Football is the greatest sport ever. It is the ultimate team game. Every person on the field is vital to the success of the game. Many movies try to capture that, but some are better than others.
Some even get Chris Berman to be in their movies! Well, most do.
The other day I watched "Necessary Roughness," and realized just how funny it was. It really is one of the classic football movies. It is somewhat realistic, and was knowingly exaggerated, but was quite funny even 15 years later!
After watching this movie I realized I wanted to put a list together of the best five football movies ever! "Necessary Roughness" was good and takes honorable mention, but doesn't quite make my list.
I am such a huge fan of football, that it would be hard for me to not like ANY football movie. But there are two movies that make it into that category. Here they are.
No. 2 Bad Football Movie - The Replacements
Honestly, there were a few funny parts, and I think they all belonged to Rhys Ifans (the kicker). "I'm Wiry." Aside from that, there wasn't much funny to take away from the lack of reality in this movie.
There were some big hits that helped keep it interesting, but as football movies goes, it takes the second last spot.
No. 1 Bad Football Movie - Any Given Sunday
I take a lot of heat for this one because some people really like it. I was SO excited for it to come out and I was not impressed. Al Pacino was decent in his role, but not as groundbreaking as he has been in other roles.
The football players weren't bad, and I know that they portrayed some things that real football players go through, which was realistic. But there were two things I could NOT get past.
First off, I can enjoy different cinematography to try and set a tone, but the "chaotic" camera work really took away from the ability to enjoy the movie. Although there is a lot to take in when you are on the football field, it never even resembled anything like that.
Secondly, Cameron Diaz played a role that would never happen EVER! No owner would ever be the GM of a football team.
The owner has enough say to be able to control aspects of their team without taking on the role of the GM. It's a job that takes a lot more hours than any owner would want to put in. She portrayed the role well, even if I didn't like the character. Therefore, that role is not realistic in the slightest.
Good Football Movies
Honorable Mentions
Once again there are so many that are good that I can't have them all. Along with "Necessary Roughness," honorable mention goes out to "The Longest Yard" for being a quality movie that was pretty much groundbreaking for football movies.
True-to-life stories usually rank higher for me, and seeing Vince Papale portrayed by Mark Wahlberg in "Invincible" was pretty cool. Although the actual play that gave him his touchdown was much quicker, and not as exciting. But that's Hollywood for you.
"We Are Marshall" was a really good look at the history of one football program, and is worth watching even if you don't like football.
Now for the BEST!
No. 5 - The Waterboy
I know it's hard to put a comedy in here, but it will always be a movie that football players love to watch.
Of course some of the plays are not very likely to happen, but the hitting was unbelievable! The crushing blows and memorable dialogue will remain forever in the minds of football fans.
No. 4 - The Program
As for the reality of college football, I have been told by a former NCAA player that it is the most real to life you'll get in a movie. It is a great movie for action and hits.
It would have made it higher on my list a few years ago, but some movies have come out that have moved passed it for excitement value.
It is the highest-ranked fictional football movie, and that says a lot about the writers of this movie. They were able to gather a lot of information about the realities of football life in college, and portrayed it very well.
No. 3 - Friday Night Lights
High school football is HUGE in Texas. Everyone knows this from movies like Varsity Blues and Friday Night Lights.
Varsity Blues was good, but Friday Night lights went a step further and it didn't hurt that it was based on a true story. They keep perfecting the action sequences, and the hits keep getting better!
Plus I LOVE the fact that...(stop reading if you haven't seen the movie)...they came so close but didn't win. I know it really happened like that, but it made for such a surprise ending. It was a perfect example of how a team can win if they come together and believe they can do it.
Even if your so called "Superstar" is done for the season.
No. 2 - Remember The Titans
This movie was so very close to being my No. 1 movie in this list. I actually had to switch it back and forth. It was that close.
The story of an all black and an all white football team being combined to play together set the tone for a lot of fireworks. The movie was acted very well by all the actors, and showed how the racism was affecting both sides.
It was a huge thing to overcome, but made both teams into one amazing team.
The football scenes were so well done, and it has the best football sequence and speech EVER to grace the movie screen. One reason why it was hard to drop it to No. 2: When the referees were trying to fix it that the Titans couldn't win the game, coach Yoast, played by Will Patton, calls out the referees at the risk of making it to the Hall Of Fame.
He then motivates his defense to play the game of their lives.
"I don't want them to gain another yard. You BLITZ ALL NIGHT! If they cross the line of scrimmage, I'm going to take every last one of you out. You make SURE....they remember....FOREVER...the night the played the Titans!"
It gives me shivers watching it every time.
Finally we get to the TOP!
No. 1 - Rudy
I'm sure the time has passed where most people are using Rudy references when motivating a football team. The movie has been here and gone, and there are newer movies that are used for that. Plus the real Rudy is probably not as sought after nearly as much for speaking engagements.
The fact is though, that the life story of Daniel Ruettiger is an inspiring one, and will always be useful for inspiring whoever watches it, football fan or not.
In making my decision for which should be the No. 1 football movie, I looked at the story, reality, and football sequences.
The story doesn't have to be a true story, but it has to be well done, and doesn't have to be ALL about football. Rudy doesn't get deep into football until halfway through the film, but it was worth the wait. The players were huge, and skilled, and made it look like you were watching a real Notre Dame practice.
That gave it a boost over the high school films, because adversity is so much greater to overcome in college.
The interesting thing about this movie is that in the best football sequences were in the practice scenes. The games were exciting, but Rudy really only got into the one game, and most already know what happened.
This story keeps you interested in the movie side of things, with Sean Astin doing a very good job playing "Rudy" and bringing him through the trials he went through. But the football scenes are also amazing, and make you wish you were right in the middle of it; even if you are the one getting pummeled.
It'll make you laugh, it'll make you cry, and it'll definitely make you like football a lot more when you are done watching this movie.
It's one for the whole family, and will inspire you GUARANTEED!
Going through these movies has made me think of a lot of characters that really stood out. So I will someday bring you a list of the Top 10 Football Movie Characters. Stay Tuned!
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2 months ago
Great list!! While I agree for the most part about Any Given Sunday, Pacino's pregame speech is one of the best speeches in any movie. I think that scene alone lifts it out of being regarded as a bad football movie. Here's a link to the speech if you haven't seen it (coaches, get out your pen and paper):
http://youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk
2 months ago
Guess you haven't seen "We Are Marshall", and I would suggest "Facing The Giants" as well.
from 2 months ago
I have seen both of those movies, and I gave it honorable mention. It was great, but sadly I had to drop it. It was between that and the waterboy.... I know you may have a different opinion on that, but it's a classic.
As for Facing the Giants, it is a fabulous movie! I forgot about it as a football movie though. I loved it! It is one of my favoirtes, but not quite in my top 5 football movies. For the budget, it's fabulous, but the budget is the only reason it wasn't as good in the football sequences. But I loved the movie though! I understand why you did too!
2 months ago
I rated the article three stars because you explained yourself well.
I just think you couldn't be more wrong about almost everything.
First of all, "Waterboy"?????? You have that Adam Sandler drivel in here and you don't have North Dallas 40? The Longest Yard (original, for obvious reasons)? Brian's Song? I mean, I liked the Waterboy, it was funny and all, but it was crap compared to those movies. In fact it was worse than The Replacements, with out a doubt.
Rudy was about the only ranking I agreed with. The Program should be higher, Remember the Titans should be lower, and Varsity Blues was better than Friday Night Lights.
from 2 months ago
Don't you just love opinions Tony! I know exactly why you disagree with The Waterboy, which is part of the reason I went with it. I haven't seen Brian's Song in such a long time, and I'm sure it was good, but I don't remember. I haven't seen North Dallas 40. Opinions are great, and I really liked Varsity Blues, but it wasn't as good as Friday Night Lights. It was if you are fan of unnecessary Teacher Stripper Scenes in the movie.
2 months ago
brians song?
from 2 months ago
The story of Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers. It's on the list of movies during which men are allowed to cry.
I recently found out that it was actually a made for TV movie, but I still think it should count.
2 months ago
your'e right Adam Facing the Giants is a really good one, invincible was pretty good too, not top 5 or anything but worth a mention.
But I think that remember the Titans is #1. Notice how your top 3 are related to true stories, that's what makes those movies great because this wasn't something that a hollywood producer just came up with and put on the big screen. These things really and truly happened with a little Hollywood drama.
Oh, and Scott, the Owner of the cowboys, Jerry Jones is the also the GM.
from 2 months ago
Umm.. I hate to break it to you, but Rudy was a true story as well. How you didn't know that baffles me, but it is.
from 2 months ago
Okay... I'll give you the Jerry Jones thing, but it doesn't happen very often, and some would argue it hasn't been a good thing for the Cowboys either.
I debated putting "Remember The Titans" first because I think very highly of it. But I just couldn't put anything above Rudy. But it was in no way a slight to the Titans.
from 2 months ago
tony, i know Rudy was a true story, like a said above"the top three are based on true stories" I've seen Rudy many times, and don't get me wrong it's a great movie, but what I was saying, was I think that the Titans is a better movie.
2 months ago
Come on Tony...That's what he was saying. The top 3 are true stories.
2 months ago
The Express comes out this year. It looks really good. I also always kind of thought Little Giants was a pretty underrated football movie.
from 2 months ago
The Annexation of Puerto Rico is the greatest play of all time
2 months ago
Oops, sorry.. I misread it. I thought he said that he wanted "Remember the Titans" to be number one because it was true, as if Rudy wasn't. My bad.
And Todd.. I completely agree with the Little Giants.
2 months ago
I actually had Little Giants in my original list. I was very impressed with how they did it! It was a great one!
from 2 months ago
th elittle giants is a hilarioius movie that has good football in it too, you never see movies about football in kids lives like that. But it would be really hard to put that in the top 5.
2 months ago
Aren't we all forgetting a little movie called Ace Ventura Pet Detective?
from 2 months ago
I actually had that as a consideration in my list when I went through figuring all the football movies. It really doesn't have much ACTUAL football at all...
2 months ago
Aren't we all forgetting a little movie called Necessary Roughness?
2 months ago
Nope...Its in the Honorable Mention! Plus it's what started the whole thing...
2 months ago
Aren't we all forgetting a little movie called Caddyshack?
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