Football Movies For Your Entire Team

Football is here again! The NFL is celebrating its Kickoff Weekend so break out the chips, dip and BBQ because it’s time to enjoy some hard hitting football action.  But I realize that not everyone in the household is always all that into the game (Hi Mom!) and so getting them to enjoy the game may take some coaxing.  Try out some of these movies to perhaps warm them up to the thought of watching actual games.

For Kids – PG

The Game Plan - This movie starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is not only entertaining but tells a great simple story that the entire family will love.  The Rock plays Joe Kingman, the best quarterback in the NFL, on his way to a championship year.  He lives the ultimate bachelor lifestyle, that is until an 8-year-old girl shows up on his door step and says she is his daughter.  Watch as Joe’s life gets turned upside down and his newest teammate shows him just how lonely he was before.  It’s no original story but it is has that Disney touch to it and the charm of The Rock which makes this an enjoyable film that even parents will want to watch.

Gus - Don’t tell the kids how old this movie is before their first time because once they hear 1976 they may lose interest.  But this great movie starring Ed Asner and Don Knotts and a field goal kicking donkey, yes, you heard me, a field goal kicking donkey, will keep young kids laughing the whole time.  The premise is quite ridiculous; a mule (Gus) is discovered to be able to kick field goals from any distance and never miss. A down and out team (The California Atoms) uses him to get to the Big Game, the donkey gets stolen before Big Game and the coaches must go get Gus. Slapstick comedy ensues. The simple slapstick comedy of Asner and Knotts is timeless.  Look for cameos by football stars Dick Butkus and Johnny Unitas too.

Little Giants - When the best player on the field is a girl, the coach of the local Pee Wee football team won’t let her play so she talks her dad into starting a new team with the rest of the rejected players.  Rick Moranis and Ed O’Neill star as the coaches and Shawna Waldron plays Moranis’ daughter “Ice Box” in the cute movie about the underdogs coming out on top. It also shows that anybody can win as long as they have their hearts in the game not to mention it actually has a girl who is better at football than all the boys. That makes it a great movie for those young tom-boys in the house who need a little inspiration to keep being what they want and to not just be “one of the girls.”

For Teens – PG-13

Invincible – Mark Wahlberg stars as Vince Papale, a 30 year-old bartender who tried out for the Philadelphia Eagles and overcame long odds to make the team and serve as an inspiration in a town that was already feeling the pain of a down economy.  This true story follows Papale as he attends the open tryouts and then works his way on as more experienced players make his life miserable.  On top of it all his wife leaves him and he is left in a broken empty house.  This feel good story will leave you with that warm feeling in your stomach as you watch Papale show that even a down-on-his-luck guy can win and, in the process, inspire a city in need of a hero.  Shot in Philadelphia and in Eagles Stadium, this realistic and mostly historically accurate film gives a good sense of the attitude and atmosphere of Philly in 1976.   It is only rated PG but I list it for teens because it has some strong emotional scenes that may be a little too much for the younger crowd.

Lucas - This ’80s movie kinda fell through the cracks but has a strong cult following and has proven to become much more beloved through the decades.  It’s a cliche filled teen movie starring Corey Haim as Lucas, the nerd who wants the girl, Kerri Green as Maggie, so he tries out for the football team.  But of course Maggie likes the quarterback Cappie, played by a very young Charlie Sheen.   A typical ’80s movie, you can probably see where the plot is going half way through, but the awkward teen moments by some great actors are well worth it.  With other strong performances by Winona Ryder, Jeremy Piven and Courtney Thorne-Smith this is a good movie but is probably geared more towards the girls.

The Replacements - When the professional football players go on strike, the owners must bring in all new teams on short notice and they must use football rejects to do so.  The funny and easy to swallow movie stars Gene Hackman as coach Jimmy McGinty and Keanu Reeves as quarterback Shane Falco (how could you not be a quarterback with that name?) leading a team with misfit players like Clifford Franklin, played by Orlando Jones, who can run like the wind but couldn’t catch a ball if his life depended on it or linebacker Daniel Bateman (played by a skinnier Jon Favreau) who is slightly crazy but hits like a ton.  These players must all come together and be a team for at least 4 games or they all go right back to being nobodies.   This movie does have some bad language and a little bit of violence (locker room brawls and bar fights) so it may not exactly be for young teens but should be nothing new to any high schooler.

For Adults – R

Any Given Sunday - This Oliver Stone movie focuses more on the team as a whole and how it is like a big family.  With Al Pacino as the rundown coach Tony D’Amato working with old school quarterback Jack “Cap” Rooney (Dennis Quaid) to get their team, The Sharks, to a winning season.  But when Cap goes down, young quarterback Willie Beamen, played by Jamie Foxx, must step in and learn the ropes of being a professional quarterback.  It is an Oliver Stone movie so it’s going to be a little over the top and Stone gets all of the stereotypical football personalities in.  From the selfish and flashy wide receiver Julian Washington (LL Cool J) to the obnoxious sports talk show host Jack Rose (John C. NcGinley doing his best to be Jim Rome), everyone in the football world is portrayed.  There are plenty more fantastic performances too by the likes of Cameron Diaz, James Woods, Jim Brown, Lawrence Taylor, Lauren Holly, Aaron Eckhart and even a cameo by Charlton Heston.  Absolutely not for kids with plenty of bad language, nudity, drug use and long drawn out talking scenes, this is one movie to watch after bedtime.

The Program - This movie about one season for a college football team tries to dabble in every aspect of college football.  It has the hot shot quarterback trying to get the girl, a young upstart running back trying to get the girl of the starting running back, players taking steroids, off the field skirmishes, the hard nosed coach trying to make it through the season and the bond that a team forms when they win or lose.  Not an Oscar contender or anything but it does give a good glimpse into the world of college football.  There are good performances by James Caan, Craig Sheffer, Kristy Swanson, Halle Berry and Omar Epps as well as great game sequences that put you on the field and inside the helmets. You will surely look at college football a little different after watching “The Program,” which includes bad language, suggestive themes and drug use.

Varsity Blues - Probably best known for the condiment swimwear scene, this movie is still a good story about high school football in Texas.  They take their high school football much more serious there and this movie shows just how seriously.  James Van Der Beek plays Jonathon Moxon, a second string quarterback behind his good friend and stand out quarterback, Lance Harbor (Paul Walker) for the West Canaan Coyotes who are trying to win their 23rd division title.  Their coach, Bud Kilmer (Jon Voight), is in his 35th year of coaching and is a no nonsense, winning is everything, hard ass coach.  He will do whatever it takes to win, including subjecting his players to unethical medical treatment and not caring about their well being.  Moxon is a great player but he has aspirations beyond the field.  When Lance goes down and Moxon steps up, he resists Coach Kilmer’s coaching and shows that there is more to the game than just pleasing the coach and winning on the field.  Very entertaining and an eye opener to the world of Texas football, this movie shows why Friday nights are the best time for football.

Should Be Watched By Everyone

Rudy - One of the best inspirational movies and probably the greatest football movie ever (as voted by readers of FilmJunk.com).  This movie tells the incredible true story of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger (Sean Astin), a little guy, who overcomes impossible odds to live his dream and be part of the Notre Dame football team.  After being told his whole life he was too small and couldn’t do it, all Rudy wanted to do was play football at Notre Dame.  Everyone, including his father, brother, high school priest and coaches tell him that he won’t make it and that he should quit.  But Rudy doesn’t and we follow him through the ups and downs which ultimately culminate into the most feel good, inspirational moment in a football movie ever.  I am a adult man and I have no problem saying that this movie chokes me up each and every time.  Perfect for all ages and a story filled with lessons everyone should learn.  It is THE football movie.

For other movies that you can enjoy with the family (and some for the older family) please read our Back to School Movies article.