The crack of the bat, followed by the explosion of the lights in The Natural. The knock-down-drag-out fight between Rocky and Apollo Creed in Rocky. The moment Ray Kinsella asks his dad if he wants to play catch in Field of Dreams. So many sports movies fill audiences with hope and optimism. The belief that there is greatness in all of us if we just try a little harder and push ourselves to the limit. We cheer these titans on and cry tears of cathartic joy when they succeed.
And then there are the other sports movies. The sports movies that leave viewers feeling utterly decimated. There are tears, but these are tears of great sadness. These are the movies that break viewers' hearts and make their lips quiver at just the thought of them. There was no joy in Mudville when these movies came out.
10 The Wrestler Will Put Your Tears In A Figure Four Leg Lock
Darren Aronofsky isn't known for making feel-good films. His previous two films, Requiem for a Dream and The Fountain, left audiences sobbing in the aisles, and The Wrestler wasn't going to be any different. The movie, which stars Mickey Rourke as the titular character, focuses on a washed-up professional wrestler who faces the greatest dilemma, give up the sport he loves or die.
Unable to live a life outside the squared circle, Randy "The Ram" Robinson finds himself lost in the world, working at a supermarket while trying his best to just make it from day to day until the one time superstar gives in and enters the ring for the last time. The role would earn Rourke an Oscar and lead to his being cast in Iron Man 2.
9 Ford V Ferrari Will Drive Viewers To Buy More Tissues
Based on the true story of automotive designer Carroll Shelby and British driver Ken Miles, Ford v Ferrari tells the tale of the Ford Motor Company's journey to build the Ford GT40 and take part in the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France. The story is an odd take on the classic David and Goliath tale, as Ford has far more money than its competitor Ferrari, but doesn't have the experience in this area.
What really makes the movie is the friendship between Shelby and Miles, played by Matt Damon and Christian Bale. What breaks everyone's hearts is the tragic turn the film takes in the last few minutes.
8 I, Tonya Hits Viewers Right In The Feels
I, Tonya stars Margot Robbie as Tonya Harding and Sebastian Stan as her husband Jeff Gillooly. The movie tells the true story of the 1994 Olympics ice skating scandal from the point of view of Harding and Gillooly, who attacked Tonya's rival, Nancy Kerrigan, hitting her in the knee with a pipe, nearly ending her career.
I, Tonya goes through the entire professional life of Harding, showing how she was looked down on by her peers because of her "redneck" upbringing and sexually suggestive style. The sadness lies just how far Harding could have gone if she had people who truly supported her at her side.
7 Million Dollar Baby Is Like A Sucker Punch To The Gut
Million Dollar Baby doesn't just have a sad ending, the whole movie is a straight-up rollercoaster of tears. Maggie Fitzgerald moves from the Ozarks to Los Angeles with dreams of becoming a professional boxer. She works as a waitress and trains when she can, but can't seem to catch a break.
That all changes when trainer Frankie Dunn finally agrees to take Maggie on as a client. Under Dunn's tutelage, Maggie quickly rises up the ranks and gets a chance at a one million dollar purse. It is in that fight that Maggie suffers a horrific injury after being sucker-punched by her rival, leaving her a quadriplegic.
6 Brian's Song Will Make Viewers Hit Their Knees & Ask God To Love Brian Piccolo
Starring Billy Dee Williams and James Caan, Brian's Song is based on the true story of Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers, two Chicago Bears players who became close friends and faced death together. Piccolo and Sayers were the first interracial roommates in the history of the National Football League, which is the kind of thing that gets made into a movie today, but that's just where Brian's Song starts.
The real story is about Piccolo's battle with terminal cancer and how Sayers never gave up on his friend. Brian's Song is often considered one of the greatest television films ever made and was nominated for nine Emmys, winning four.
5 Raging Bull Hits Like A Fist Against Concrete
Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull, starring Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta, would be considered the greatest boxing movie of all time if Rocky was never made. The movie, based on LaMotta's autobiography, Raging Bull: My Story, tells the story of Italian-American middleweight boxer Jake LaMotta, an amazing boxer who lost it all because he couldn't control himself.
Raging Bull focuses on the rise and fall of LaMotta, from world middleweight champion to his time in jail and what came after. LaMotta's rage and self-destructive nature cost him everything, turning the once great champion into a cautionary tale for other boxers.
4 Everybody's All-American Makes Viewers Think About What Could Have Been
Based on the novel by Frank Deford, Everybody's All-American stars Dennis Quaid, Jessica Lange, Timothy Hutton, and John Goodman. The story focuses on Gavin Grey, nicknamed the "Grey Ghost." In the 1950s, Gavin was a college football star who ended up with a lackluster pro career.
When money issues force Gavin to come out of retirement, he quickly realizes that he's too old for football. Gavin quickly finds himself living in a world he doesn't fit in, fading from the memories of the world around him and becoming just one more guy at the bar who is always talking about "the good old days."
3 Knute Rockne, All American Crashes Into Your Soul
Based on the lives of Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne and George Gipp, Knute Rockne, All American is best known for the classic line "Win one for the Gipper." The movie mainly focuses on the life of Knute Rockne from his childhood to his days as a student and football player at Notre Dame, to his time as a teacher and assistant football coach at the school.
The one-two punch of the movie comes from the tragic death of quarterback George Gipp just two weeks after being named All-American, followed by the death of Knute in a plane crash. Ronald Regan, the 40th President of the United States, played Gipp in the film.
2 Rush Pulls A Quick Reverse From Happy To Sad
Rush, which stars Marvel Cinematic Universe actors Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl as real-life racers and rivals James Hunt and Niki Lauda. The movie, directed by Ron Howard, primarily focuses on the 1976 Formula One season where both racers are pushed to their limits, with Lauda nearly dying and being left permanently disfigured after a terrifying accident during a race.
While the movie appears to end with the two men putting aside their rivalry and becoming friendly to one another, the sadness lies in the last few moments, when it is revealed that Hunt died in his sleep at just 45.
1 The Express Hits The Heart Right Between The Uprights
Based on the true story of Ernie Davis, The Express: The Ernie Davis Story is a movie all about overcoming the odds right up until it isn't. Davis played halfback for Syracuse University and is the first Black player to win the Heisman Trophy, and the movie primarily focuses on that aspect of his life.
In the final moments of the movie, Davis signs with the Cleveland Browns but sadly never gets a chance to play with them—before the first game, Davis is diagnosed with leukemia and passes away at the far too young age of 23. The Express: The Ernie Davis Story came and went from theaters with little notice, but is known for being the film debut of Chadwick Boseman.
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