biography movies about athletes

Sport movies: Based on true stories

2. Pele: Birth of a Legend

4. The Blind Side

5. Soul Surfer

7. Goal! The Dream Begins

8. McFarland, USA

9. Coach Carter

10. Gridiron Gang

11. Glory Road

12. Eddie the Eagle

13. Cool Runnings

15. Moneyball

16. The Greatest Game Ever Played

17. Facing the Giants

18. Invictus

19. Remember the Titans

20. When the Game Stands Tall

21. Woodlawn

22. The Gabby Douglas Story

23. Draft Day

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Entertainment News

25 greatest sports movies based on a true story

When Hollywood goes hunting for captivating drama, they need look no further than the world of sports. All the elements are there: the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, triumph over adversity and healing in the face of tragedy. Sometimes filmmakers work a variation on a real-life event (e.g. "Rocky" was inspired by the Muhammad Ali-Chuck Wepner fight), but they're just as likely to tear a story straight from the headlines or a history book. Here are twenty-five of the very best fact-based sports films.

"Raging Bull" (1980)

By the end of Martin Scorsese’s masterful “Raging Bull,” you feel like you’ve gone a full fifteen rounds with its pugilist protagonist, Jake LaMotta . The former middleweight champion is a brawler in and out of the ring; he beats his wife, his brother and anyone who triggers his violent temper. It’s a bruising portrait of a monster that’s all the more disturbing because Robert De Niro, in the performance of a lifetime, resists caricature. This beast exists (still, in 2017, at the age of ninety-six).

"Hoosiers" (1986)

No list like this one would be complete without "Hoosiers." Prior to 1986, you’d have to be an Indiana native to know the story of Milan High School’s David-vs-Goliath upset of Muncie Central in the 1954 state basketball championship. Now everyone knows at least a semi-fictionalized version of the tale thanks to David Anspaugh’s rousing “Hoosiers.” Gene Hackman is at his no-nonsense best as Norman Dale, the new coach of Hickory High’s undersized, undermanned and unathletic basketball team. By preaching fundamentals (“Four passes!”) and winning over the town’s recalcitrant best player (Jimmy Chitwood), Dale guides the Huskers to glory.

"Eight Men Out" (1988)

John Sayles’s account of the 1919 Black Sox scandal –wherein members of the Chicago White Sox conspired with mobsters to throw the World Series – is a multi-layered tale of greed, revenge, gullibility and tragic ignorance. The players went along with the scheme for a variety of personal reasons, but they were all united in their hatred of cheapskate owner Charles Comiskey. The plight of Shoeless Joe Jackson (played here by D.B. Sweeney), one of the era’s greatest players until he was banned, was later exploited in the fantastical tear-jerker “Field of Dreams.”

"Brian's Song" (1971)

The ultimate male weepie. Though Gayle Sayers and Brian Piccolo competed for the same running back position on the Chicago Bears , the men became the best of friends. That bond only grew stronger when Piccolo was diagnosed with cancer. Billy Dee Williams and James Caan are perfectly cast as Sayers and Piccolo in this classic TV movie. If you’re not an emotional sobbing mess by the end of the film, you are an insensate monster.

"Cinderella Man" (2005)

James J. Braddock was on his way to heavyweight boxing glory before he broke his hand in a 1929 fight against Tommy Loughran. The timing couldn’t have been worse: the country had just been hit by the Great Depression, leaving the otherwise unskilled Braddock working long hours as a longshoreman to support his family. Years later, with the country still struggling, Braddock made an improbable comeback that inspired many a down-on-their-luck American. Russell Crowe plays Braddock as a loveable lug, and is plenty convincing as a hard-hitting heavyweight.

"Friday Night Lights" (2004)

This 2004 film has been overshadowed by the critically acclaimed television show, which is a shame because it’s a terrific, more fact-based adaptation of Buzz Bissinger’s nonfiction account of the 1988 Permian Panthers’ high school football season, which ended in a dramatic defeat to the Dallas Carter Cowboys. The movie embellishes some details for dramatic effect, but it’s a fascinating, infuriating and ultimately heartbreaking portrayal of a decaying Texas town’s unhealthy obsession with a high school sports team.

"Rudy" (1993)

“Hoosiers” filmmaker David Anspaugh returned to his native Indiana for another underdog story, this one centered on young Rudy Ruettiger’s tenacious efforts to play for his favorite college football team, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. As played by Sean Astin, Rudy’s journey from junior college to Notre Dame is an inspiring story of self-improvement. But it’ll all feel like a hollow victory if he never gets to suit up for one game in a Notre Dame uniform. He gets his wish, and with a little Hollywood embellishment, your living room gets awfully dusty in the movie’s final minutes.

"Fear Strikes Out" (1957)

Jimmy Piersall came into the Boston Red Sox organization as a brash young outfielder with a prodigious gift for hitting the baseball. When he began hitting other players (and, in one troubling incident, spanking the four-year-old son of a teammate), his career appeared to be over. Piersall’s struggles with bipolar disorder are given a fairly reductive treatment in Robert Mulligan’s “Fear Strikes Out,” but Anthony Perkins’s portrayal of Piersall is phenomenal (though Piersall later disowned the movie).

"Seabiscuit" (2003)

Everyone loves a good comeback story, so what could be better than a story about a racehorse that always ran from behind? Based on Laura Hillenbrand’s nonfiction bestseller, “Seabiscuit” is an uplifting tale of overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds to not just win a race, but to rebuild one’s life. As Seabiscuit wins race after race, the horse becomes a symbol of hope for people devastated by the Great Depression.

"Miracle" (2004)

When the United States Men’s olympic hockey team knocked off the Soviet Union’s highly favored squad, the upset transcended sports. America had just endured a rough decade that included the Vietnam War, stagflation and, stretching into early 1980, the Iran Hostage Crisis. Out of nowhere, a bunch of scrappy college kids came together to topple one of the greatest hockey teams ever assembled. The film is pretty standard inspirational fare, but Kurt Russell ’s performance as coach Herb Brooks gives it a loveable hard-nosed kick.

"The Pride of the Yankees" (1942)

“Today… I consider myself… the luckiest man… on the face of the Earth.” Lou Gehrig ’s emotional farewell speech at Yankee Stadium came at the abrupt end of a brilliant sixteen-year career. The New York baseball legend is brought to aw-shucks life by Gary Cooper in this sports movie classic, which celebrates the Iron Horse’s talent, durability and kindness (including Gehrig’s promise, subsequently fulfilled, to smack two homers for a sick child). It’s earnest, corny stuff, but it works.

"*61" (2001)

The 1961 pursuit of Babe Ruth ’s single-season home run record gets an entertaining and sentimental revisit by director (and Yankee fan) Billy Crystal in "*61." It’s a surprisingly dramatic story: Mickey Mantle was the fan favorite and heir-apparent to Ruth’s power-hitting pinstripe legacy, while Roger Maris was the low-key opposite of the gregarious, fun-loving Mantle. Maris, of course, broke the record, but the disdain heaped upon him by MLB fans made his historic season a living hell.

"Remember the Titans" (2000)

Jerry Bruckheimer first applied his glossy commercial aesthetic to inspirational sports dramas with this 2000 film, which stars Denzel Washington as real-life high school football coach Herman Boone. The film leaves no sports movie cliché unused as it depicts Boone’s efforts to integrate the T.C. Williams High School football team. There are no surprises here, but you won’t find an actor better equipped to rattle off a motivational speech than Denzel.

"Chariots of Fire" (1981)

Two different men run for very different reasons. Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) is a Jewish athlete is out to combat anti-Semitism; Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson) is a devout Christian who runs at God’s “pleasure.” This very British film, set around the 1924 Summer Olympics, was a surprise winner for Best Picture in 1981, and is probably best remembered for Vangelis’ inspirational main theme. It’s a polite crowd pleaser.

"The Last American Hero" (1973)

Moonshine runner Junior Johnson was headed for a life spent in and out of a jail cell before he found the natural – and legal – outlet for his driving talents in stock car racing. This charmer of a film stars a young Jeff Bridges as a fictionalized version of Junior, but while the biographical details don’t always jibe, the basic contours of Johnson’s rise to racing stardom are accurately depicted. Jim Croce’s “I Got a Name” was written for the film, and subsequently became a hit single.

"Ali" (2001)

Michael Mann’s "Ali" goes toe-to-toe with “Raging Bull” as the greatest sports biopic of all time, and, as in boxing, it comes down to a preference of style. “Ali” reflects the personality of its subject: it’s exuberant, meditative, punishing, hilarious, defiant and proud. The film begins with Ali’s improbable defeat of Sonny Liston in 1964 and concludes with his impossible knockout of George Foreman ten years later in Zaire. It’s pure cinema all the way through.

"Moneyball" (2009)

Oakland Athletics ’ general manager Billy Beane revolutionized MLB scouting by adopting sabermetrics (i.e. advanced statistics) to measure a player’s potential and value. He also cheesed off a lot of people in the process. Beane’s unconventional approach was the subject of Michael Lewis’s bestseller “Moneyball,” which loosely forms the basis for this hugely entertaining film starring Brad Pitt as Beane and Jonah Hill as his stat-crunching assistant (based on John DePodesta).

"Cobb" (1994)

Ty Cobb was one of MLB’s greatest and most loathed players. His hitting prowess was unmatched, as was the ferocity with which he attacked the game (and occasionally teammates and, in one unfortunate case, a disabled spectator). Ron Shelton ’s biopic couldn’t be more different than his minor league masterpiece “Bull Durham.” It stars Tommy Lee Jones as a late-in-life Cobb attempting to bully his biographer into writing a hagiographic take on his life. It’s a fierce and unsettling film, a corrosive spiritual companion to Scorsese’s “Raging Bull.”

"Somebody Up There Likes Me" (1956)

Paul Newman stars in this conventionally told biopic about the rags-to-prison-to-riches life of middleweight champion Rocky Graziano . Graziano overcomes standard boxer adversity (an abusive dad and a youth wasted committing petty crimes) to become a successful prize fighter, but when he is blackmailed into ducking a fight, he loses his license. Robert Wise’s film ends on a triumphant note with Graziano avenging a loss to his rival Tony Hale (and regaining the middleweight title in the process).

"Without Limits" (1998)

In the late 1990s, the studios got Steve Prefontaine fever. Dueling projects about the long-distance runner were greenlit: “Prefontaine” starring Jared Leto, and “Without Limits” with Billy Crudup. The latter is by far the better film, a keenly observed character study of a supremely talented athlete and a visionary track coach, Bill Bowerman ( Donald Sutherland ), who would go on to co-found Nike. The film concludes with Prefontaine’s fatal 1975 automobile accident, but leaves you with a deep understanding of this one-of-a-kind athlete’s impact on the sport.

"Rush" (2013)

Formula 1 racing is a much bigger deal internationally than it is in the United States, so it’s no surprise that this Ron Howard-directed film about the rivalry between drivers James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl) stalled out at the box office. It’s too bad because this is the racing movie “Days of Thunder” tried to be: an exhilarating battle of wills between two men who like to drive really freaking fast.

"Knute Rockne: All American" (1940)

They don’t come any cornier than this tribute to the coaching genius of Knute Rockne, who turned Notre Dame’s football team into a national powerhouse. Pat O’Brien stars as Rockne, but the film is best remembered for starring Ronald Reagan as Fighting Irish halfback George Gipp. Gipp’s deathbed exhortation to “win just one for the Gipper” sets the stage for maybe the greatest rallying speech in film history.

"Soul of the Game" (1996)

This 1996 made-for-HBO film remains the only attempt at a fact-based take on Negro League baseball, and works quite well as both entertainment and a primer on the legacy left (and, in too many cases, forgotten) by these players. “Soul of the Game” focuses on Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey’s scouting of a black player to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier. Blair Underwood is solid as Jackie Robinson, but the movie belongs to Delroy Lindo as the aging pitcher Satchel Paige and Mykelti Williamson as the boundlessly talented but troubled Josh Gibson.

"Heart Like a Wheel" (1983)

Bonnie Bedelia stars in this biopic about Shirley Muldowney, the “First Lady of Drag Racing.” It’s a fascinating look into the funny car subculture, which didn’t exactly welcome the ambitious housewife into the sport with open arms. Muldowney overcomes sexism and unwanted sexual advances from competitors and supposed backers on her way to becoming a world champion driver.

"The Rookie" (2002)

Jim Morris was a happily married high school baseball coach who’d long ago given up on his childhood dream of playing in MLB when, after a series of arm surgeries, he discovered he could throw a 98-mph fastball. Morris made a deal with his players: if the team wins their conference, he’ll try out for the majors. Dennis Quaid plays Morris, who impresses enough in the minors to earn a brief stint as a relief pitcher with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. It’s a by-the-numbers inspirational drama, but it hits those numbers with plenty of heart.

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12 Best Sports Biopics Ever Made

The notion of making biopics about famous sports personalities has never gotten old. Right since the ’50s, from the time of films like ‘Fear Strikes Out’ and ‘Somebody Up There Likes Me’, to ‘Foxcatcher’ and ‘I, Tonya’ in present times, features about sports personalities have drawn large crowds in. There have been many memorable attempts to bring celebrated careers back to life on-screen. Some have been historic moments that have changed perceptions, while some just give you the hair-raising thrill of sports. Some of these films feature such fierce performances, that you almost feel the rushed breath and the perspiring forehead. Below are some of such sports biopics that set the conversation going. You can watch several of these sports biopics on Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime.

12. Borge v. McEnroe

‘Borge McEnroe’ is a movie that slipped almost everyone’s radars last year. Featuring arguably the two greatest players tennis has ever seen, the film recounts the historic Wimbledon match between the two and their life before and after that. ‘Borg McEnroe’ isn’t much a rivalry movie as it is an offering of the two men’s drive and eagerness to win. They achieve the same thing, or intend to at least, with different methods and temperament. While McEnroe is impulsive, rash, and often difficult, Borg is a complete opposite. The two hardly share a conversation throughout the movie, also exhausting the sparse meetings they have.

Januz Pederson ensures that the film doesn’t dramatize the emotion of the two men, but instead embodies what drove them toward success. The two leads show exemplary craft in translating their characters’ inner turmoil. The struggle, in fact, between the two men is mostly internal and the fight becomes who’ll handle it better. Sverrir Gudnason is a revelation as Borge. His closely guarded personality and restlessness about his marriage and career are integrated with the character with perfection. Shia LeBeouf , almost like McEnroe in real life, gets into the rebellious skin of the celebrated player and gives a solid performance. ‘Borg McEnroe’ is a unique effort that sets the meaning and essence of a sports rivalry as a fight within oneself, with oneself.

11. Paan Singh Tomar

‘Paan Singh Tomar’ embodies a common emotion many superlative athletes in contemporary share. Institutional incompetence, lack of urgency, and administrative corruption have long held India back to emerge as a sporting powerhouse. Although ‘Paan Singh’ presents only a part of the problem, it does so rather well. Irrfan Khan plays the titular character, a national champion turned dacoit who is unassuming in his demeanor and carries deep indignation for people who didn’t help him. The rebellious Paan Singh gives an interview about his life. After suffering enough, Paan Singh finally decides to show the world how wrong it was about him.

The underlying feeling that Irrfan beautifully integrates into his character study is one of resentment and desire. The revolting nature, that now defines Paan Singh, becomes his the inevitable downfall of his life. The people who recognize him now are the same ones who were ignorant when he broke records. This frustration reflects in Singh’s personality and becomes the emotive figure of the film. Despite its directional and conceptual flaws, ‘Paan Singh’ is a hearty movie about one man’s resolve to prove the world wrong and comes alive with a wonderfully nuanced and refined performance from its star lead.

10. I, Tonya

‘I, Tonya’ is a wild ride of an outcast and unconventional ice-skater whose dream of becoming the best is upended by criminal conspiracy and a permanent mark on her character. Tonya Harding was undoubtedly the hottest prospect in the world of skating at her time. She also became the first American woman to complete two Axel triple jumps in one competition.

‘I, Tonya’s style is very similar to the way many modern-day sitcoms like ‘The Office’ and ‘Parks and Recs’ are shot. The mockumentary is based on the experiences and perspectives of Tonya and her husband, thereby ensuring that the audience lives a subjective truth. This allows director Craig Gillespie to experiment with his storytelling and the performances turn it into a success. Margot Robbie’s stunning turn as Harding is a motley of emotions all at once. Her poise, passive aggressiveness, and imitation of Harding’s personality reconstruct her life with great vividity and resonance. ‘I, Tonya’ is a rock and roll journey with electrifying cinematography and a fast-paced narrative. It is a true cinematic experience and an ode to the carefree soul of Harding.

9. Invictus

‘Invictus’ is a living example of how sports goes beyond thrill and competition to bring people together. Heavily laced with weighty moral themes like racism and power-dynamics, ‘Invictus’ takes a look at President Mandela’s attempts to unite the peoples of his nation after the end of apartheid. With a warrior-like Francois Pienaar at the helm of his rugby football team, the two aim to consolidate racial solidarity and prove the world wrong about their country’s prejudices and dispositions about equality. Men- black and white -compete with a collective cadence to not only realize a historic sporting victory, but a much more significant moral goal that will affect generations after their existence.

Clint Eastwood lets the audience experience the hustle and struggles first-hand with impressive camerawork. Despite fairly hollow character development, it is the story that Eastwood tells through his brilliant directors that wins you over. Matt Damon is a revelation as Pienaar, towering over his peers, both physically and emotionally. His accent is inconsistent but hearty, and that is all the film is about.

8. Foxcatcher

In its poignant and haunting portrayal of Jon Du Pont, ‘Foxcatcher’ does two things: it gives Steve Carell an opportunity to dazzle; and the world a chilling insight to one of the most controversial and shocking incidents in the sporting world. On both the accounts, the film is a huge success. Carell’s immaculate understanding of Du Pont and his human frailties make for a terrific character sketch. The weighted persona, the burning longing, and the palpable enviousness define Du Pont, who looks to feel worthy for once in his life.

Bennet Miller’s follow-up to ‘Moneyball’ is in stark contrast, both in mood and theme. The essence of the stories, though, revolves strictly around the world of sports and an unlikely mission that almost seems impossible to achieve. ‘Foxcatcher’ is replete with stunning lead performances. Along with Carell, Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum deliver resonating performances as the Schultz brothers. The tense and highly personal film emerges as an instant must-watch, charting chequered events from history that are at once remarkable and disconcerting.

Will Smith ‘s transformation into Muhammad Ali fills Michael Mann ‘s true to life biopic with great tenor and vibrancy. Ali’s status as the greatest professional boxer to have ever lived is largely uncontested. His personal life, marred by controversies and revolutionary speeches, become the base of Mann’s thematic exposition. The biographical sketch covers Ali’s obscure existence as Cassius Clay, a feisty amateur boxer, to his glory days as an invincible pugilist. Mann doesn’t really delve deep enough into the causal relationship between Ali’s actions and his reasons to act out. Identity is a big talking point in the movie, which is largely taken up with sincerity. The only false note is Mann’s insistence on painting a holistic picture that is comprehensive in nature. The problem is the vastness of life that he intends to cover. Although flawed in its execution, ‘Ali’s biggest strength is the wisdom and resilience of its real-life legend and his uncompromising way of living life.

6. Moneyball

How often have men come up against the world and come out the other end unscathed? Not often. ‘Moneyball’ tells the story of one such individual whose belief in his ideals and modernity brought about a revolution in the world of baseball. The duo of Billy Beane and Peter Brand adopts ‘hardball’ techniques and employ a merit-based points system to scout players. The odd mix that turns up, as a result, underperforms initially and puts the two as central subjects of ridicule. With time, though, the formula works and put the two men on the brink of history.

5. The Fighter

‘The Fighter’ deals with a similar subject matter as ‘Foxcatcher’. Although the field of sports is different, the narrative revolves around similar complex family dynamics and the struggle for fame. The inspirational tale of the Ward brothers is retold through probably the most talented ensemble one could assemble. David O. Russel’s style adds great flair to the storytelling, which is mostly predictable and doesn’t pack a lot of surprises. Christian Bale easily gives the best performance of his career, inhabiting the four corners of his character with dedication and sincerity. He looks the part and certainly acts so, making his costars look amateur at times. With its triumphant performances and a heart-winning tale, ‘The Fighter’ makes every second of your time worth cherishing and remembering.

In terms of capturing sporting rivalries, ‘Rush’ is a glowing success. Its heightened dramatization of the relationship between Nikki Lauda and James Hunt, two of the greatest Formula One drivers the world has ever seen, becomes the bedrock of Ron Howard ‘s exploration of jealousy and human contempt. The lives of these two great men converge on the race track. Clearly the two outstanding men in the ranks of their colleagues, Lauda and Hunt instantly give us a taste of what would go on to become a legendary tussle, marked by mutual respect and exemplary sportsmanship.

The protagonist of the story is the spirit and competitiveness that defined these greats. Howard’s patient and weighted style allow worthy character dissections, ably performed by Bruhls and Hemsworth . The scenes on the track are especially done well, with credits to Howard and his technical team. Overall, ‘Rush’s infectious energy and a touching tribute to its real-life heroes pack enough power to make it a compelling watch.

Read More: Best Racing Movies

3. The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki

‘The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki’ is a largely unknown Finnish gem that premiered at the Cannes a few years back. Featuring an unknown cast, the black and white film is a weirdly satisfying mix of humor, romance, and heartbreak, that is ambivalently bemusing and melancholic. At the center of it all is Finnish boxer Olli Maki, a professional boxer who is regarded as a rare talent. His agent sets him up for a title bout with the world champion Davey Moore. At the same time, Maki gets smitten with a girl he meets, and on the day of the bout, he proposes. Although he loses the match, he wins at the game of life, with the acceptance of his proposal.

It is quite strange how Kuosmanen builds the film to the bout as an almost insignificant event. The totality of the film doesn’t revolve around Maki’s bout, but Maki, whose perspective allows us to see his desire and longing for happiness. In the end, despite losing possibly the biggest match of his life, Maki lives the happiest day of his life. And that is the beauty of this fantastic film.

2. Hoop Dreams

‘Hoop Dreams’ isn’t a feature film but deserves to be on the list through its exemplary and unprecedented documentation of real-life struggle. Shot over a period of five years, ‘Hoop Dreams’ is a journey about heartbreak and hope, prefaced with a nuanced, closely observed minutiae of American life. The documentary is not about dreams, or the life after, but about the suffering and sacrifice that precedes it. With its two protagonists, Steve James personifies hard-work and dedication, also raising the vagaries and vicissitudes of fate and life. The emotional and physical drainage that William Gates and Arthur Agee go through is hard enough to see. Because of the film’s gestation period, the audience is subjected to the change that Gates and Agee go through as human beings. With its hard-hitting themes and visceral emotive energy, ‘Hoop Dreams’ becomes an instantly urgent watch and proves that representation of life is not always limited to dramatization and the fourcorners of a set.

Read More: Best Sports Movies

1. Raging Bull

Martin Scorcese ‘s vision has produced movies that will be remembered forever in cinematic history as timeless classics. ‘Raging Bull’ arguably stands as his best work till date. With frequent collaborator Robert De Niro , Scorcese crafts a hard-hitting, nebulous, almost negative portrayal of a pugilist who lives in infamy as a fighter without any heart. De Niro’s incredible performance brings out the worst in LaMotta, often in the ring and outside. He captures the sense of paranoia and jealousy that preface LaMotta’s interactions in his personal life with such an impact that you almost end up sympathizing with him when the curtains draw. Scorsese furthers his hypnotic cinematic style with the same actor, writer, and spirit of a lonely man from ‘Taxi Driver’ to sculpt an intense and thought-provoking drama that would immortalize the character of LaMotta.

Read More: Best Boxing Movies

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