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5 Oct 2023

Beating the odds – three underdog sports movies for fans of Champions

Glenn Cochrane

STACK Senior Editor

Woody Harrelson and his 'Kingpin' director Bobby Farrelly reunite for an other unexpected sports comedy, 'Champions', which sees him reluctantly coaching a basketball team of intellectually disabled players.

We all love a good underdog story, and with Champions lifting our spirits with its warm fuzzy feel-good tale of unlikely legends, we can't blame anyone for wanting to keep the momentum going.

Here are a few other sports comedies to tie you over.

Cool Runnings

Cool Runnings is usually the first port of call when recommending underdog movies, and its reputation precedes it. Telling the famous true story of Jamaica's first Winter Olympics bobsled team, the film stars the late great John Candy as the team's reluctant coach, alongside Doug E. Doug, Rawle D. Lewis, Malik Yoba, and Derice Bannock.

Despite being 30 years old (we're still comprehending that) the film stands the test of time and remains a favourite amongst families to this day. At times hilarious and earnest, the endearing story of five men who set out to beat all odds is amongst the best sports comedies of all time.

Bad News Bears

Walter Matthau stars as a washed-up former baseball player, turned alcoholic, who reluctantly accepts a cash-in-hand offer to coach a kids' baseball team full of misfits. Shunned by the other teams and cast aside as losers, the kids look to Matthau's character for guidance despite his lack of enthusiasm and dislike of them.

A film of its time, Bad News Bears breaks all of the rules and stands apart from the rest as a bold and unconventional underdog story, where political correctness is disregarded and adults behave poorly. It's also full to the brim with charm and proves to be a heartwarming story of one man and a bunch of kids who save each other from despair.

Co-starring Tatum O'Neal, Jackie Earl Haley and Vic Morrow, the film spawned two film sequels, a remake and a short-lived television series. When it comes to sports comedies, it's one of the best.

Fighting with My Family

Directed by British funnyman Stephen Merchant (co-creator of The Office), Fighting with My Family is the true story of the professional WWE wrestler Paige, who rises from her middle-class neighbourhood to become one of the most successful and famous female athletes in the world.

At times hilarious, Fighting with My Family is one of the most memorable sports films of the last decade and showcases an incredible performance from Florence Pugh, whose star was moments away from exploding on the Hollywood stage.

You don't have to be a fan of wrestling, or sports movies, to enjoy this unassuming dramatic comedy. With the talented Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Jack Lowden, Vince Vaughn, and Dwayne Johnson co-starring, it's a surefire hit and the perfect addition to an uplifting movie night.

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