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5 Best Movies for NFL Fans to Watch: American Football has always been a popular subject for film-makers, thanks to the broad appeal of the sport and the way that it touches so many different aspects of life rather than just sport. Bearing this in mind, it’s no surprise to see that there are some excellent movies that fans of NFL football lines won’t want to miss.
Gridiron Gang (2006)
This is a drama film where Dwayne Johnson stars as coach Sean Porter. He decides to build a football team to help troubled kids find something worthwhile to do away from the street gangs and other bad influences around them.
His idea is for the game to show the youngsters how to be mature and responsible, as well as instilling a sense of discipline in them. As you would expect, the team gets off to a difficult start before they start gaining confidence and winning games.
This film is made more interesting once we realize that it’s partly based on a true story. The tale of the Kilpatrick Mustangs was first shown in a 1993 documentary, also called Gridiron Gang, that won an Emmy Award when it was released.
Leatherheads (2008)
This comedy wasn’t such a big success when it was shown in movie theaters back in 2008, but it tells an interesting story of Jimmy “Dodge” Connelly. Played by George Clooney, he plays for the Duluth Bulldogs and realizes that something has to be done to save the team and the entire league from financial collapse.
It’s a look at the early days of pro football that was inspired by real-life cases such as that of Harold “Red” Grange, who signed for the Chicago Bears in 1925. As arguably the best college football player in history, his switch to the new NFL helped to show that the pro league was on the way up.
As for the team, Clooney admitted that it was based on the Duluth Eskimos and that he wanted to use their real name on the screen. However, they weren’t allowed to use the Eskimos name, which is why they changed it to the Bulldogs.
Invincible (2006)
Vince Papale is the real-life inspiration for the Invincible movie. He’s played on the screen by Mark Wahlberg, and we see at the start how he’s struggling in the professional and personal aspects of his life.
Despite problems in his relationships and in his job as a substitute teacher, Vince still dreams of getting one last chance at being an NFL star. He works in a bar for a while but can’t resist the chance to go along to a public tryout where the Philadelphia Eagles are looking for new players.
Dedicating himself to the sport gives him a new sense of purpose in life, although it’s far from plain sailing for him. It’s clear that the movie isn’t a completely accurate version of Papale’s real life, but it hits the right notes in a lot of places and gets carried along thanks to a good deal of genuine emotion.
The Blind Side (2009)
We get to see another side of the NFL with this heart-warming story of real-life player Michael Oher, who is played by Quinton Aaron. He has a difficult start to life but things take a turn for the better when a woman, played by Sandra Bullock, takes him into her home and cares for him.
It’s a highly entertaining story and it’s easy to see why it was such a big commercial success. Yet, Oher himself wasn’t particularly happy at how he was portrayed in it. The player is best-known for his time at the Baltimore Ravens, and the film reflects the problems he had to battle through as a young man. However, Oher, felt that the film didn’t accurately show who he was.
If you like a sports story that focuses on the personal development of the main characters, this is a good choice. The Blind Side received a series of awards and Bullock was particularly highly praised for the way that she handled her role.
The Express: The Ernie Davis Story (2008)
This movie is based on the life of the legendary Ernie Davis and it has divided opinion among fans since its release. Syracuse University player Davis was the first African American to collect the Heisman Trophy, and this film looks at issues like racism and discrimination in the sporting world.
Reviews were generally positive, but The Express performed poorly at the box office. Perhaps the biggest controversy was over the scenes where the players suffer racist abuse at a game between Syracuse and West Virginia University. Yet, these dramatic moments are said to be completely fictitious.
Despite the historical inaccuracies and the poor performance at the box office, The Express remains a moving story of an inspirational figure from college football whose dreams of playing in the NFL were cut short due to illness.