Translating action from the gridiron onto the silver screen is never an easy task. We’ve seen several iterations of this premise over the last century of filmmaking. Some of these triumphs are more serious. Others offer more of a comedic twang — where the physicality of football is spliced together with goofs and gags.
Either way, a handful of football films stand out above the rest. Here are those movies.
Remember The Titans
Racial tensions of the 1970s are explored here. A major high school in Virginia would be integrated. As such, the football team would resemble a virtual 50/50 blend of African-American and Caucasian players. A black head coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) would lead the team over the presumed choice, a white coach named Bill Yoast (Will Patton).
The film is a masterclass in tapping into the emotion swirling around the real-life story. You saw a group of teenagers come together to form a lifelong bond despite hailing from different backgrounds. Against blatant racism and other forms of unsavory behavior, the team was able to win the state championship. The music in Remember The Titans is excellent, and the manufactured play on the field is also realistic.
Friday Night Lights
This movie is pure Americana at its finest. Filmed with more of a serious tone, you’re looking at a small high school in West Texas with a rich history of winning football games. The film illustrates the pressure head coach Gary Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) is under. The town expects to win, and based on the relative lack of things to do in Odessa, Texas, this team functions as its de facto form of entertainment and pride.
The pressure exists with those on the team as well — coming from the community but also their parents. Some want to get out of the small town, whereas others plan on never leaving. Even when the odds are against the squad as they go up against a much bigger and faster team in the state championship, you’ll never see the group flinch. There’s an unwavering level of togetherness that propels the team beyond its normal limitations.
The Longest Yard
There are multiple versions of this movie. However, for the sake of this piece, we’re speaking about the 1974 film starring Burt Reynolds — a man who was a real-life football player at Florida State before becoming an actor.
The plot is nearly identical to the later iteration starring Adam Sandler (which also featured an older Reynolds). Essentially, this motley crew of inmates gets to take on the vicious guards giving them a hard time daily. Being an ex-NFL player in the film, Reynolds takes on the task of being the leader of the squad. It’s funny, captivating, and well done.
