The top three sports films that aren’t Rocky
Our regular column on classics in a genre you might've missed
People always say the original Rocky is a classic, but I’ve never really seen this. I challenge its fans to watch it again today, and tell me it’s aged well. Yes, there are some iconic scenes, but this is not because they’re good – rather it’s because the film was popular. What we have here is a serious case of nostalgia goggles. Here are some alternatives:
Raging Bull (1980)
The better film about an Italian-American underdog boxer, Raging Bull is Rocky without the melodrama. Scorsese replaces Avildsen, and De Niro – in his best role bar The Godfather 2 – replaces Stallone. It’s a bit like that scene in Shaun of the Dead where the cast meet their superior alternate versions. Raging Bull isn’t an easy watch but there’s a reason people have written whole books about it.
The Wrestler (2008)
Another film I could write about for years, The Wrestler is one of Darren Aronofsky‘s best films. The backstory here is interesting enough, with Mickey Rourke making a return to cinema after huge issues with drugs and plastic surgery. His story is reflected in that of the main character Randy “The Ram” Robinson, whose tale is one of a washed-out ex-wrestler and his attempts to reconnect with his daughter whilst resisting the lure of a comeback.
Space Jam (1996)
Space Jam may not be a work of cinematic mastery like Raging Bull or The Wrestler but damn it’s still an amazing film. The ridiculous pairing of Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes is one only the greediest and most brilliant of film companies could think up. More intelligent than one would think, the film is genuinely funny in parts. The question is, does me liking this film for mostly nostalgic reasons make me a hypocrite considering my thoughts on Rocky? A little bit, but to be fair Space Jam’s theme song is way better.
