When it comes to sports films, especially combat sports films, the best approach is sometimes the grittiest. This goes for both the film’s aesthetic as well as the character’s behaviour—whether that means on the pitch, at the bookies or in the ring.
One man who knows a thing or two about all that is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, an actor whose performance in Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine is easily amongst the best he’s ever given—and if Cristopher Nolan is to be believed, it’s amongst the best of the decade. The film hasn’t quite been to everybody’s taste, but it’s more a problem of pacing than any criticism of its wonderfully gritty style—a convincing recreation of the janky video footage of the original HBO doc that Safdie based his film on.
With Smashing Machine now in theatres, now is the right time to round up some of our other favourites from the sub-genre of gritty sports sagas. I’ve decided to leave out documentaries as we would probably be here all day—but if I had decided to include them, there would certainly be space for Hoop Dreams and Minding the Gap. The ten (plus change) that I’ve selected below have been arranged by some combination of grit and quality—more a gut feeling than anything else, if I’m being honest. Read on to discover more, and use the guide below to find them on services like AppleTV, Netflix, Prime Video and elsewhere.
10. Creed (2015)
Much like the film’s protagonist and director, nobody quite knew what to expect from Creed when it was announced in 2013, but it’s turned into something of a modern classic. Director Ryan Coogler was 27 when he got the job, and Michael B. Jordan was, at the time, probably best known for playing Wallace in The Wire. They’d worked together on Coogler’s breakout, Fruitvale Station, but Creed simply turned out to be a match made in heaven.
We’ve placed the film a little low here because Coogler’s direction is just too masterfully clear to be considered really gritty. Nevertheless, if you appreciate the films he’s gone on to make with Jordan (like Black Panther and Sinners), this is one you’ll want to stick on fast!
9. Moneyball (2011)
Like Creed, Moneyball is a perfect film that would normally place higher on a similar list. When it comes to grit, however, this one is probably a little more on the nostalgic side—and yet, there are more than enough cluttered back rooms, heartbreaks and hard knocks in here to warrant at least a mention in the top ten.
Moneyball, which tells the story of how the Oakland Athletics used revolutionary data models to compete with financially stronger opponents in the early 00s, was written by Aaron Sorkin—so if you like the fast-talking vibe of films like The Social Network and Steve Jobs, I highly recommend checking this one out.
8. The Fighter (2010)
There’s a reason why combat sports dominate this list, and it’s not just because they’re the place where people are most likely to lose blood. The Fighter is a boxing film, but it’s also about the kind of lives that a lot of boxers come from—predominantly working-class families and neighbourhoods where a tough outer shell is often needed to survive.
Case in point is David O. Russell’s The Fighter, the story of a boxer who hopes that success in the ring might be the glue to hold his family together. This is a great watch for fans of Russell’s actor-first approach—think films like American Hustle and Silver Linings Playbook. Indeed, both Christian Bale and Melissa Leo won Oscars for their performances.
7. Warrior (2011)
A year after The Fighter, Gavin O’Connor (who executive-produced the original Smashing Machine doc) delivered the first great film about mixed martial arts. Warrior stars Joel Egerton and Tom Hardy as two brothers on a collision course: they’ve both entered a UFC tournament and, as the chips have fallen, might meet in the final.
This is a gripping sports film—especially for fans of Tom Hardy’s muscular performances in films like The Dark Knight Rises and Mad Max: Fury Road.
6. Foxcatcher (2014)
In 2014, Moneyball director Bennett Miller followed up that terrific film with another that deserves a shout in the pantheon of gritty sports sagas. Foxcatcher tells the true and tragic story of the Foxcatcher wrestling team, a vanity project paid for by the heir of a wealthy American family. As you might have guessed, it doesn’t go to plan.
If you’re a fan of Miller’s work, you’ll easily get into this one. But even if you’re not familiar, there’s plenty to enjoy—certainly for anyone who appreciates Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum, who are both excellent, but especially for fans of Steve Carell. The actor has simply never been creepier on screen, before or since.
5. The Wrestler (2008)
It’s kind of simple: no Wrestler, no Smashing Machine. Mickey Rourke’s comeback story with this film feels so symbiotic to Johnson’s; it’s almost no surprise that both premiered in the same theatre in Venice, 17 years apart, nor that both actors were treated to a thunderous standing ovation.
The film, in which Rourke plays a washed-up fighter attempting to reconnect with his daughter, might be Darren Aronofsky's masterpiece—so if you like the director’s more recent films (Noah, mother! and Caught Stealing), you’re in for a good time.
4. Rocky (1976)
It was difficult to choose from the Rocky films, as most of them have at least a touch of Philadelphia grit about them. I’ve decided to punt for the original, however, because the film’s $1 million budget and New Hollywood aesthetic are pretty much adjacent to what directors like Martin Scorsese (think Taxi Driver) and William Friedkin (think The French Connection) were up to at that time.
The film is a sports classic for many reasons, so if you enjoy any of the underdog stories on this list or are a fan of the recent Creed trilogy, you must go back and watch it.
3. Uncut Gems (2019)
While we’re talking about Safdie’s film, we of course have to acknowledge his last time out as director. Uncut Gems, which Safdie wrote and directed with his brother Josh, is the story of a gambler whose addiction to the rush of a long-shot parlays (what most bookies call accumulators over here) tends to get him into all sorts of trouble—much to the detriment of the nerves of anyone who chooses to watch this film.
This is honestly one of the best films of the last decade, and as an exploration of the grittiest side of the genre, it’s a tough one to beat—especially if you liked Safdie’s new one or are a fan of the brothers’ work together, like Heaven Knows What or Good Time.
2. The Hustler (1961) & The Colour of Money (1986)
For the second spot on this list, I’ve decided to go for two films that were released a quarter century apart: The Hustler and The Colour of Money. Both star Paul Newman as Fast Eddie Felson, a role for which he was twice nominated for an Oscar and, somewhat similar to his character in the film, even dared to win the second time. Both also focus on the game of pool but specifically pool sharks—a fact that gives these sports films the gritty edge of a con or a heist (think Matchstick Men or The Sting, another Newman classic).
I’m adding bonus points as Newman actually takes many of the shots, giving the action an electric charge and his monologue about being in the zone, the unmistakable glimmer of reality. Much the same can be said for Tom Cruise, who plays Eddie’s protege in the Martin Scorsese-directed sequel. Just wait till you see the actor prowl around the table here, spinning the cue like a samurai sword as he sinks pocket after pocket. Has an actor, or anyone else, ever looked more confident?
1. Raging Bull (1980)
It’s fitting that Martin Scorsese would be mentioned so frequently on this list. His 1980 boxing film Raging Bull, which won De Niro his only Oscar for a lead performance, is widely considered one of the best films ever made. The most famous image—the one of De Niro’s Jake LaMotta leaning bloody and battered on the ropes—is not exactly what you’d call gritty, but it’s the operatic quality of those moments that makes the stark, gritty world around him feel so weirdly sublime.
This is the kind of film that probably needs no introduction, but on the off chance you’ve yet to see it, imagine a mix of Rocky and On the Waterfront—a movie that easily would’ve made the cut here if it featured a little more boxing.
