This being Super Bowl weekend and all, I figured this would be as good a time as any to trot out my Top 10 Favorite Sports Films (and some alternatives). As per usual, my list is arranged alphabetically, not in ranking order. So, ladies and gentlemen-start your DVD’s!
Bend It Like Beckham – Director/co-writer Gurinder Chadha whips up a cross-cultural masala that mixes the time-tested formula of the “cheering the underdog” sports film with Bollywood-style flourishes. Her story centers around a headstrong young woman (Parminder Nagra) who is upsetting her traditional Sikh parents by pursuing her “silly” dream to follow in the footsteps of her idol, David Beckham and become an English soccer star. Chadha also weaves in a subtle subtext on the difficulties that South Asian immigrants face assimilating into British culture. Great support on hand from Juliet Stevenson, Keira Knightley and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (as a likable character, for once).
Breaking Away – This beautifully realized slice of middle-Americana from director Peter Yates and writer Steve Tesich (who picked up an Oscar for his screenplay) is a perfect film on so many levels. More than just a sports movie, it’s a genuinely touching “coming of age” story and one of the most insightful ruminations about the simple joys and surprisingly complex social fabric of small town life you’ll ever see on film. Dennis Christopher excels as a 19-year old Bloomington, Indiana resident obsessed with bicycle racing, a pretty coed and anything Italian. He and his pals (played to perfection by Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern and Jackie Earle Haley- all unknowns at the time) are on the cusp of adulthood and unsure of what they are going to do with their lives. Barbara Barrie and Paul Dooley both give genuinely funny and warm performances as Christopher’s parents.
Bull Durham – Writer-director Ron Shelton really knocked one out of the park with this very funny, insightfully written and splendidly acted rumination on life, love, and oh yeah-baseball. Kevin Costner gives one of his better performances as a seasoned, world-weary minor league catcher who reluctantly plays mentor to a somewhat dim hotshot rookie pitcher (Tim Robbins). Susan Sarandon is a poetry-spouting baseball groupie who selects one player every season to take under her wing and do some, er, special mentoring of her own. A complex love triangle ensues. It’s sort of Jules and Jim meets The Natural. I miss whip-smart, “adult” comedies like this-they are sadly MIA these days.
Downhill Racer – This frequently overlooked 1969 film from director Michael Ritchie examines the tightly-knit and highly competitive world of Olympic downhill skiing. Robert Redford is cast against type, and consequently delivers one of his more interesting performances as a talented but arrogant athlete who joins up with the U.S. Olympic ski team. Gene Hackman is outstanding (as always) as the coach who finds himself at frequent loggerheads with Redford’s contrarian demeanor (he makes John McEnroe seem like a lovable guy). The film has a cinema verite feel that gives the story a realistic edge.
Fat City – This 1972 character study is one of John Huston’s lesser-known works, but IMHO it is one of his finest. Stacey Keach is outstanding as an alcoholic, down-and-out prizefighter who becomes a mentor for a neophyte (Jeff Bridges). Susan Tyrrell is a standout as Keach’s love interest (she deservedly received a Best Supporting Actress nomination). If you prefer Rocky-style boxing yarns, you’ll find no sentimentality or audience pandering here. The song “Help Me Make it Through the Night” haunts the film, and has never sounded so bittersweet. A bit of a downer…but well worth your time.
Hoop Dreams – One of the most universally praised documentaries ever, with good reason. Ostensibly “about” basketball, it is at its heart about perseverance, love, and family-which is why it struck a chord with audiences as well as critics. Director Steve James follows the lives of two young men from the inner city as they pursue their dreams of becoming professional basketball players over a five year period. Just when you think you have the narrative pigeonholed, it goes off in some unexpected directions, resulting in a riveting tale that you really couldn’t make up. This film is a winner, in every respect.
North Dallas Forty – Nick Nolte and Mac Davis lead a fantastic ensemble cast in this locker room peek at the lifestyles of pro football players and the machinations of team owners. Some of the antics are allegedly based on the real-life hijinx of the Dallas Cowboys, replete with wild parties and other assorted off-field debaucheries. Charles Durning (who scored a career achievement award from the Screen Actor’s Guild back in 2008) is perfect as the coach. Peter Gent adapted the screenplay from his original novel. This film is so entertaining that I can almost forgive director Ted Kotcheff for foisting Rambo: First Blood and Weekend at Bernie’s on us a little later in his career…
Personal Best – When this film was first released, there was so much fuss made over a couple of brief (and tastefully done) love scenes between Mariel Hemingway and co-star Patrice Donnelly that many failed to notice that it was one of the most realistic, non-condescending portraits of female athletes to ever reach movie screens. Writer-director Robert Towne did his homework; his pre-production research included spending some time closely observing Olympic track stars at work and at play. The women in his story are shown to be every bit as tough and competitive as their male counterparts; Hemingway and (real-life pentathlete) Donnelly deserve credit for not sugar-coating their characterizations in any way. Scott Glenn is excellent as the women’s hard driving coach.
Slap Shot – A puckish satire. Paul Newman skates away with his role as the coach of a slumping minor league hockey team in this classic, directed by George Roy Hill. When Newman learns about a possible sale of the franchise, he decides to pull out all the stops and start playing “dirty” hockey. The entire ensemble is outstanding, and screenwriter Nancy Dowd’s riotously profane locker room dialogue will have you rolling. Newman’s Cool Hand Luke co-star Strother Martin (as the team’s manager) handily steals all of his scenes. Lindsey Crouse (in a rare comedic role) is memorable as a sexually frustrated “sports wife”. Michael Ontkean performs the funniest male striptease bit in film history, and the endearingly sociopathic “Hanson brothers” simply have to be seen to be believed.
This Sporting Life (1963) – This movie was part of the string of “angry young man” dramas that stormed out of the U.K. in the late 50s/early 60s. Films like Look Back in Anger, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner were steeped in “kitchen sink” realism and English working class angst. This Sporting Life was an important watermark for both its director (Lindsay Anderson) and star (Richard Harris). A Brando-esque young Harris tears up the screen as a thuggish, egotistical rugby player who has a gift for the game and becomes an overnight sports star.
Part 2: That’s like, your opinion, man: Top 10 Most Off-the-Wall Sports Films
Okay, so maybe you’re not particularly in the mood for the inspirational locker room speech, the decisive last minute rally or to cheer for the underdog. Perhaps your tastes lean more towards the cultish and the offbeat? No worries, I’ve got all your, um, bases covered this evening. Here are my picks for the Top 10 Most Off-the-Wall Sports Films:
The Big Lebowski– I will admit that I am not quite as enamored as the cultish devotees, but this is THE sports film for those who sure as shit do not fucking roll on Shabbos.
Bite the Bullet-Out of his myriad films, Gene Hackman has declared this unique western about a long-distance horse race to be his personal favorite. Who am I to say neigh?
Caddyshack-Jesus, I know a lot of people who worship this movie. A tad overrated, IMHO, but Bill Murray, Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase and Ted Knight are all aces.
Cockfighter-Regretfully, I cannot guarantee that no animals were harmed in the making of this film, but it features a career-best performance by the late great Warren Oates.
Death Race 2000(1975)-God, I miss Paul Bartel. Avoid the 2008 remake at all costs.
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters-An amazing documentary about some very obsessed video game competitors. You truly could not make these characters up. See it.
The Seventh Seal-Don’t give me that look. Chess counts as a sport.
Shaolin Soccer-Shaolin monks apply their martial arts prowess on the soccer field. This could only come from the mind of Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle). It’s tons o’ fun!
