. Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, Tobey Maguire and William H. Macy give great performances in this inspiring story. The racing scenes are solid, but most of the story takes place off the track. It has a slow start, but once the three main characters meet, the story picks up in pace and gets interesting.
#48 A League of Their Own
"There’s no crying in baseball!" Women take the men’s roles in baseball when the men are in Europe fighting in the second war. Tom Hanks is great as a drunk coach and the cast of women are good, too. The baseball is pretty good, but the original story and true story is the reason why this movie has made my list.
#47 Any Given Sunday
Oliver Stone’s attempt to make a sports movie is not his best work, but not his worst work either. It’s simply an average movie, that just happens to have some of the better football scenes in a movie. An all-star cast is great with the likes of Al Pacino and Dennis Quiad. I don’t really like this movie, but the football scenes are enough to put it on my list.
#46 Space Jam
Next to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, it is the best movie that mixes animation and real people. Michael Jordan tries acting and it is almost as bad as his baseball career. But it is still a great kids movie with some great physical comedy and the basketball scenes are fun to watch. The highlights of the movie is Bill Murray, who practically steals the movie in the short time that he graces the film and the numerous of cameos and guest appearances by some of the best basketball players of our generation.
#45 The Hurricane
One of the most powerful and overall movie on the list. This movie is not really a "sports movie" because the only boxing scenes are just flashbacks and the real story is getting Ruben "Hurricane" Carter out of prison for a crime he didn’t committ. However, the boxing scenes are great as is Denzel Washington, (he can’t make a bad movie).
#44 The Waterboy
One of the more funnier football movies starring Adam Sandler as "special" Bobby Boucher. The geeky waterboy who has had enough of people picking on him and snaps into one of the most unlikely linebackers to play the game of football. Sandler takes on the role and has funs with it, the football scenes are decent, but the comedy is what makes the movie make the list.
#43 Angels in the Outfield
Do angels play baseball? That’s the question we all want to know? Well since the all-star break when a young kid prays that the California Angels win the pennant so that his dad will not allow him to be put up for adoption, yes. Danny Glover, Tony Danza, Christopher Llyod and a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt head the great cast, which includes some other familiar names, such as Adrian Broady and Matthew McConaughey. The baseball is unlikely, fun, entertaining as is the comedy that makes it a great family sports movie that is one of my childhood favourites.
#42 Little Giants
Another childhood favourite about the saddest, most pathetic bunch of loser kids to ever pick up a football. A complete underdog story of two peewee football teams headed by two brothers who fight over anything and everything. Rick Moranis and Ed O’Neill are the two brothers. The football scenes are equivelant to the hockey scenes in the Mighty Ducks, but they are still entertaining and hiliarious. On a sidenote: don’t piss off a chick with the nickname of Icebox.
#41 The Rookie
Dennis Quaid is one of my favourite actors and he is great as Jimmy Morris, a high school science teacher who tries out for the Tampa Bay Devilrays after losing a bet with his students/players on his team. If his team wins the championship, he has to go and try out for a professional team. It is Disney sports drama at its best with many inspirational moments and some great ball scenes, focusing mainly on the pitching of Morris. All in all, a great sports movie.
#40 The Fan
Robert DeNiro is one of the best actors of our generation. This is one of the creepiest sports movies since it deals with a very creepy aspect of sports; fans’ obession. DeNiro plays an over-obessed fan that takes matters into his own hands when Giants slugger, (Snipes) can’t hit a beachball. It’s not really considered a sports movie, but it revolves around the sport of baseball, so that’s enough to make the list.
#39 The Karate Kid
"Wax on, wax off" Listen to Mr. Miyagi, and you will beat everyone of the Cobras in any tournament. You will also learn the valuable life lessons that Danny learns throughout the off beat practice techniques of Mr. Miyagi. Ralph Macchio’s most recognizable role and the movie that everyone knows him from. A little known fact is that Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita was actually nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Miyagi. A great family film that has something for all tastes.
#38 Varisty Blues
One of the best teen sports movies with some great comedy and good football scenes. As we all know, high school football in Texas is more than a religion, it’s a way of life. West Canaan is the small-town Texan city that the story takes place. The characters are great, although they are cliched in many ways. Like, Lance Harbour, (Paul Walker), who is the god-like perfect quarterback, who gets injured and the insecure, more nerdy second-string and friend, John Moxon, (James Van Der Beek) has to carry the team. Jon Voight is great as the over-the-top coach as are Scott Caan and Ron Lester as Tweeder and Billy Bob.
#37 Chariots of Fire
One of the few sports movies which has won numerous Academy Awards, including Best Picture in 1982. A powerful story of two British track runners who compete against each other at the 1924 Olympics. Some of Britian’s finest actors make this movie, most notably Ian Holm, who many know as Bilbo in The Lord of the Rings. However, we all know the main part of this movie that everyone knows: the score, which is in almost every other movie nowadays. The powerful score, great performances, great racing and training scenes and one brilliant story makes it one of the better sports movies on the list.
#36 The Natural
Similar to The Rookie, this is another well known comeback movie about an older player who has finally made it. Although, Roy Hobbs is an average player, he used to be a great pitcher. On his way to the majors, he gets unexpectedly shot and is forced to retire. He continues to play ball, but only as a normal hitter. That is until his bat is struck by lightning and suddenly he becomes a slugger and helps his last place team make it to the finals. Robert Redford is great as Roy, the baseball scenes are solid and the story is great.
#35 Mystery, Alaska
This is a great hockey movie that mixes some great hockey scenes and some good comedy. Russell Crowe is good as John Biebe, the town’s Sheriff and oldest player in the Saturday game. The small town boast some of the best amateur hockey players and when a hotshot sports writer from the town makes it big, he challenges the New York Rangers to a game in Mystery. When the game finally comes and the subplots are resolved, it is a game to remember with great goals, big hits, good comedy and a game story that will have you cheering for Mystery.
#34 Murderball
There are literally no rugby movies, but there is a great documentary about wheelchair rugby. It is one hell of a cool sport and a great documentary. It has Canada and the U.S. battling each other in the paralympics. With Canada being victorious a few times, which is more than enough for me.
#33 Baseketball
Play basketball with baseball rules and you got baseketball, a new gmae that Coop and Remer made up, add a millionarie that likes the new popular game and makes it a professional league where the players are paid the same and no trades or signings. It is probably the funniest movie on the list with some great crude humor, having the creators of South Park star in the movie. The best part of this movie is the poking fun at how commerical the main sports leagues have become with the changing cities, corporate sponsoring and no team loyalty. A great, yet simple movie that will have you laughing throughout.
#32 When We Were Kings
One of the better sports documentaries. This great film is untold story of the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’. For those who don’t know boxing, it was when Muhammed Ali wins the Heavy Weight Title at the age of 32, not past his prime, like most thought before the fight. His foe is George Forman, the then Heavy Weight Champion of the World. Set in Zaire, backed by their dictator and promoted by non other than Don King himself, it is a sports movie unlike any other and shouldn’t be missed.
#31 Hoop Dreams
This is the best sports documentary period. It follows the lives of two inner-city Chicago teenage boys who have dreams of making the NBA one day. Both have to deal with the inner-city life, while trying to follow their dreams. The film follows them for five years from their first year at high school to their freshmen year at college. It is an amazing story of how real people struggle and fight for their dreams. A great sports film that every sports fan must see.
#30 Mean Machine
This is a great adaptation of a classic sports movie, The Longest Yard. Instead of American football, it’s European football (or soccer for North Americans). Place some of England’s finest actors such as Vinnie Jone and Jason Statham in replace of Burt Reynolds, add some wacky convicts and you got a solid sports movie. Filled with a great match, good British humor and likable team of convicts.
#29 The Bad New Bears
The original was a bit better, although Richard Linklater did a good job remaking this classic. The kids are absolutely ruthless and swear like sailors throughout the movie. Walter Mattau is great as the drunk coach and teaches the kids a valuable lesson in the final game. It’s nice to see a sports movie that underlines the message of winning isn’t the only thing, sports are about everyone having an equal shot and having fun.
#28 Rocky IV
Everybody loves this one. It is definitely the most exciting and has more action than the other Rockys. Balboa is back again, but does not want to fight Ivan Drago, the scary Soviet boxer. His now friend, Apollo Creed, fights in his place and is killed in the ring by the bigger and stronger Drago. Balboa responds by going to Russia and beating the undefeated Soviet champ in typical Rocky fashion. The frozen Russian setting makes for another great training montage, which is the series signature.
#27 Jerry Maguire
This may be a chick flick and romance film, but it deals with an underappreciated part of sports: the sports agent. Tom Cruise gives one of his best performance as Jerry Maguire, a sports agent, who loses his job and starts his own sporting agency. Only Dorothy Boyd accompanies Maguire and he only has one client, Rod Tidwell, (played by Cuba Gooding Jr., in his best role), but he is sure that he can expand his company. He takes his one star, who becomes the best kept secret in the NFL, to Monday Night Football. The behind the scenes shots are great and there are some football game highlights, too. Cameron Crowe has made yet another great film with this one.
#26 Eight Men Out
In 1919, the Chicago White Soxs had one of the best teams in any professional league. However, they wanted to get back with their owner, who wasn’t paying them enough. What did they do? They threw the World Series and had a lot of their key players thrown out of the league because of their involvement. John Cusack is great as Buck Weaver, the one man who wants nothing else but to play baseball. Michael Rooker and Charlie Sheen are solid as the guys who are the first into the deal. The film deals with one of the darkest moments in professional sports, mainly the aftermath of the throwing of the series. The scenes of the World Series are great, but short because the bulk of the story takes place around the actual reasons behind the throwing of the series.
#25 Bull Durham
A lot of people believe that this is the best sports movie of all time, but I find the movie a tad overrated. It’s still a good movie, don’t get me wrong, but it was hyped up a little too much for my liking. I’ve always like Costner and Robbins, who both are great Crash Davis and Nuke LaLoosh respectively. The ball scenes are solid as well and the story is one of the better ones on the list, but I just feel like there’s other sports movies that are better than this one.
#24 There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble
For the longest time, this was my favourite soccer movie. It’s a solid movie deal with a young lad wanting to be a good footballer and when he gets his magic boots, he becoems the star of his team. Another good English football movie, which leads to come to the conclusion that Americans should not attempt to make a soccer movie and leave the European sports to the Europeans to make a movie of. Only drawback of this film was the last line that Jimmy says, where he rather play for Manchester City, not United (my team…the little shit doesn’t know what he’s doing).
#23 Rookie of the Year
12 year old Henry Rowengartner was an average kid, who sucked ass at baseball, that is until he broke his arm. After his arm heals weirdly, he has the ability to throw a 100 mph fastball and signs on as a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, the worst team in the league. After giving up a homer, hitting a batter and throwing a wild pitch, Henry settles down and the Cubs begin their unlikely turn around. A great family movie with some hilarious lines and scenes, especially "funky buttloving".
#22 Miracle
Now, I’m one of the proudest Canadians to ever graze this frozen tundera of ours (hell, I’m even a Canadians Studies major), but I have to say this is one hell of a hockey movie. It is definitely one of the best hockey movies in the last little while. Although, it is about the Americans and it glorifies them a little too much for my liking, it has some of the best hockey scenes filmed on screen. Kurt Russell is outstanding as the legendary Herb Brooks and the relatively unknown hockey players who are the guys on the team are solid both on and off ice.
#21 The Replacements
A lot of people don’t like this movie, but I love it. I mean it’s a funny story with crazy characters and great football scenes. The Washington Sentials decide to finish the regular season with replacement players instead of getting locked out by players’ strike. Keanu Reeves plays the washed-up college star QB, who had a disasterous championship game that everyone remembers. Gene Hackman plays old coach that comes back to lead these replacements to a winning record in the final 4 games. But the highlight of the movie has to go to either Jon Favreau playing a crazy cop turned middle linebacker or Rhys Ifans, who palys Nigel, a Welsh striker who becomes their kicker. The best scene is the bar fight between the replacements and the professionals, just a fun time for sure. "Come on…come on. Stop. (Kick to the groin) Let’s play football, bitch"
#20 Happy Gilmore
Adam Sandler is at his all time high as Happy Gilmore, the worst hockey player turned golfer. He couldn’t skate, stickhandle or pass, but he could hit and my god, he could shoot. His slapshot translates into a 400 yard drive. With the help of Chubbs, an ex-pro, who helps Happy with his short game, Gilmore becomes a complete golfer. Gilmore’s temper is one of the best ever in a movie and the classic lines are freakin hilarious. "The price is wrong, bitch," "If I saw myself in clothes like that, I’d have to kick my own ass," "Son of a bitch ball. Why can't you go home? Aren't you good enough for your home? Answer me! Suck my white ass ball!" are just some of the many lines that are quote regularly.
#19 A Shot at Glory
One of the best recent soccer films. Dealing with a relatively unknown team in the Scottish Division 1, who make to the Cup. The cinderilla team is one of the best to ever grace the big screen. Robert Duvall is great, as usual, as the manager, who has to deal with problems of his duaghter, her ex-husband, who is his new star and an old friend who betrayed him. Michael Keaton is solid as the American owner, who wants to move a Scottish team to Ireland. Damn Yank doesn’t know what he’s doing. The soccer scenes are some of the best ever put on screen and the story is great that will have you cheering for the underdogs. My favourite scene is in the change room at half time, when the keeper says "sorry, I didn’t close my legs" to this Duvall replies, "I wish your mother kept her’s closed." That’s just golden.
#18 Victory
This is the best soccer movie. It takes place during W.W.II in a POW camp and is about a team of prisoners playing the German national soccer team during the war. It stars Sly Stallone as an American, who is always try to escape, who becomes the keeper for the team. You laugh now, but he doesn’t do too bad in the role. Michael Caine is outstanding as their captain and soccer star, who agrees to play a game against the German team. Caine recruits the best soccer players in POW camps, making an international all-star team to face the Germans. The reason for this greatness of a movie is the fact that Pele, the greatest soccer player ever, is in the film as a Brazilian POW. The soccer scenes for the final game are some of the best, mainly the last goal that Pele scores. Also, it has the best outcome ever in any sports movie. There is an added storyline that I don’t want to discuss because it will give away way too much.
#17 Days of Thunder
One of the few movies made about NASCAR and by far, the best one. Cruise is great as Cole Trickle, one of my favourite movie characters. Robert Duvall, again, is great as Harry, Cole’s teacher and pit coach. Nicole Kidman loves the best she’s ever looked in this film. Randy Quaid, Michael Rooker and Cary Elwes offer their services to round out the cast. The racing scenes in this film are great and even led to a ride at Wonderland. I always love watching the Dayota 500, the final race in the movie. It gets me every time. Just a great filmed sequence. Kudos to my man, Tony Scott.
#16 Breaking Away
Dennis Christopher is a relatively unknown actor, who stars Dave in this great story of how sports are a way to gain respect from your peers, your parents and the college students that you race against. Dave is a recent high school graduate, who doesn’t know what he wants to do, but he knows he loves cycling. His friends (played by Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern and Jackie Earle Haley) are in the same boat as Dave, but they know one thing, they’re sick and tried of being treated like shit from the Indiana University students. This leads them to work together during the final race to win. The last 3 laps are shot in sequence without a single cut, giving a realsitic feel for the final suspense of what will happen and will keep you on the edge of your seat. A sidenote: this movie has the second best training scene next to only Rocky.
#15 Cool Runnings
"Greetings, sled god." One of my childhood favourites about the comical approach to the real events of a Jamacian bobseld team of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. The comedy is just great, especially anything that comes out of Sanka’s mouth, the bar fight, the "mirror" scene and the push cart derby scene. A great Disney family film with great bodseld scenes, likable characters and a fun story. "Nuff people say, you know they can't believe, Jamaica, we have a bobsled team"
#14 Major League
One of the best comedy baseball movies. The wacky characters that the new Cleveland Indians owner has brought in for the season are outstanding. She expects them to lose, so she can move the team to Miami. When they find this out, they start winning games, lead by Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger), Rick ‘Wild Thing’ Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) and Willie Mays Hayes (Wesley Snipes). All 3 are great in their roles, as our the rest of the team and manager Lou Brown (played by James Gammon). Let’s not forget about the hilarious commentor; "Juusssttt a bit outside." Great comedy mixed with good ball scenes and decent script makes it a fun sports movie.
#13 Youngblood
Not many people have seen this movie and that is definitely a shame. One of the most underrated movies of all time. Rob Lowe stars as a hot shot 17 year old hockey player from a small farm in Michigan, who comes to Canada to play for the Hamilton Mustangs. He scores all the time, but he gets his ass handed to him on more than one ocassion. A great story with wacky characters, including Keanu Reeves in one of his first roles as the Mustang’s goalie. This film has one of the best after sex scene; one that has Youngbood spraying his face with his water bottle after banging the coach’s daughter. Atta boy Dean! Great hockey scenes with some real NHLers, such as Peter Zezel and Steve Thomas.
#12 Caddyshack
The best golf movie ever, hands down. Also, one of the best comedies with heavyweights like Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield and Bill Murray. All of them in one movie makes for a hell of a time. Directed by Harold Ramis during his height of popularity. Michael O’Keefe is the actual lead character, Danny, a caddyshack, who doesn’t know what he wants to do with his life, so he sucks to the snobs of the country golf to try and get a scholarship. But he realizes that he doesn’t want to be the same as them and enjoys beating them in the final challenge that has him and Ty Cobb (Chase) versus the Judge Smails and the Doctor. Some classic stuff.
#11 The Sandlot
I just watched this movie in its entirely just this past summer for the first time since my childhood and my god, it brought back some great memories of watching it back then. Scotty Smalls is one of the most geekiest kids ever to grace the big screen, he has to be considering he didn’t know who Babe Ruth was and played baseball with a signed Ruth ball. The baseball scenes are nothing special, mostly just playground games, but it is so high on my list for the secondary characters, Benny, (more approriately, Luis Mendoza) who was the coolest kid ever and the fastest son of a bitch. And Jessie Hall was also in it, that’s usually enough for me, but then add the goalie from The Big Green playing one of the best characters ever, Porter. "Hey, isn’t that your sister out in left field….naked?" Just golden. And Squints is my hero for pulling ‘the move’ to get a chance to lock lips with the hot lifeguard, Wendy, atta boy Squints.
#10 The Longest Yard
The original of course, although the remake was enjoyable. It has nothing on the original starring Burt Reynolds. Who is a much cooler dude than goof-ball Adam Sandler. The story is great, creating a game between guards and convicts. And you know it is a good movie when the audience is cheering for rapists, murderers and thieves to beat the living shit out of those who protect our society from these crooks.
#9 Field of Dreams
"If you build it, he will come." Translation: If you build a ball park in your cornfield, then the legends of baseball and your old man, all of whom have been dead for the last 20 years or so, will come and play. Kevin Costner seems to love making sports movies and is great once again as Ray, a man who many farmers in Iowa think is crazy when he builds a ball diamond in his field, causing him to go bankrupt. However, by the end of the film, people understand the logical behind his madness. A great cast, with highlighted by James Earl ‘Not Vader’ Jones and Ray Loitta, who is a great Shoeless Joe Jackson. "Is this heaven? No, it’s Iowa."
#8 Rocky
The first one is the best. One of the best underdogs movie ever created. The Italian Stallion wins the hearts of all who watch this film. It is Sly’s best work, mainly because it was so close to his own character. He did write the script after all. The training scenes are simply amazing and "Gonna Fly Now" has officially become the training song for anyone and any sport. The final fight is one of the best ever filmed. Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers and Burgess Meredith all shine in their respective roles.
#7 Rudy
This movie is for all you little guys. All you guys who are under six feet or if anyone ever tells you you’re not good enough. Rudy, (played amazingly by Sean ‘don’t call me Sam’ Astin, who gives the performance of his career in my mind), has always been a great football star, even when people told him that he couldn’t make it. He was never the smartest kid and that prevented him from going to college. He works in a factory for awhile, until he decides that he has to give it one last shot. All his life he has wanted to play for the Fighting Irish and after years of hard work, he finally makes the practice squad. In his last game, his team stands up to a dick of a coach, in a great scene and get him into the game. Other standouts include Ned Beatty as Rudy’s dad and Jon Favreau as D-Bob, Rudy’s college friend.
#6 Friday Night Lights
One of the best sports movies in the last few years. It puts Varisty Blues to shame when it comes to portaying the dominance of high school football in Texas. Billy Bob Thornton is outstanding as Coach Gaines and his speeches are just as outstanding. The relatively unknown cast are great, especially the kids, mainly Lucas Black, who plays the quarterback, Mike, who has to deal with a sick mom and the injury to their star running back, who is played with a hell of emotional performance by Derek Luke. Also, Tim McGraw gives acting a shot and is great as the abusive ex-star high school player dad of one of the runing backs. The stories are great and shows how a team can come together when a star player goes down. This movie has the best football scenes ever put on screen, especially the final game against Dallas Carter.
#5 Remember the Titans
This is in my mind the best football movie ever made, but not for the football scenes. Although the games and training scenes are well done, it is the story that makes the movie for me. The desegregation of a Virginia High School is what makes this true story so powerful. The guys on the football team have to come to terms with themselves and overcome racial prejudices and stereotypes. Denzel Washington is great again as Coach Boone, who takes over the team to the disgust of the white population and the old coach, Coach Yoast. However, they come together and teach the boys the finer things in life and football. The team is great and fun to watch as they are forced to learn from each other. Great humor, a brilliant story and a nice soundtrack.
#4 The Mighty Ducks Trilogy
I cannot separate these 3 great family hockey movies because they are my childhoods favourites. All of them are great in their respective time slots of the team, mainly Charlie Conway. The first one shows them as one of the most pathetic team ever. But with the help of Gordon Bombay (played by Emilo Estevez), they learn how to play hockey and win some games with the help of Faulton Reed’s heavy slapshot and the great play of Adam Banks. The comedy in this film is great, especially the rumble in the classroom and the quacking at the principle. In D2, most of the team are back and some new comers join them to L.A. to represent team U.S.A. They are a year older, but not necessarily more mature. The scene that has Goldberg, Averman, Jesse Hall and Dwayne shopping is hilarious no matter how many times I watch it. "We like 4 chesse burgers, 4 fries and what do you guys want to drink?" "You kids gets out of here!" I love it. Coach Bombay leads them to the gold over the bigger, faster, hairy Iceland team, who are led by Gunner Stahl, who steals the movie with his few lines. However, their coach "dumps" them into Eden Hall Academy and leaves for a job in the third one. In this one, the team grows up a bit, until they clash with the varisty team and the two teams prank each other for a good part of the movie, which is always fun to watch. Now that they’re in high school, they are experiences with skipping school, the opposite sex and bullying. The best part of the third one is the philosophy of the new coach, Coach Orion : Defence comes first. "Let him make the first move, Conway!" Great advice, which I use myself. Overall, all 3 of these movies are fun times no matter how many times you watch them.
#3 Raging Bull
Robert DeNiro will probably remain my all time favourite actor, despite his more crappy roles lately. He delivers one of his best roles as Jake La Motta in what I think is Martin Scorsese’s best movie. DeNiro rightfully earned Best Actor Oscar for his brilliant performance. Once again, Marty was robbed. The story is one of the best lifestories ever told on the big screen. Not to mention the boxing scenes, which landmark and put the Rocky’s scenes to shame. Shooting it all in black and white was a great move and the final product looks amazing. I can’t forget to mention Joe Pesci, who gives another great performance as Jake’s little brother/manager, Joey.
Easily, the best boxing movie ever made.
#2 Slap Shot
The best hockey movie ever made. Paul Newman is great to watch as Reggie Dunlop, the captain/coach of the Charlestown Chiefs, one of the worst teams in the league. He decides to try to win games through violence. Led by the wacky Hanson brothers, the Chiefs terrorize the league and move up the standings. One of the most R rated sports movie ever made with tons of profanity, crude humor and nudity on top of the violent games, all of which make one of the best sports movie of all time in my mind.
#1 Hoosiers
I don’t normally like basketball that much, but there’s just something about this movie that does it for me. High school basketball in Indiana is parallel to high school football in Texas, every teenage boy revolve their lives around it. This movie tells a brilliant story of underdogs and second chances among a small town high school with enrollment at 54. Gene Hackman gives probably his best performance as Coach Norman Dale and Dennis Hopper is great, as usual, as the assistant coach, Shooter. But the best part of this movie are the game scenes, which are great, especially being released back in 1982. They show just how great the game can be. It is a rare movie that will have you cheering for the team, regardless of your taste in sports. That’s what makes a great sports movie after all is said and done.