Sports Competition backdrop

Sports Competition movies

Competition-first sports stories: matches, races, tournaments, or seasons where winning and performance pressure drive the plot.

Overcomer

1. Overcomer

Drama Sports Competition
6.7
20191h 59min

Overview

After reluctantly agreeing to coach cross-country, high school basketball Coach John Harrison helps the least likely runner attempt the impossible in the biggest race of the year.

Themes

Mentorship under pressure, Faith based resilience, Athletic perseverance, Family influence on growth, Cross country discipline, School community support

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Creed II

2. Creed II

Drama Action Sports Competition
7.1
20182h 10min

Overview

Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight against an opponent with ties to his family's past, Adonis Creed is up against the challenge of his life.

Themes

Rivalry under pressure, Pregnancy and responsibility, Media glare and manipulation, Boxing discipline and training, Legacy and family obligations, Mentor influence and guidance

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

A Prayer Before Dawn

3. A Prayer Before Dawn

Drama Action Crime Martial Arts Action Prison Crime
6.8
20181h 56min

Overview

The amazing true story of Billy Moore, an English boxer incarcerated in Thailand’s most notorious prison. Thrown into a world of drugs and violence, he finds his best chance to escape is to fight his way out in prison Muay Thai tournaments.

Themes

Prison as proving ground, Outsider in confinement, Drug abuse cycle, Camaraderie amid danger, Institutional power dynamics, Sport as survival tactic

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Miracle Season

4. The Miracle Season

Drama Sports Competition
6.5
20181h 40min

Overview

After the tragic death of star volleyball player Caroline "Line" Found, a team of dispirited high school girls must band together under the guidance of their tough-love coach in hopes of winning the state championship!

Themes

Grieving community resilience, Adversity to motivation, Sport as healing, Leadership through mentorship, Collective memory in athletics, Tough love coaching, Public tribute and motivation

Available on

Netflix
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

I, Tonya

5. I, Tonya

Drama Comedy Sports Competition Satire
7.5
20172h

Overview

Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding rises amongst the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the sport is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes.

Themes

Rivalry under pressure, Poverty and resilience, Abuse and ambition, Image vs merit, Mother-daughter conflict, Public scrutiny in sport

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Never Back Down: No Surrender

6. Never Back Down: No Surrender

Drama Action Martial Arts Action Sports Competition
6.3
20161h 41min

Overview

Picking up after the events of Never Back Down 2, former MMA champion Case Walker is on the comeback trail to become champion once again.

Themes

Loyalty and betrayal, Mentorship under threat, Promotional manipulation, Comeback under pressure, Steroid doping schemes, Ethical boundaries in sport

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Italian Race

7. Italian Race

Drama Action Sports Competition Vehicle-Driven Action
7.2
20161h 59min

Overview

Giulia De Martino is a pilot. At seventeen she participates in the GT Championship, under the guidance of her father Mario. But one day everything changes and Giulia has to face alone both the track and her own life.

Themes

Race discrimination in sports, Politicization of racing in sports, Public spectacle in sports, Civil rights in international competition, Propaganda in motorsport, Fame versus focus in sports

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
blue TV
Rakuten TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Creed

8. Creed

Drama Action Sports Competition
7.6
20152h 13min

Overview

The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.

Themes

Underdog ascent, Mentor training, Boxing champion lineage, Legacy vs self, Trainer tension

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Southpaw

9. Southpaw

Action Drama Sports Competition
7.3
20152h 3min

Overview

Billy "The Great" Hope, the reigning junior middleweight boxing champion, has an impressive career, a loving wife and daughter, and a lavish lifestyle. However, when tragedy strikes, Billy hits rock bottom, losing his family, his house and his manager. He soon finds an unlikely savior in Tick Willis, a former fighter who trains the city's toughest amateur boxers. With his future on the line, Hope fights to reclaim the trust of those he loves the most.

Themes

Loyalty vs ambition, Family pressure, Fame pressure, Trauma recovery, Custody stakes, Addiction struggle

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
fuboTV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

McFarland, USA

10. McFarland, USA

Drama Family Sports Competition
7.4
20152h 8min

Overview

A track coach in a small California town transforms a team of athletes into championship contenders.

Themes

Community support, Educational ascent, California opportunity, Team growth, Small town pressure, Family sacrifice

Available on

Disney Plus
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.