What to Watch: The Most Inspiring Football Movies

THE BLIND SIDE is a compelling, feel great drama that tells the true story of Michael Oher, a homeless young black teenager who is welcomed into a caring Christian family. Though there are unneccessary elements requiring caution, this wonderful drama is a faith filled, truly inspiring movie with overt Christian values.

WOODLAWN is about a High School football team in Alabama in the 1970’s that was transformed by the Gospel and saw forgiveness, racial reconciliation and transformation as a result. WOODLAWN has some flaws in its writing, but it also has wonderful moments of faith, drama and inspiring transformation that will bring audiences to tears.

FACING THE GIANTS is a thoroughly entertaining high school football movie with a strong evangelistic thrust. When Coach Grant realizes that the importance of the football team is not winning the game but serving God, he completely rebuilds the team, revival breaks out in the school, and miracles start to happen. MOVIEGUIDE® commends the filmmakers for producing such an inspiring, entertaining movie.

GREATER is based on the true story of Brandon Burlsworth, who began his football career as a walk-on, but through hard work and trust in God, became one of the best football players Arkansas ever saw. GREATER is an entertaining, inspiring movie with a strong Christian, moral worldview, but there is some brief but light foul language and intense moments, so discernment is required for younger children.

Based on a true story, REMEMBER THE TITANS depicts the forced integration of an all black high school with an all white school and its impact on football in 1971 Alexandria, Virginia. Faced with the need to unify their team, two coaches, one of them played by Denzel Washington, must help the team to learn that the real victory lies in changed hearts. Humorous as well as dramatic, TITANS is a moral, uplifting, well-acted tale.

WE ARE MARSHALL is an inspiring movie about dealing with the grief of an actual plane crash that killed most of the Marshall University football team and coaching staff in 1970. MOVIEGUIDE® heartily recommends WE ARE MARSHALL, with the caution that there is too much brief foul language and an instance of players drinking beer.

In CATCHING FAITH, Christian mother Alexa Taylor must reevaluate her seemingly perfect life when it is upended by a series of troubling events: the death of her father, her son caught drinking, her daughter cheating on a test, her marriage shaken by a lie, etc. CATCHING FAITH is genuinely engaging and does a good job courageously facing down tough choices confronting today’s Christian families. Strong Christian values and important faith discussions make this movie appropriate for the whole family.