Sport is not athletics; It is emotion. Sports depict every athlete’s hardship and hard work to make a prominent name in the world. However, sports movies are a sweet gesture for people interested in sports. OTT platforms like Netflix have provided a perfect outlet for viewers to look at any sports drama. Here is a list of some of the best sports movies on Netflix.
30. Million Dollar Baby
- Director: Clint Eastwood
- Writers: Paul Haggis
- Cast: Clint Eastwood as Frankie Dunn, Hilary Swank as Mary Margaret, Morgan Freeman as Eddie Dupris, Mike Colter as Willie Little, Lucia Rijker as Billie Osterman, Brían F. O’Byrne as Father Horvak
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 90 %
Million Dollar Baby can be considered one of the best sports movies on Netflix. The first half of the movie shows the hardship of Frankie Dunn, who was an ex-boxer.
As time passed, Frankie started providing his boxing skills to others and turned into a boxing trainer in Los Angeles.
He has only one regret in their entire career: not defeating his old friend and associate, Eddie Dupris.
However, Frankie’s life changed when Maggie Fitzgerald stepped into Frankie’s counter to gain his boxing skills. Maggie’s hard work and enthusiasm made a strong bond with her coach and her, which led to her success.
29. Coach Carter
- Director: Thomas Carter
- Writers : Mark Schwahn and John Gatins
- Cast: Samuel L. Jackson as Coach Ken Carter, Rob Brown as Kenyon Stone, Robert Richard as Damien Carter, Rick Gonzalez as Timo Cruz, Nana Gbewonyo as Junior Battle, Antwon Tanner as Jaron Willis, Texas Battle as Maddux
- IMDb Ratings: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 64%
Coach Carter is one of the good sports movies that is set in the background of 1999.
The story starts when Ken Carter is summoned by his old high school in Richmond, California, to guide the school basketball team and make them strong for the upcoming tournaments.
During the making process of a strong team, the players’ grades and academic condition start decorating.
After such a condition, Coach Carter decided to teach the players perfect lessons, lock them in a gym, and end the championship season, leading to much disparagement. However, this criticism did not affect Carter’s decision.
28. Rocky
- Director: John G. Avildsen
- Writers: Sylvester Stallone
- Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
It’s reasonable to argue that Rocky Balboa has supplanted the founding fathers as Philadelphia’s most motivating personality.
Balboa is unfortunate in a working-class community going through one of its most challenging times in Rocky, the movie that started it all.
He is allowed to square off against Apollo Creed, the world heavyweight boxing champion, via pure willpower and the assistance of his trainer.
Sylvester Stallone, one of Hollywood’s biggest action stars, was born in this movie, and it also launched an action franchise that would tackle subjects like working-class problems and even Cold War tensions.
27. A League of Their Own
- Director: Penny Marshall
- Writers: Kim Wilson, Kelly Candaele, Lowell Ganz
- Cast: Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Lori Petty
- IMDb Ratings: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
In addition to giving us hilarious lines and a cast to cheer for, A League of Their Own expanded the roles available to women in athletics and entertainment.
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which allowed women to play baseball professionally while the males were away serving in World War II, is the subject of the movie. Even though it was short-lived, its influence endures.
In addition to highlighting this tradition, the film anchors it in a touching and inspiring tale of sisters. This film, which stars Geena Davis and Tom Hanks in standout roles, is in a league of its own.
26. The Karate Kid
- Director: John G. Avildsen
- Writers: Robert Mark Kamen
- Cast: Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue
- IMDb Ratings: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 73%
Since its release, this film has been mentioned numerous times and even served as the inspiration for the Netflix original series Cobra Kai. But it’s important to remember that The Karate Kid is far deeper than what immediately meets the eye.
Due to the practically constant bullying, Daniel LaRusso, a native of New York, moved to southern California and now suffers from adolescent melancholy.
When he encounters Japanese immigrant Keisuke Miyagi, he learns about the ancient martial technique of karate. Filmmaker John G. Avildsen used the storyline of a young guy who was having financial difficulty to convey the tale of an immigrant and veteran with a horrific past.
25. High Flying Bird
- Director : Steven Soderbergh
- Writers: Tarell Alvin McCraney
- Cast: André Holland as sports agent Ray Burke, Zazie Beetz as Sam, Melvin Gregg as Erick Scott, Sonja Sohn as Myra, Zachary Quinto as David Starr, Kyle MacLachlan as David Seton, Bill Duke as Spencer
- IMDb Ratings: 6.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
High Flying Bird is a good sports movie. The story of this movie depicts how a basketball player was trapped in a Pro basketball lockout. All these controversies arose from a sports agent spoiling his client in such a proposition.
Later, a pan was also established to save the young basketball player’s career and image in front of the world.
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24. The Battered Bastards of Baseball
- Director: Chapman Way and Maclain Way
- Writers: Bing Russell, Kurt Russell, Todd Field, and Johnny Carson
- Cast: Bing Russell, Lou Russell, Kurt Russell, Ken Wheeler, Todd Field, Carren Woods, Nick Bertram, Robert Richardson, Frank Peters, Robert Nelson, Jim Swanson
- IMDb Ratings: 8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
The story of this sports movie is the best documentary feature. The film is set in the background of 1973.
The Battered Bastards of Baseball is about how a renowned actor launched a baseball team that gained success overnight.
As everyone knows, the owner of that famous baseball team was Bing Russell, a sports lover and the father of Kurt Russell. He independently systematized the entire team and the players, which the people accepted wholeheartedly.
23. Hoosiers
- Director: David Anspaugh
- Writers: Angelo Pizzo
- Cast: Gene Hackman as Norman Dale, Barbara Hershey as Myra Fleener, Dennis Hopper as Shooter Flatch, Sheb Wooley as Cletus Summers, Maris Valainis as Jimmy Chitwood, David Neidorf as Everett Flatch
- IMDb Ratings: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
The story of the movie is about Norman Dale, who didn’t gain any recognition in his life from his coaching skills.
However, he later got a chance to prove himself when he was appointed director of a High School Basketball program.
The film takes a turn when a teacher of that High School forces the team’s star player to quit it and concentrate on his studies. Nonetheless, this activity led to great trouble for Dale, and in the end, he had to struggle a lot to make the team strong to win the league and become the Indianapolis star.
22. Rush
- Director: Ron Howard
- Writers: Peter Morgan
- Cast: Chris Hemsworth as James Hunt, Daniel Brühl as Niki Lauda, Olivia Wilde as Suzy Miller, Alexandra Maria Lara as Marlene Lauda, Pierfrancesco Favino as Clay Regazzoni, David Calder as Louis Stanley, Natalie Dormer as Nurse Gemma
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
The story of the movie has a background of the mid-1970s. James Hunt and Niki Lauda are the main protagonists of this film. They got to know each other in Formula 1 racing, which ushered them to become rivals during the face-off.
During a racing tournament, both of them used to risk their lives to gain the title. However, the real reason was that they wanted to defeat each other at any point in life.
These activities pushed them to vacate their physical and mental peace and stamina to think wisely and in-depth and risk their lives at every lap.
21. Hustle
- Director: Jeremiah Zagar
- Writers: Taylor Materne and Will Fetters
- Cast: Adam Sandler, Queen Latifah and Juancho Hernangomez
- IMDb Ratings: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
For years, Adam Sandler has made us laugh with films like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, but recently, he has shown just how talented he is in comedy and drama.
Hustle is the film for those who were too anxious to see his critically acclaimed performance in Uncut Gems.
After discovering a once-in-a-lifetime basketball talent abroad, Stanley Sugarman (Sandler), a basketball scout, decides to bring him to the States. Though this young player has not had an easy go of it in his career or life, and Sugarman has recently entered a low point, the two can hold onto each other and get out of their way.
20. Icarus
- Director: Bryan Fogel
- Writers: Bryan Fogel, Mark Monroe, and Jon Bertain
- Cast: Bryan Fogel, Mark Monroe, and Jon Bertain
- IMDb Ratings: 7.9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Icarus’ first half might be described as Super Size Me in reverse, but the movie’s second act becomes much darker and enigmatic.
The film follows amateur cyclist and director Bryan Fogel, who attempts to “dope” his way to the top spot in an amateur race.
However, as his connection with Grigori Rodchenkov, the head of Russia’s national anti-doping laboratory, grows stronger, he becomes more interested in the nation’s state-sponsored doping crisis and how it affects a variety of sports.
Fogel clarifies the importance of using sports as a vehicle for propaganda and how one sports scientist may end up facing the wrath of the state.
19. Lagaan
- Director: Ashutosh Gowariker
- Writers: Ashutosh Gowariker, Kumar Dave, and Sanjay Dayma
- Cast: Aamir Khan, Raghubir Yadav and Gracy Singh
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Even a novice can appreciate this epic Indian story, even though cricket may be a challenging sport to understand.
Lagaan, which takes place in the 1890s when the British were still in charge of India, concentrates on a small Indian town that has been severely affected by the drought and will be unable to pay its taxes.
They are presented with a risky wager by the nasty British commander in control of the area. The hamlet will not have to pay tax for the following three years if they defeat them in a game of cricket, but if they lose, they will have to pay three times as much.
Thanks to Aamir Khan’s iconic performance, this movie will live in your memory.
18. North Dallas Forty
- Director: Ted Kotcheff
- Writers: Peter Gent, Ted Kotcheff, and Frank Yablans
- Cast: Nick Nolte as Phil Elliott, Mac Davis as Seth Maxwell, G.D. Spradlin as B.A. Strother, Dayle Haddon as Charlotte Caulder, Bo Svenson as Joe Bob Priddy, John Matuszak as O.W. Shaddock, Marshall Colt as Art Hartman
- IMDb Ratings: 7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
This movie can be considered one of the best sports movies on Netflix, as its story never fails to win viewers’ hearts.
The story of this film can be considered a true story as it has been adapted from a semi-autobiography novel by Peter Gent.
However, the entire concept of the film is based on an American professional football player who did not come forward to join the team named Family. The main reason for this sort of decision was the ill behavior of the coaches.
17. 42
- Director: Brian Helgeland
- Writers : Brian Helgeland
- Cast: Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson, Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey, André Holland as Wendell Smith, Christopher Meloni as Leo Durocher, John C. McGinley as Red Barber, Lucas Black as Pee Wee Reese
- IMDb Ratings: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
The movie has a background set up of 1946. Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson are the main characters of this film, which shows the actual colors of Major League baseball.
They opened the doors for all races of people to participate in the teams and showed how racism had become the primary devil and was stopping the players’ natural talent from getting their deserved positions.
This kind of activity of Robinson has made him the devil in everyone’s eyes, but how he has handled that criticism was commendable.
16. Slap Shot
- Director: George Roy Hill
- Writers: Nancy Dowd
- Cast: Paul Newman, Michael Ontkean, and Strother Martin
- IMDb Ratings: 7.3 /10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
The Sting and Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid are well-known and adored by most people. Still, there is another Paul Newman-George Roy Hill collaboration equally deserving of affection and respect.
In Slap Shot, Reggie Dunlop, a player-coach for a struggling minor league hockey team in Charleston, Pennsylvania, is Newman’s character.
Their position in the community is threatened when the nearby steel mill closes, so he attempts to push his team into playing an aggressive brand of hockey that resembles boxing to draw more spectators.
Few sports movies can mock team owners and even toxic masculinity so expertly as this one does, but it does it beautifully.
15. Unbroken
- Director: Angelina Jolie
- Writers: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen and Richard LaGravenese
- Cast: Jack O’Connell, Miyavi and Domhnall Gleeson
- IMDb Ratings: 7.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 52%
Everyone recalls Jesse Owens’ resounding victory at the 1936 Olympics when he disproved Hitler and all fascists. However, Louis Zamperini, another member of the US track and field squad, is largely forgotten.
Although he came in eighth overall, he did manage to break a lap record. Unbroken relates the tale of his life and how, when his running career ended, his hardest physical and emotional challenge came when, during World War II, he was captured by Japanese forces and had to perform arduous physical work.
Unbroken, which Angelina Jolie directed, is a heartfelt film grounded by a story of survival that defies all odds.
14. Kicking & Screaming
- Director: Jesse Dylan
- Writers: Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick
- Cast: Will Ferrell, Robert Duvall, and Josh Hutcherson
- IMDb Ratings: 5.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 41%
It’s fair to say that most of Will Ferrell’s most successful comedies, such as Anchorman or Step Brothers, are frequently too obscene and outlandish for the entire family to enjoy. Ferrell can let loose in Kicking & Screaming without fear of receiving an R rating.
The movie focuses on the unathletic Phil Weston, who has failed at almost every sport he has attempted.
When Phil’s father sees his son getting benched, he decides enough is enough and moves him to a new team he will coach.
The tension between PHil and his father starts to flare up immediately, much to the distress of the several young soccer players he is now in charge of.
13. Moneyball
- Director: Bennett Miller
- Writers: Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin
- Cast: Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, Jonah Hill as Peter Brand, Philip Seymour Hoffman as Art Howe, Robin Wright as Sharon Beane, Chris Pratt as Scott Hatteberg, Stephen Bishop as David Justice, Reed Diamond as Mark Shapiro
- IMDb Ratings: 7.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
The tale of this film is about how a league graduate challenges the radiation and old-school ethics of a baseball manager. Billy Beane and Peter Brand are the protagonists of this movie.
Billy was the general manager of the Oakland A’s, who was claimed to have all wrong conventional wisdom, which led to a loss in the team and forced him to club the team with some richer clubs.
This leads Billy to join with Ivy League graduate Peter Brand. This emergence of two ethics headed several challenges and bitterness.
12. Invictus
- Director: Clint Eastwood
- Writers: Anthony Peckham
- Cast: Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela, Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar, Tony Kgoroge as Jason Tshabalala, Adjoa Andoh as Brenda Mazibuko, Julian Lewis Jones as Etienne Feyder, Patrick Mofokeng as Linga Moonsamy
- IMDb Ratings: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 76%
The National hero of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, is this sports movie’s main character after gaining the power to change South Africa as the president for the goodness of the people. He tried to unite the people of his country after they were divided in the war against racism.
He wanted to end the conflict between the black and white skin in his country. Mandela’s wish came true when he saw his people supporting people the rugby team in the Rugby World Cup, which was held in 1995.
11. Pelé
- Director: Ben Nicholas and David Tryhorn
- Cast: Amarildo, Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Benedita da Silva
- IMDb Ratings: 7.0/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
The Pelé documentary from 2021 contends that in addition to being a once-in-a-generation talent in football, Pelé was a significant symbol of politics, culture, and history in Brazil’s 20th century.
This video, produced before this legend died away, benefits from nearly continuous on-camera interviews with him as he discusses his accomplishments, setbacks, hopes, and regrets.
This documentary has something to fascinate everyone, whether you want to learn about the skills and physical prowess of one of the finest athletes in the world or hear him express his disappointment at having become a national hero for the dictatorship in Brazil.
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10. Untold: Malice at the Palace
- Director: Floyd Russ
- Cast: Jermaine O’Neal, Stephen Jackson, and Metta World Peace
- IMDb Ratings: 7.5/10
The notorious Detroit night, when a regular team altercation descended into stadium-wide chaos, is remembered by most NBA fans.
Although almost everyone who saw the event had a very strong view of it, most people are not aware of extremely crucial details about it. Untold: Malice at the Palace, a documentary, provides Ron Artest’s violent incident with much-needed context.
Untold describes the events leading up to and following this brawl and shows how the disproportionate retaliation drastically altered the NBA. It includes interviews with Artest, the man himself.
9. The Redeem Team
- Director: Jon Weinbach
- Cast: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony
- IMDb Ratings: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
The US Men’s Basketball Team stunned the world at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens when they lost to Argentina in the semifinals and returned home with a bronze medal rather than a gold.
The US team endured four years of humiliation after years of dominating the competition before their disastrous comeback at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
The Redeem Team traces the US team’s return to glory through archive film and interviews. NBA legends like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan achieved international fame in Barcelona during the 1990s, and the next generation of stars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwayne Wade carried on the tradition.
8. Southpaw
- Director: Antoine Fuqua
- Writers: Kurt Sutter
- Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams and Oona Laurence
- IMDb Ratings: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 60%
In films like Nightcrawler or Jarhead, Jake Gyllenhaal is widely recognized for his physical transformations, but Southpaw from 2015 is where he truly shines. Gyllenhaal plays the reigning junior middleweight boxing champion Billy “The Great” Hope in it.
Even though he enjoys fame, a wealthy family, and fortune, disaster leaves him without anyone or everything. Only Tick Willis, a former fighter primarily working with amateur fighters, can resurrect his career.
Hope must muster the courage to win back his family and a championship. Director Antoine Fuqua allows Gyllenhaal to shine in a narrative about emotional and physical power.
7. Michael Jordan to the Max
- Director: Don Kempf and James D. Stern
- Writers: Jonathan Hock
- Cast: Michael Jordan, Bill Murray, Bob Costas, Laurence Fishburne, Phil Jackson, Dean Smith, Doug Collins
- IMDb Ratings: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 67%
This film is one of the best sports movies on Netflix. It is a documentary drama based on the famous basketball player Michael Jordan.
He is one of the best and most potential athletes of his time. Jordan can be considered an athlete who has all the power players in him when he wears the NBA uniform.
He is nothing less than a superstar, as he has headed the Chicago Bulls to a record six NBA title rings. The film’s entire story depicts the real-life struggle and the dedication of Jordan to reach such a top portion of the sports world.
6. Home Team
- Director : Charles Kinnane and Daniel Kinnane
- Writers: Chris Titone and Keith Blum
- Cast: Kevin James as Sean Payton, Taylor Lautner as Troy Lambert, Rob Schneider as Jamie, Jackie Sandler as Beth, Tait Blum as Connor Payton, Gary Valentine as Mitch Bizone
- IMDb Ratings: 6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 20 %
The tale of this movie is about how Sean Payton gets back to shape after he saw the sports sparkles in his son.
After providing his heart and soul to the NFL, Sean Payton has been suspended from the head coach position.
This incident became the biggest backdrop in his life, which caused him to go back to his hometown. Payton found out his age-old emotions towards his sport when he started providing coaching to his son to make him appropriate for the Warner football group.
5. The Wrestler
- Director: Darren Aronofsky
- Writers: Robert Siegel
- Cast: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, and Evan Rachel Wood
- IMDb Ratings: 7.9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
The Wrestler, released in 2008, is credited with giving Darren Aronofsky much-deserved praise. His intelligent and assured direction enthralled the audience for almost 1 hour and 49 minutes.
The movie’s producers were thrilled by how much money it brought in at the box office. Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson, a retired professional wrestler, competes occasionally for indie promotions.
After triumphing in a local match, he consents to a proposed 20th-anniversary battle with his most famous foe, “The Ayatollah,” hoping it will help him achieve stardom once more. He keeps working out harder, but his heart gives out as the stress and pressure mount.
Randy fights to survive in the world around him as he tries to let go of the one existence he finds comfort in.
4. Creed
- Director: Ryan Coogler
- Writers: Ryan Coogler, Aaron Covington and Sylvester Stallone
- Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone and Tessa Thompson
- IMDb Ratings: 7.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
The critically acclaimed film Creed has earned a spot among the best of its era. The film has won acclaim from reviewers and fans alike because of a gifted filmmaker like Ryan Coogler and a brilliant ensemble that includes Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, and Tessa Thompson.
Adonis ‘Donnie’ Johnson, the son of former heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, aspires to become a champion boxer like his deceased father.
Rocky Balboa, a former heavyweight boxing champion and personal friend of his father, is the mentor he seeks out.
3. Miracle
- Director: Gavin O’Connor
- Writers: Eric Guggenheim and Mike Rich
- Cast: Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson, Noah Emmerich
- IMDb Ratings: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 81 %
The film is based in the turbulent era of the 1980s U.S. The film starts when a famous college coach, Herb Brooks, is hired to train the men’s Olympic hockey team. He has a unique style and the idea of playing, which brings a different dimension to the team.
The team and the coach unite all their enthusiasm to face their rivals and to provide all the answers to those who have bullied them at every step.
Their hard work and dedication helped them gain gold metal, which is a different answer to every humiliating question.
2. First Match
- Director: Olivia Newman
- Writers: Olivia Newman
- Cast : Elvire Emmanuelle, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Colman Domingo, Jharrel Jerome, Jared Kemp
- IMDb Ratings: 6.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 85 %
This sports drama movie shows how a girl tries to bring back her father. The entire concept of the film is based on a teenage girl who belongs to Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood.
To gain her father’s love, she joined a wrestling team that consisted of all boys. This journey was very tough as her only goal was to perfect proficiency and her father. This decision led to criticism and humiliation.
1. The Fighter
- Director: David O. Russell
- Writers: Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, and Scott Silver
- Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo
- IMDb Ratings: 7.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 91 %
The drama is based on Micky Ward, who tried to bring back the lost boxing career of his brother Dicky. To proceed with the family legacy, Micky tried to be in the boxing community and took proper training from his half-brother Dicky.
However, Micky became the bridge between Dicky and his family to rebound the lost relationship between them and the world. The movies mentioned above give a proper description of how the best picture of sports should be. Some of the dramas are based on true stories.
However, some also put forward the background of racism and another perspective on life. Hopefully, the films will never disappoint the viewers if they wish to watch them on Netflix.
