The best underdog movies of all time highlight victory in the face of impossible odds and are almost universally inspirational. They focus on downtrodden, bullied, and undervalued main characters who seem to have no shot at their dream. When people go to see such movies, they believe they can also overcome impossible odds. Yet the point of the movie may not even be the victory itself, but the backbreaking work it took to get there.
There are unsurprisingly a large number of sports dramas among Hollywood’s best underdog movies, but this is not a required plot element. Audiences can find any story about an underestimated individual who proves everyone wrong empowering. Yet all kinds of underdog movies emphasize things beyond athletic skill: the relationships between a teacher and a student, the main character’s own feelings of inferiority, and the nature of a person’s spirit.
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10 Legally Blonde (2001)
Elle Woods shows up everyone at Harvard Law.
Legally Blonde is an admittedly campy but boundlessly fun movie about fighting for the wrong thing and discovering the right thing along the way. Elle is mocked by her ex-boyfriend Warner and their peers, who implicitly believe that because she is stereotypically girly, she cannot become a great lawyer. However, Elle knows her own self-worth, even when she is still determined to get Warner back. Legally Blonde is uplifting in an amusing way, showing Elle winning by being herself. Additionally, Elle turning down the man who was never good enough for her is a satisfying end to the movie.
9 Kung Fu Panda (2008)
Po’s hilarious journey to becoming the Dragon Warrior.
Kung Fu Panda
- Release Date
- June 6, 2008
- Director
- John Stevenson , Mark Osborne
- Cast
- Ian McShane , Lucy Liu , Jackie Chan , Angelina Jolie , Michael Clarke Duncan , Dustin Hoffman , Seth Rogen , David Cross , Jack Black , James Hong
- Runtime
- 92 minutes
Kung Fu Panda features a perfect voice cast for its gang of anthropomorphic kung fu warriors, among them martial arts legends Jackie Chan and Lucy Liu. The underdog story itself is about Po, a goofy panda with a seemingly impossible dream to be a kung fu master. Kung Fu Panda utilizes several types of comedy, but it is also ingrained with some meaningful messages. Master Shifu learns that anything is possible if he is willing to believe in his student, while Po learns that “there is no secret ingredient” and he needs to believe in himself as he is.
8 Miracle (2004)
The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team’s triumphant win against the Soviet team.
Miracle depicts one of the most shocking moments in athletic history and is considered one of the best sports movies based on real events. Kurt Russel’s intense performance as Herb Brooks, the coach of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, helps convey what is at stake. The movie emphasizes the necessity of the players coming together during their brutal training regiment. Miracle is able to capture an overwhelming moment when the U.S. wins the match against the Soviet team, which had not lost an Olympic match in more than 10 years.
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7 Erin Brockovich (2000)
A recently hired legal assistant exposes PG&E’s history of groundwater contamination.
Erin Brockovich tells the inspirational true story of a single mom who takes on a multi-billion-dollar company. Julia Roberts took home an Oscar for her performance as Erin, who is a winner because she refuses to accept otherwise. In one of the movie’s best scenes, PG&E’s lawyers offer a settlement with an air of superiority. Erin doesn’t buy into it and snaps back that her plaintiffs do not care about being rich but care that their families are safe and healthy. At every turn, Erin will not accept anything less than an absolute victory for the people she is representing.
6 Moneyball (2011)
The Oakland A’s manager changes the way major league players are recruited.
Moneyball
Based on the book by Michael Lewis, Moneyball chronicles the Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane as he attempts to assemble a baseball team on a lean budget – by employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players. Billy partners with a young and hungry economist, played by Jonah Hill, as they develop an unconventional team of players that will change the game of Baseball forever.
- Release Date
- September 23, 2011
- Director
- Bennett Miller
- Cast
- Brad Pitt , Jonah Hill , Robin Wright , Philip Seymour Hoffman , Chris Pratt2
- Runtime
- 133 minutes
Brad Pitt, Steve Zaillian, and Aaron Sorkin earned well-deserved Oscar nominations for acting and writing for the movie Moneyball. Moneyball stands apart from other baseball movies, focusing on the Oakland A’s general manager and his recently hired assistant as they implement a new system using sabermetrics to evaluate baseball players. The managers are bigger characters than the players, but they are still underdogs. Everyone doubts their approach until the A’s achieve a record-breaking winning streak, changing the history of baseball.
5 Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Pat and Tiffany “win” a dance competition.
Silver Linings Playbook
Based on the novel by Matthew Quick, Silver Linings Playbook stars Bradley Cooper as Pat Solitano Jr., a recently released psychiatric patient struggling with bipolar disorder and living with his parents in rural Pennsylvania. Determined to win back his ex-wife, Pat teams up with Tiffany Maxwell to both rekindle his relationship and help Tiffany win a dance competition. Jennifer Lawrence stars alongside Cooper as Tiffany, with Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, and Chris Tucker also making up the cast.
- Release Date
- November 16, 2012
- Director
- David O. Russell
- Cast
- Bradley Cooper , Jennifer Lawrence , Julia Stiles , Robert De Niro , Chris Tucker , Dash Mihok , Jackie Weaver
- Runtime
- 122 Minutes
The atypical underdog movie Silver Linings Playbook scored a nomination in every acting category at the Oscars, in addition to several more nominations. Patrick “Pat” and Tiffany set out not to win a dance competition, but to get an average score of 5/10 to win a bet among Pat’s dad’s friends. However, they are not only underdogs because they achieve their “big win,” but because of the peace they find along the way.
Pat and Tiffany are both down on their luck. People around them look down on them because of their reckless behavior and mental health conditions. In Silver Lining Playbook’s ending, Pat and Tiffany both come back from low points in their lives when they realize that they have fallen in love with each other.
4 The Karate Kid (1984)
Daniel LaRusso’s iconic journey to winning the All Valley Karate Tournament.
The Karate Kid
Released in 1984, The Karate Kid follows the story of Daniel LaRusso on his unexpected journey to becoming a Karate expert under the tutelage of a martial arts master. Recently relocated from New Jersey to Los Angeles, Daniel and his mother are trying to adapt to their new home. Unfortunately, Daniel becomes the target of a gang of Cobra Kai dojo students. When his handyman, Mr. Miyagi, saves him with expert Karate skills, Daniel convinces him to teach him his Karate to defend himself, and put his bullies in their place.
- Release Date
- June 22, 1984
- Director
- John G. Avildsen
- Cast
- Ralph Macchio , Pat Morita , Elisabeth Shue , William Zabka , Martin Kove , Yuji Okumoto
- Runtime
- 126 minutes
The Karate Kid is rife with famous moments, such as Mr. Miyagi’s unconventional teaching methods and Daniel winning the final karate tournament using his teacher’s signature crane kick. Yet the story is beloved because it highlights the empowerment of a bullied teenager. The Karate Kid makes an important distinction between people who use their power to hurt others, and people who want to protect themselves and others. Daniel and Miyagi have a moving relationship; Miyagi teaches Daniel karate, so he doesn’t have to fear something as basic as going to school.
3 Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank portray an incredible bond between a coach and an aspiring boxer.
Million Dollar Baby
Million Dollar Baby is an Oscar-winning sports drama directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman. It follows Maggie Fitzgerald, a young female boxer, as she trains under the guidance of her trainer, Frankie Dunn, and tries to make it to the top.
- Release Date
- December 15, 2004
- Director
- Clint Eastwood
- Cast
- Hilary Swank , Mike Colter , Jay Baruchel , Clint Eastwood , Morgan Freeman
- Runtime
- 132 minutes
Clint Eastwood’s brutal sports drama Million Dollar Baby depicts an aspiring boxer’s swift rise through the ranks and the tragic end of her career. It starts as a typical underdog movie, following the narrative of a coach taking an underestimated student under their wing and turning that student into a champion. However, the core of Million Dollar Baby is not Maggie Fitzgerald’s victorious streak but her heartbreaking relationship with her coach Frankie Dunn. It might have seemed impossible for another movie focusing on a boxer to match the critical acclaim of Rocky, but Million Dollar Baby swept the Oscars.
2 Ford V Ferrari (2019)
Ford builds a car to take on Ferrari in a 24-hour race.
Ford v Ferrari
Directed by James Mangold, Ford v Ferrari is a sports drama that tells the true story of car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale), who team up to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and challenge Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966.
- Release Date
- August 30, 2019
- Director
- James Mangold
- Cast
- Christian Bale , Matt Damon , Caitríona Balfe , Josh Lucas , Jon Bernthal
- Runtime
- 152minutes
Ford v Ferrari convinces the audience that the central goal is nearly unattainable because the main characters (at least initially) act like it is. Matt Damon and Christian Bale are brilliant in their respective roles as Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles and have a great dynamic when they are onscreen together. Ford v Ferrari highlights their mutual passion, expertise, and talent for racing as they set out to build a car capable of taking on Ferrari in the 24-hour Le Mans. Additionally, the scenes of the actual racing are well shot and scored, making the movie a thrilling experience.
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1 Rocky (1976)
Rocky relentlessly trains for his first match against Apollo Creed.
Rocky Balboa is the quintessential underdog who faces and overcomes impossible odds. The people who arrange his match against world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed do not intend for him to win. However, this match is Rocky’s once-in-a-lifetime chance to realize his dream, and he pours everything into it. Rocky’s dedication and refusal to back down are nothing short of life-changing, earning him the respect of his opponent.
However, Rocky is a true masterpiece because of how it incorporates Rocky’s personal life into the story and features more than one underdog. While Rocky trains, his shy girlfriend Adrian stands up to her abusive brother and asserts her own self-worth. Rocky is a layered story about self-confidence which continues to inspire audiences today, making it the best underdog movie ever.
