Summary

• "The Boys in the Boat" is an inspiring true story about the American men's eight at the 1936 Olympics.
• Other biographical sports dramas like "Unbroken," "Moneyball," and " the Titans" contain inspiring figures and heartfelt stories.
• These films, including "Rudy," "Invincible," and "Miracle," showcase underdog stories that resonate with audiences and make for great companions to "The Boys in the Boat."

George Clooney's The Boys in the Boat is based on an inspiring true story, and after watching it, if viewers are craving more, thankfully, plenty of other sports movies containing similar premises exist. The 2023 biographical drama film, directed by Clooney and written by Mark L. Smith, is an adaptation of Daniel James Brown's 2013 novel of the same name, which depicts the men's eight rowing team that represented the United States at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, . The movie received mixed reviews from critics, but (according to Rotten Tomatoes), audiences have been loving Clooney's latest project, leading some to look for similar true stories adapted for the big screen.

The cast of The Boys in the Boat includes Callum Turner as Joe Rantz, Joel Edgerton as Al Ulbrickson, Jack Mulhern as Don Hume, Sam Strike as Roger Morris, Alec Newman as Harry Rantz, Peter Guinness as George Pocock, Luke Slattery as Bobby Moch, Thomas Elms as Chuck Day, Tom Varey as Johnny White, Bruce Herbelin-Earle as Shorty Hunt, Wil Coban as Jim McMillin, and Hadley Robinson as Joyce Simdars. Like other biographical sports dramas, the cast of the 2023 film portrayed characters based on real people. Each movie contains inspiring figures alongside heartfelt (and sometimes devastating) stories, which are what make biographical sports films so popular.

10 Unbroken

Stream on Netflix

Angelina Jolie's Unbroken, based on Laura Hillenbrand's 2010 book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, takes viewers back to the height of World War II and tells the true story of Louie Zamperini, played by Jack O'Connell. Zamperini was an Olympic distance runner who competed in the 1936 Olympics (like the University of Washington rowers in The Boys in the Boat) before enlisting in the United States Air Force in 1941. A couple of years later, Zamperini's plane crashed into the ocean, and he and two other men were the only survivors. They were lost at sea for many days before the Japanese Navy captured them and made them prisoners of war.

9 Moneyball

Stream on YouTube or AMC+

Most biographical sports films revolve around football and baseball, and Moneyball belongs in the second category. The 2011 film, based on Michael Lewis' 2003 novel Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, depicts the 2002 Oakland Athletics and how general manager Billy Beane, played by Brad Pitt, built a winning team with a limited budget and analytics. Using sabermetrics, data derived from in-game activity, was (and still is) a controversial way to measure and predict success on the baseball diamond. However, one must watch the movie to see if Beane's model worked. Moneyball received six Oscar nods, including a Best Actor nomination for Pitt.

8 The Titans

Stream on Disney+

the Titans is arguably one of the most inspiring and profound biographical sports films similar to The Boys on the Boat, and it is often regarded as one of the best football movies ever made. The film is loosely based on the true story of Herman Boone (portrayed by Denzel Washington), a high school football coach who strives to integrate the T. C. Williams High School football team in Virginia in the early 1970s. Of course, not every aspect of the Titans is accurate to dramatize the narrative. However, the movie is full of heart and phenomenal performances, and its tragic ending stays with audiences.

7 The Replacements

Stream on Hulu

The Replacements is another football story, but unlike others on the list, the 2000 movie is full of underdogs who weren't supposed to become NFL stars. The film, starring Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman, is loosely based on the 1987 NFL strike, which led to many teams hiring "replacement" players to fill in for the professional athletes on strike. The team at the center of the movie is the Washington Sentinels (inspired by the Washington Redskins, who are now called the Washington Commanders), whose inspiring story plays out on the big screen as the replacement players strike to win every game left in the season.

6 A League Of Their Own

Rent or Buy on Amazon Prime Video

Most biographical sports films contain stories about men, but women are at the center of A League of Their Own, which revolves around the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). The characters and their stories in the 1992 movie are fictional, but the AAGPBL was a real league (which ultimately became defunct in 1954), and the Rockford Peaches were a real team. The AAGPBL was a response to World War II, which saw many men drafted and sent overseas to fight for the United States, meaning they couldn't play professional baseball. A League of Their Own is undoubtedly one of the greatest sports films ever made, and its importance lives on.

5 Ford V Ferrari

Stream on Hulu

Ford v Ferrari tells the true story of Carroll Shelby, an automotive designer, and Ken Miles, a professional race car driver. Matt Damon plays Shelby, while Christian Bale stars as Miles, and the 2019 biographical sports drama film depicts Ford's mission to build a race car that could defeat Ferrari (as the title suggests). Ferrari was a dominant Italian racing team in the 1960s, and Ford was determined to boost car sales via race car driving. The movie received four nominations (and won in two categories) at the 92nd Academy Awards and was regarded as one of the best films in 2019.

4 Chariots Of Fire

Rent or Buy on Amazon Prime Video

Like The Boys in the Boat, Chariots of Fire revolves around the Olympic Games, but the 1981 film takes place 12 years prior to the events in the 2023 movie. Chariots of Fire stars Ben Cross as Harold Abrahams and Ian Charleson as Eric Liddell, two British track and field athletes who competed in the 1924 Olympics in Paris, . The film highlights the differences between the two men's religious beliefs and reasons for wanting to make it to the Olympics, making the story all the more potent and heartfelt.

3 Rudy

Stream on Hulu or AMC+

Rudy, starring Sean Astin as Daniel Eugene "Rudy" Ruettiger, depicts the true story of Astin's character, a young man who dreamed of playing for the University of Notre Dame's football team. Unfortunately for Rudy, he had many things going against him, like a lack of money, good grades, and talent. However, that didn't stop him from trying to achieve his dream, and the 1993 biographical sports drama chronicles Rudy's inspiring story, which can be compared to Joe Rantz's in The Boys in the Boat.

2 Invincible

Stream on Disney+

Invincible is yet another football film similar to The Boys in the Boat, and it tells the tale of Vince Papale, a man in his thirties who tried out for a roster spot on the Philadelphia Eagles and, against all odds, made the team. Mark Wahlberg plays Papale in the 2006 movie, while Greg Kinnear portrays Papale's coach, Dick Vermeil. Invincible does stray a bit away from Papale's life story to make it appear more heartfelt and dramatic on the big screen, but the film's underdog nature makes it a good movie to accompany The Boys in the Boat.

1 Miracle

Stream on Disney+

Miracle is the only hockey movie on the list, but its story makes it one of the films most similar to The Boys on the Boat. The 2004 sports film depicts the United States men's ice hockey team and their journey to victory at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. The Soviet team was the favorite to win that year, but led by Herb Brooks (played by Kurt Russell in Miracle), the United States team pulled off a (pun intended) miracle.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes