Whether it’s an individual sport like track and field or a team sport like soccer, sports films can provide some of the most emotionally compelling storylines the film industry has to offer. And they are all unique, with each sport offering a different perspective on their respective characters. Stepping into a boxing ring, for example, symbolizes a very different kind of struggle than the quarterback on a football team leading his peers to victory. But ultimately, these films deliver emotional resonance in ways that can only be done on a field, a track, or in a ring.
This list covers a variety of sports from some of the most popular directors on the Hollywood block, and every movie is from the 2000s. Most of them will also tug at your heartstrings like few other films from the decade. And many of these titles were nominated – if they didn’t win the awards outright – for various Oscars, Golden Globes and more. Given that those associations prefer the more gripping endeavors the industry has to offer, that shows what level of emotion these films worked on. But that said, these are the ten most emotional sports movies of the 2000s.
10 Invincible (2006)
Certainly, Invincible (2006) contained its share of comedic moments and general dizziness. It is, after all, a Disney movie. But the character development of Vince Papale – played by Mark Wahlberg – ultimately showed the emotional themes this football stint was willing to tackle. After Vince’s wife Sharon leaves him, essentially saying that he will never achieve anything in life.
And the pain of losing his other half was quickly overcome by the common fear of perishing as a failure. Even as he was accepted as a walk-on for the Philadelphia Eagles, one of the greatest teams the National Football League has to offer, Vince is fighting an internal battle bigger than ever before. And that battle culminates when he wins his first game with the Eagles (against the New York Giants) and settles for his new love interest, a fellow bartender played by Elizabeth Banks. Despite some emotional setbacks, Vince really went down as invincible.
9 Ali (2001)
Directed by Michael Mann, this biographical boxing drama certainly made waves in theaters, but it kind of polarized critics upon release. Starring Muhammed Ali – widely regarded as the greatest boxer who ever lived – Will Smith received a nomination for Best Actor at the Academy Awards. His dedicated and sincere performance was recognized by critics as having the perfect capacity for emotion. In addition, Jon Voight also received praise for his work as journalist Howard Cosell.
Mann had a particular passion for this subject that shone through every frame of cinematic ambition, and ultimately if there’s one thing that will resonate with audiences in regards to Ali (2001) by the time the movie is said and done, it will undoubtedly be the cast’s emotional performances.
8 Remember the Titans (2000)
This was the last of Denzel Washington’s short-lived but well-received series of sports films, and arguably the most popular of them. As Herman Blume, the new head coach of TC Williams High School, he inspires confidence in his team around every corner of the film’s inspiring plot. And when all is said and done, this tale of racial tension will hit home as the characters overcome the ensuing hardships.
And if the plot isn’t enough to make you grab another box of tissues, the emotive soundtrack of classic American tunes coupled with a slew of brilliant performances – from the likes of Washington, Ryan Gosling, Donald Faison and Hayden Panettiere – will certainly be enough be to get a tear in your eye. And of course an injury within the plot of Remember the Titans (2000) may be as clichéd as storylines can come, it elicited even more emotion from audiences.
7 Invictus (2009)
Throughout the 2000s, American actor and filmmaker Clint Eastwood directed several award-winning performances, such as those of Sean Penns and Tim Robbins of mystical river (2003) which were nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor respectively. Here with Invictus (2009), Morgan Freeman picked up the Best Actor nomination, while famed actor Matt Damon took home a Best Supporting Actor nomination.
This was Freeman’s third collaboration with Eastwood following their work on do not forgive (1992) and Million Dollar Baby (2004), and while it is probably their least appreciated work of the three films, it could well be their most emotional. The film is about rugby on the surface, but with Morgan Freeman as anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, the thematic overtone of the story of racial injustice conquers just about anything your emotions can throw at it.
6 Cinderella Man (2005)
This title isn’t as physically intense as other movies on this list. Sure, it’s the story of a boxer who also works as a longshoreman in New Jersey during the Great Depression. So it’s safe to say that the main character played by Russell Crowe is taking his share of the punishment. But Cinderella man (2005) is ultimately a poignant emotional journey of family man James J. Braddock as he struggles within his marriage coupled with his various economic difficulties.
Oh, and yes: he also gets punched in the face on a regular basis. It’s hard not to feel for Braddock at one point or another, and that emotion is only heightened by the awe-inspiring performances from Crowe, Renée Zellweger as his wife Mae Braddock, and Paul Giamatti as his coach Joe Gould. If the gripping plot isn’t enough to tug at your heartstrings, those acting efforts will definitely do the trick.
5 Friday Night Lights (2004)
Follow the true story of the 1988 Permian High School Panthers football team. Friday night lights (2004) was directed by Peter Berg in arguably the best film of his career. And the incendiary incident of James “Boobie” Miles injuring his ACL is intensity personified. He’s the star running back of the Permian Panthers, and they’re all on their way to winning a state championship under head coach Gary Gaines – played by Billy Bob Thornton.
As a team, the Panthers rely on Miles — he’s the perfect handler to get the ball down the field. But they also rely on him as a general morale boost as he is essentially the star player. And when he is forced off the field early in the season, the team must channel the right inspiration to carry on coupled with the sense of honor that the city itself is developing under the leadership of Coach Gaines.
4 The Blind Side (2009)
This one touches on a wide variety of emotional levels as it follows the true story of a young man named Michael Oher, who is in foster care and starts playing soccer. An offensive lineman, he is accepted into Ole Miss after overcoming an overbearing, mind-busting upbringing. Watching the emotional turmoil manifest itself in Michael’s general demeanor is one thing, but after he bonds with a well-to-do couple (with two children of his own) named Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, the budding superstar’s moving journey of athletic prowess reaches a highlight. in one of family affection.
This resulted in a (somewhat controversial) nomination for Best Picture The blind side(2009) herself, while Sandra Bullock picked up nominations (and several wins, including one at the Oscars) for Best Actress. But in the end, the biggest highlight of the movie will forever be the bonds created by its many star players.
3 We Are Marshall (2006)
Obviously, one thing that makes these stories so emotionally draining is the fact that several of them are based on true stories. And in case of We are Marshall (2006), the film follows the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team as they lose a significant number of staffers, boosters, and players in a plane crash one night while returning home from an away game.
The plane crash reverberated through the community of Huntington, West Virginia in a way rarely seen on screen before. After going 3-6 in the regular season, it was clear that the football team had work to do if they had championship aspirations, but whether they won or lost, their fans were always there. And the tragedy has only brought the community closer together. The emotional resonance of the script is without a doubt the film’s biggest highlight, and it all stems from the intensity of the initial plane crash.
2 Million Dollar Baby (2004)
All the main characters in Million Dollar Baby (2004) like Hillary Swank, Morgan Freeman, and even director Clint Eastwood put on particularly poignant performances. Each of their characters shared a unique dynamic with each other and their individual personalities were perfectly portrayed. But the film shone on just about every level of filmmaking – including the more technical elements.
The whole project exuded a special passion through the many well-placed camera images, the many well-written dialogues and the many well-timed editing choices. The most emotional moment in the movie came with the climax where Maggie Fitzgerald, Swank’s main character, breaks her neck from a cheap shot from her opponent when she returns to her corner. The audience grew with Maggie as the character on a deep emotional level so far, and this injury hit everyone like a knockout.
1 The Wrestler (2008)
As Mickey Rourke slams his head against metal chairs and throws his body around without remorse for the damage done to every inch of his body, The wrestler (2008) by Darren Aronofsky, physical intensity is embodied. But it’s also a really heartfelt performance from Rourke as aging professional wrestler Randy “The Ram” Robinson. And costars like Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood also made valiant efforts, with the former receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
The two women appear as Randy’s love interest (Tomei) and daughter (Wood), with both dynamics greatly contributing to the emotional trauma Randy suffered as a by-product of the life-changing heart attack he endured in the ring. Aronofsky is known for his psychological dramas, and due to various moviemaking tactics on top of the grueling plot, this one is bound to mess with your mind.