Best Olympic-Related Movies Ever

The Olympics offer plenty of topics, especially ones based on actual events. Some are inspiring, and some are tragic. How far are the athletes willing to go to succeed? In this article, we listed some of the best Olympic-related movies ever!

Running+Vangelis=Chariots of Fire

Athletes in white T-shirts run barefoot on the beach, waves touch their feet, and the legendary music of Vangelis plays in the background. The beautiful tunes are a perfect match for their expressions reflecting joy. This scene is one of the most iconic scenes in film history, which is part of the multiple award-winning film Chariots of Fire. Even the title has a unique story, as one of the lines of William Blake’s poem Jerusalem inspired it. It is not only the excellent soundtrack and acting or the authentic representation in all respects that make the movie a masterpiece. 

Beneath the surface, deeply psychological and moral questions also appear. Hugh Hudson’s film is based on a true story, where we follow two runners from different social backgrounds as they prepare for the 1924 Olympics. Eric is a religious Scottish missionary, competing for God and country, while Harold, of Jewish origin, struggles to be accepted by his fellow men. The film’s main topic is what motivates an athlete to beat not only their rivals but also themselves again and again. 

Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams wrestle with these questions in the movie, which takes their rivalry all the way to the 1924 Paris Olympics. The film is still popular! People quote its lines, and it is also in the book: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. Also, we have all heard Vangelis’ Chariots of Fire song associated with the film. The film received the most significant film award as well. At the 1982 Oscars, Chariots of Fire won the best film category, among others. Check out the upcoming Oscar nominations at 22Bet Sportsbook!

Best Olympic-Related Movies Ever

Foxcatcher beautifully presents the path that led to a tragedy. We all have a burning desire to be somebody and this very slowly unfolding story also tells us something about the vanity of all humanity. The work of Bennett Miller, who was a nominee at the Oscars for directing the film, authentically presents the sad life of a lost man, his hopeless attempts to prove his worth to himself and the world, and tries to show the viewer what led to that particular winter day. One of the best Olympic-related movies ever is powerful because we can all relate to the characters.

We feel sorry for the character, sympathize with him, and to some extent even understand him, but in no way absolve him of what he has committed. We understand him, but we don’t agree with him! It is difficult to portray a situation like this perfectly, but Foxcatcher did it.

David, Mark Ruffalo, and Mark Schultz, Channing Tatum, are talented and successful wrestlers, although the latter had to spend his whole life in the shadow of his older brother. He needs his brother, but at the same time, there comes a time when he wants to break out from under his protectiveness.

He has a chance to do just that by taking an invitation to the Foxcatcher wrestling farm from the wealthy du Pont, Steve Carell. The friendship and support of the two are at the center of the film, which begins with the brother’s constant presence, even if David is not physically with them at first.

The relationship between the three of them and the unfolding of their personalities build the whole story. Although Foxcatcher is based on a true story, it is not about the tragic shooting nor the sport itself, though it provides a lot of interesting information about wrestling, about the path that du Pont and Mark take.

I, Tonya! – The Scandal of the Century

American figure skater Tonya Harding finished fourth at the 1992 Winter Olympics and eighth in 1994 and was also a silver medalist at the World Championships. However, it was not because of her results that the public remembers her.

Before the 1994 Winter Games, someone used a telescopic baton to break the knee of her greatest opponent, Nancy Kerrigan. It was later revealed that Tonya’s ex-husband was also involved. Craig Gillespie’s film shows the life of the former figure skater with several mini-interviews. 

The speakers often get into contradictions with each other since, as Tonya states at the end of the film, everyone has their own truth. The topics include the difficulty of breaking a transgenerational abusive, toxic environment. Why does our subconscious guide us again and again into situations in which we have burned ourselves before? For the sake of the success of our career, how far should we go? While watching Gillespie’s film, we can answer these questions. 

The work reevaluates everything you probably think about Tonya Harding’s life and personality. It sees beyond the stubborn girl who wanted to ruin the sports career of her main rival with a cruel attack. It does not only scratch the surface but goes deep. They do not emphasize the scenes showing the abuses as depressingly dramatic, but their depiction is not frivolous or pessimistic either. It is not even necessary to highlight physical or verbal violence in a calculated way in the film since they were a part of Tonya’s every day. 

Best Olympic-Related Movies Ever

Her mother planted it in her brain that she deserved the beatings and mean comments. Also, she had an abusive relationship as well. Meanwhile, her sports career was gradually rising. Harding ranked among the best in Americ. However, she believed she was still not properly evaluated by the judges. The reason for this was that she still did not fit into the conventions of the world of figure skaters. As for the savage plan, it’s still not entirely clear what her role was.

Her ex-husband Jeff wanted Tonya to succeed in the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, so he asked Shawn, one of his friends, to send threatening letters to her biggest rival, Nancy Kerrigan. However, Shawn overdid it when he hired two guys to physically hurt and cause severe damage, enough to make it impossible for Kerrigan to compete in Lillehammer. During the amateur attack, the baton caused only a bruise instead of a fracture so Kerrigan could compete in the Winter Olympics. They caught the attackers quickly, who mentioned Shawn, and eventually Jeff.

Allegedly, Tonya also knew about this and was very worried about facing justice. She told the authorities that Jeff and Shawn planned to write threatening letters. As revenge, her ex-husband claimed in his testimony that Tonya knew they were planning to physically assault Kerrigan. However, she has always denied the accusation. After watching the movie, one might wonder what Harding would have achieved if she had grown up with different patterns. Check out Margot Robbie’s performance as Tonya Garding at online gambling sites in the UK!

Best Olympic-Related Movies Ever

The movie, based on actual events, tells the story of Michael Edwards, aka Eddie the Eagle. He is more of a heroic loser whose accomplishments are only impressive compared to his odds.

His performance was similar to Eric Moussambani, aka Eric the Eel, who swam unbelievably slow in 100 meters in Sydney and still won because the others were disqualified. Edwards didn’t have much better chances either. In the film, everyone thinks of him as a fool because he is obsessed with the Olympics since his childhood. 

He had little talent for sports, being a nerd who wore thick glasses and a walker as a child, like Forrest Gump. In the film, everyone tells him to forget about sports, but that’s what motivates him. The character is unusually down-to-earth compared to Hollywood heroes. He does not give up on his life goal, competing in the Olympics, but tries to find loopholes. Eddie realizes that his only chance is the Winter Olympics, and not as a skier but as a ski jumper. The only problem is that learning this sport usually starts at the age of 4-6, not over twenty. 

Motivating Plot

One of the best Olympic-related movies ever is not about the road leading to a final triumph but rather about how the real Edwards got to the point where a film was made about him. He made it to the Olympics with a lot of work. Although he finished last, he broke records and celebrated his modest successes in front of a laughing audience with such sincerity that he became an instant star. At first, even his coach, Hugh Jackman, tries to talk him out of ski jumping. 

The dynamics of the mentor-student relationship between the two are just as crucial as the sport. Jackman’s fictional character is not a typical master, on the contrary, he is a real anti-hero. However, Eddie is a goal-oriented, unwavering character with big dreams. He faces a series of sometimes tragic, sometimes funny failures, a lot of athletic challenges, as well as bureaucratic obstacles and personal life complications, and yet, he is determined. 

Without sponsors, he has to learn everything that other competitors train for since childhood, in just a few months. The film is as much about the coach’s redemption as it is about Eddie. Jackman’s character is initially a pitiful coach who needs to take responsibility. He learns as much from Eddie as his student learns from him. Although the main character can’t catch up to his competitors, he fulfills his own goals and dreams. Check out the funniest Olympic fails and the lovable characters of the Games!

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