Football is one of the biggest sports in the United States today. In fact, in terms of fans and number of views per match, there is no game that rivals football. The National Football League has the highest net worth out of the four major leagues in the U.S. and the Super Bowl, despite not being very popular outside of the country, is still one of the most watched sports events in the world.
This popularity that football enjoys extends to the betting world. Whether it be online betting platforms or land-based bookmaker shops, in America, football is the country that enjoys the most amount of betting. If you were to take a look at some of the most reputable American bookies online, you would notice that NFL point spreads are covered and updated with impressive frequency.
Naturally, when something is as popular as football is, it only makes sense that the Hollywood producers would take interest in it. So many films surrounding the sport have been created throughout history. The following are just a few of the best films about football, that any fan should see at least once.
Rudy
There isn’t much to say about Rudy that hasn’t already been said. A classic underdog story, which has brought tears to the eyes of even the toughest fans of the sport. The film tells the story of Daniel Reutigger, or Rudy, whose dream was to play football at the University of Notre Dame. However, he was faced with serious obstacles.
Chief among these obstacles is the fact that Rudy’s physical stature is not up-to-par for college football. The plot of the film sees young Rudy overcome the obstacles set in his way, in an attempt to get a chance at his dream.
Rudy has been named among the Top 100 most inspirational films of all time. It frequently shows up on lists as one of the best sports films of all time, and is definitely a movie that every fan of the sport should give a chance to.
The Longest Yard
From the inspirational story of Rudy, we move to the comedic hijinks of The Longest Yard. Starring Burt Reynolds, Eddie Alber, Mike Conrad and Ed Lauter, this prison comedy tells the story of a former NFL player who winds up in the slammer. Once imprisoned, he recruits a team of potential players and challenges the guards to a football match.
The original released in 1974, and to many it is the best iteration of the film to this day. However, the success of the movie has led to three remakes. One in 2001, titled Mean Machine, was made in Great Britain. In 2005, Adam Sandler remade the film, with himself in the starring role, and Burt Reynolds returns as the coach. Lastly, the film was remade in Egypt in 2015, titled Captain Masr.
We Are Marshall
Before Matthew McConaughey is today celebrated as one of the greats, back in the early 2000s he did not do to well, mostly starring in shlock. However, among the rough, there was a diamond. The 2006 biographical sports drama, We Are Marshall, showed glimmers of McConaughey’s Oscar-worthy talent.
In the film, McConaughey portrays Jack Lengyel, a football and lacrosse coach, who spent most of his time teaching football in Marshall University. It isn’t just Matthew McConaughey that shines in the role, however. The film is full of great performances and certainly deserves a watch.
Invincible
Invincible came out the same year as We Are Marshall and might be in competition as the best football movie of that year. It is another biographical film, directed by Ericson Core, that tells the story of Vince Papale, who played wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles.
The movie stars Mark Wahlberg in the main role. Wahlberg certainly knows how to play a small-timer who is given a chance at the big leagues, and he brings his experience to this movie, truly getting one to feel for the player in the titular role.
Invincible might not be as inspiring as Rudy, however, it certainly does bring that same energy, and manages to pull on the heartstrings in quite a few scenes. It is definitely a movie worth checking out, especially if you are a hardcore fan of football.
