There are few things in life that can summon emotion like a good motion picture. Even fewer things in life bring out the range of emotions like a tightly contested sporting event. Correctly fuse the two, magic can be abound. Blending captivating film with a sport like football — you get some of the best viewing experiences imaginable.
Here’s my favorite football films of all time.
Friday Night Lights:
Based on the nonfiction novel Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, and A Dream by H.G. Bissinger, this is the undisputed greatest football movie of all time for me. Friday Night Lights is a masterclass at blending real life situations and parallels through the lens of a football ecosystem. What takes this story to another level for me is that it’s not only from the perspective of a Texas high school powerhouse, it’s based on a true story that was in part helped brought to life by the people who actually lived it. While not 100% accurate to the real-life events that occurred, the characters are real people, and you truly feel that every step of the way.
Friday Night Lights Cast - IMDB
For most people, football at its purest form is played in high school. I, for one, fully agree with that sentiment. The pure joy and passion held by a teenager that’s been playing long enough to make a conscious decision to put forth their effort and time into a brutal sport such as football is unrivaled. At the same time, the future perils of the real world are still unbeknownst to kids of that age. It’s a blend you’ll only get to experience once in life, and this movie delves into the highs and lows of those experiences better than any sports movie ever made.
Phenomenal acting performances, beautifully woven storylines, accurate depiction of the societal pressures that come along with football in the country, the all or nothing nature of the beast that goes hand in hand with small town dreams, and most importantly — real emotion. This film portrays everything stated and wraps it up with a recap of where their real-life characters went after high school at the end. A perfect ending to a near perfect film.
Radio:
Radio is another movie based off a true story. While it follows the life of James Robert “Radio” Kennedy, a special needs man in his early 20's, it’s still very much centered around the game of football. Most importantly the power of the sport and especially the power of the sport in the south. There isn’t another film that uses sports to tackle issues such as race relations, treatment of special needs people, corruption of police, classism, and the pressures of small-town bureaucracy like this one does.
Honestly, this film isn’t for the faint of heart. There are some extremely unpleasant moments, but that’s exactly what makes it special. In my opinion, it’s far and away the most proficiently acted sports film. Truly remarkable performances were on display from Cuba Gooding Jr (who played Radio), Ed Harris (Coach Jones), S. Epatha Merkerson (Radio’s Mother), & the rest of the supporting cast are stellar. This film is also very special to me due to the family-centric position it holds throughout. You’re not always rooting for every family, but it’s clear everyone is doing what they think is best for theirs. Even at the expense of others.
Collectively, those hives bind together in a special way that does the true story justice. I was shocked to go back and find out it initially received mainly negative reviews due to the heavy nature and the portrayal of a special needs man in that position. The film, while much better received through renting services reviews and re-reviews, still seems to be fairly polarizing. Regardless, this film for me is one that always hits home. It's a holiday staple that covers all bases and leaves you feeling better than when you came into it.
The Program:
The Program is a special film for a multitude of reasons. But the most glaring reason? The characters. The rawness and true to life nature of the characters is such a gripping component. In movies, sometimes the characters can feel larger than life and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, being able to connect with the characters and think of yourself or the people in your life that remind you of them is just as potent.
The Program Cast - IMDB
It’s one of the rare films where almost every character is as compelling as the next. A freshman tailback from a more than rough upbringing hellbent on becoming a star, but not adequately focused on his studies. A Heisman candidate quarterback from a lineage of alcoholics that can’t seem to shake his own demons and walk in his purpose. A dominant All-American linebacker with surefire professional ability that’s as pure hearted as they come, but goes all in on one thing, the game. A senior defensive lineman, tired of being a sparring contributor, abusing steroids to level up, but faces serious pitfalls.
I could go on, but for the sake of brevity I’ll keep it there. Another thing that makes the film fantastic? The fashion. It’s truly a time portal back to the early 90’s in every sense. The campus shots make me want to go back to college and relive those moments. The scene as the team runs out of the tunnel into the stadium is one of the most down-to-earth realistic moments in any sports movie. The sheer joy and excitement of running out in front of tens of thousands of fans screaming for you is inexplicable with words but captured perfectly through that lens.
In the end, this film perfectly displays the carousel of a college football program - it never stops turning. The people that make up the program aren’t perfect and often times that isn’t accurately portrayed. While this film certainly leans into some triumphant moments, the devastating and uncertain moments are equally balanced. About as good of a sports film as you can make.
Any Given Sunday:
One thing I truly love about this film is how football forward it is. The first scene is literally a 15-minute cut of the rollercoaster that is a full game. Right off the bat, the aging former MVP quarterback goes out with an injury and we end up with the 3rd string quarterback, played by the great Jaime Foxx, inserted into action. It could very easily fall into a corny, tropey chain of events, but it’s actually fairly well done.
Any Given Sunday Cast - IMDB
From there it never lets up. From coaching staff dilemmas, selfish players becoming team cancers, accurate locker room dynamics both good and bad, a nepo baby incumbent owner, relationship and family dynamics of all levels of player, to temptation from promiscuous women, to drugs, it’s all covered in this two hour and thirty seven minute film. Sticking with the theme of my favorites, it dives into a ton of realism that you probably can only fully appreciate if you’ve lived in it or around it.
Any Given Sunday is a true deep dive into the psyche of multiple players, coaches, and executives and how the game of football, which has given them everything— also pushes them to the brink of collapse. With one of the more star-studded line ups of any film regardless of genre, you truly get everything you expect from it and then some. In a lot of ways, it was the last explicitly graphic football movie of modern times. If it’s the last we see of this style, we went out with a bang.
The Replacements:
For my money, this is the funniest football film of all time. When a professional league is faced with a players' strike with a quarter of the season left, the owner of the Washington Sentinels enlists a former esteemed coach that has little to no time to assemble the best team of replacements players to fill in for the last four games of the season. Similar to The Program, The Replacements has you rooting for nearly every character in some way. The story is not as practical or realistic as the rest of my favorites, but the heart of the characters in it certainly are.
The Replacements Cast - IMDB
It blends the fun and entertainment value of football films like The Longest Yard and The Little Giants with the gravity and endearing nature of football films like Remember The Titans and Rudy. It’s a dramedy that encapsulates all the best things from both genres. You’ll laugh your ass off, you’ll wonder where it’s going, you’ll find you're on the edge of your seat, and if you’re the crying type, there’s a few tearjerker scenes as well.
Ultimately, it’s a story of redemption and avenging the demons of the past. What better way to tell that story than through a hodgepodge group of football players on the last leg of their football careers with nothing and everything to lose at the same time? I can’t think of many. Also, it’s one of the best date night movies ever. An easy watch and just enough pure entertainment to keep your non-sports loving partner interested.
Honorable Mention:
The Waterboy
Jerry Maguire
The Little Giants
Remember The Titans
Varsity Blues
The Longest Yard
We Are Marshall
DIII: Football’s Finest