ESSENTIAL FOOTBALL MOVIES FROM THE ’00S
THAT EVERY FAN NEEDS TO SEE
The world of football is a common subject for hit blockbuster movies and these are some of the very best
There’s nothing quite like a movie filled with nonstop gridiron action. American football and the topics which surround it have been themes in many films throughout the years, but especially in the 2000s when a slew of productions were released with football storylines.
From award-winning blockbuster hits to dramas, comedies, and flicks inspired by true stories, here are our top picks for the best football movies every fan must watch at least once.
Remember the Titans (2000)
An all-around knockout of a film, Remember the Titans is commonly referred to as one of the most remarkable sports movies of all time, featuring one of Hollywood’s best actors of all time, Denzel Washington.
A drama inspired by real events in the Southern U.S. during the 1970s, Washington plays a new head coach to a struggling high school football team, the Titans, as he helps to transform the men into teammates that work together and win together, despite pre-existing conflicts.
Herman Boon, their leader, manages to create a real sense of camaraderie that is communicated effortlessly to viewers. A story of friendship and determination, Remember the Titans leaves no eye dry, as its message is inspiring across the board.
Two for the Money (2005)
Although Two for the Money features less live game scenes than Remember the Titans, it’s still one of the decade’s most entertaining football flicks. A star-studded cast featuring Matthew McConaughey, Al Pacino, and Rene Ruso play in this sports thriller about a college football superstar named Brandon who sustains an intense knee injury during a game, resulting in the end of his career.
In an effort to stay connected to the sport he loves, Brandon (played by McConaughey) decides to begin betting on the game, eventually connecting himself with one of the industry’s main leaders, Walter Abrahams (Pacino).
Fans of football and sports betting will enjoy the plot of this action-packed movie and may also find the story interesting in light of modern-day wagering opportunities. At the time of Two for the Money’s release in 2005, sports betting was popular in the U.S. but had not gained legal status for its online operations. Nowadays, after the passage of legislation which has regulated the activity in certain states, dozens of virtual platforms serve fans with no deposit offers and expert tips from the best pundits in the business.
Even though these types of technological opportunities weren’t around back then, it turns out Brandon and Walter still made a pretty successful wagering team when they started out together. No spoiler alerts but eventually things don’t end as well as they started.
We Are Marshall (2006)
Matthew McConaughey is the reigning king of all things 00s football movies, starring again as our lead actor in the semi-biographical hit film, We Are Marshall which tells the tragic story of a football team’s loss of life in a deadly plane crash that killed over 70 players from Marshall University.
After the life-altering event, local head coach Jack Lengyel tries to rebuild the organization from the ground up even in the midst of intense heartbreak. Another one that will tear at your heartstrings, We Are Marshall is a message of hope and healing through the sport of football. The crash is still known today as one of U.S. history’s worst sports-related air tragedies.
Although The Longest Yard came out over 15 years ago, today it’s one of several popular football films available on Netflix
The Longest Yard (2005)
If there was ever a successful football comedy, The Longest Yard is most definitely it. Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, and Burt Reynolds star in this hilarious movie about a group of inmates that challenge their prison guards to a football game to see who will come out on top with eternal bragging rights.
Don’t expect to see any realistic football action in The Longest Yard but do expect to laugh until you cry. Sandler has a way of making everything into a comedic spectacle, leaving a lasting mark in more than three decades of movies and The Longest Yard is no different. The singer Nelly also makes an appearance, earning himself the Teen Choice Award for Best Rap Artist in a Movie.
One fun fact is that many people don’t know the film was actually a remake of a 70s movie of the same name directed by Robert Aldrich. Nowadays you can enjoy it as many times as you want since it’s currently streaming on Netflix.