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Any Given Sunday (1999)
A hard-hitting predecessor to last year’s business-minded “Moneyball,” “Any Given Sunday” largely chronicles action that unfolds off the field, be it the skirt-chasing ways of a hotshot rookie, the cutthroat nepotism threatening a coach’s legacy or the classic tragedy of veterans reaching the end of their frayed ropes. Directed by Oliver Stone, this sprawling triumph boasts a packed cast of watchable stars, including Al Pacino, Dennis Quaid, James Woods, Cameron Diaz, and Jamie Foxx in an early breakout role. For all of its backstage drama, “Any Given Sunday” (based on Pat Toomay’s novel) still features ample stadium action, grippingly shot by Salvatore Totino.
The Program (1993)
Led by James Caan (who also starred in the famed TV football movie, “Brian’s Song”), “The Program” follows the struggles and exploits of a college football team, while also covering the characters’ other higher-education woes, like drug abuse and relationship angst. Caan plays the team’s coach, while other cast members include Omar Epps, Kristy Swanson, Halle Berry and Craig Sheffer. In the director’s chair is David S. Ward, who sports-film fans will surely know from the “Major League” series.
The Longest Yard (1974)
Before there was the 2005 remake with Adam Sandler, there was this comedic, Albert S. Ruddy-produced original, which turned heads with Burt Reynolds in the lead. Telling the tale of prison inmates who play football against their guards, the movie co-starred Green Bay Packers player Ray Nitschke, not to mention country superstar George Jones. Making the most of his involvement with the title, Reynolds went on to also star in the Sandler version.
The Last Boy Scout (1991)
Directed by the recently deceased Tony Scott, “The Last Boy Scout” is an action film with a semi-cult following, much like many of the pet projects by screenwriter Shane Black. The movie stars Bruce Willis as an ex-Secret Service agent and Damon Wayans as a retired pro football player, and sees the two strive to solve the murder of Wayans’s girlfriend (Halle Berry). The film is probably best known for its arresting opening sequence, wherein an ace running back (Billy Blanks) is instructed via phone to win the game or die, a threat that prompts him to shoot fellow players and then himself.
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Another football movie in which the sport is primarily peripheral, Cameron Crowe’s modern rom-com classic “Jerry Maguire” stars Tom Cruise in one of his best roles as a struggling sports agent, whose one prospect turns out to be a hotshot wide receiver (Cuba Gooding Jr.). Home to such immortal lines as “Show me the money!” “Jerry Maguire” co-stars Renée Zellweger and young Jonathan Lipnicki, who appear as Jerry’s loyal love interest and her precocious young son, respectively. Loosely inspired by the life of agent Leigh Steinberg, the movie is one of the better examples of a popular crossover success, making fans out of sports diehards and romance buffs alike.
Heaven Can Wait (1978)
Harry Segall’s play “Heaven Can Wait” received three film adaptations, including ’41’s “Here Comes Mr. Jordan” and 2001’s “Down to Earth.” But none proved as effective or successful as this 1970s Warren Beatty vehicle, about a deceased football player who returns to Earth in the body of a rich man. Co-directed by Beatty and Buck Henry, who both star in the film, “Heaven Can Wait” mixes comedy and melancholy as it charts the footballer’s plight of finding a new body, and it plumbs existential territory while also mixing in romance (Julie Christie plays Beatty’s love interest). The movie went on to land nine Oscar nominations, winning for Best Art Direction.
Invincible (2006)
Set in Philadelphia, “Invincible” stars Mark Wahlberg as Eagles legend Vince Papale, whose professional run from 1976 to ’78 constitutes the movie’s timeline. Many of the film’s scenes were shot at Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania, where the Eagles played from ’58 to ’70. Additional scenes were filmed at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, 2329 S. Third St., and The Navy Yard, 4747 S. Broad St. An area favorite, “Invincible” costars Elizabeth Banks and Greg Kinnear as Dick Vermeil.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
The Miami Dolphins never saw a greater crisis than the double kidnapping of their finned mascot, Snowflake, and their star quarterback, Dan Marino (who plays himself), in this gonzo Jim Carrey comedy. Announcing himself as a rubbery force to be reckoned with, Carrey proved unforgettable as the titular slicked-hair sleuth, who uncovers a twisted mystery surrounding an old Super Bowl loss for the team. Co-starring Sean Young and Courteney Cox, the movie reminded you to always use proper form for a kick: “Laces out!”
The Freshman (1925)
An irresistible Harold Lloyd classic, “The Freshman” is as good as vintage football films get, with the lead star turning on the charm as a college freshman trying to gain popularity by joining the school team. Easily one of Lloyd’s most successful movies, the comedy unfolds at Tate University, and features Jobyna Ralston as the lead star’s main squeeze. Lloyd’s character’s naivete is half of his disarming appeal, but there’s surely a knowing deftness to this enduring film’s creation.
Friday Night Lights (2004)
Perhaps the finest movie directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Peter Berg, “Friday Night Lights” is a solid adaptation of H.G. Bissinger’s book, which tells a classic, and yet specific, story of a town defined by its local pigskin-tossers (it also spawned a TV series that’s even more beloved). In the role of coach is a game Billy Bob Thornton, who leads the likes of Derek Luke and Jay Hernandez to a Dallas state championship. At the risk of releasing spoilers, the greatest aspect of this well-conceived drama is the simple fact that the home team suffers a loss in the end, making its dramatic struggle all the more uncompromising. How often do we see that on screen?
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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