Movies are a great way to spread positive messages to their audience. There is usually a theme or tone that the director is going for, something that makes the audience think about the film even after they walk out of the theater.
Sports movies in particular are very good at sharing not only messages, but positive ones. The messages in these types of movies can be clear but also hidden inside the plot of the movie. This allows viewers to really ingest what is trying to be said and maybe even apply it to real life.
Cool Runnings
Cool Runnings was filmed and then shown in theaters in 1993. Its story follows four men from Jamaica who decide to go to the United States and form the first Jamaican bobsledding team to compete in the olympics.
The film tackles themes like redemption and sense of purpose while keeping the family friendly and comedic feel to it. Viewers may sympathize with John Candy’s character Irving Blitzer because in the movie he was a gold medallist in the olympics but was disgraced because of a cheating scandal. Seeing Blitzer come back from rock bottom could give reassurance or hope to everyone who has been embarrassed or feel guilt for a mistake. Even if this specific situation involves actors, people still hold olympians to a very high level of respect, and seeing an olympian fall like Blitzer did could also create feelings of equality.
Viewers also see one of the main characters Derice Bannock battle his own demons as the movie begins with him getting disqualified from the sprints in the olympics. As the film progresses, he undergoes a character arc of realizing that he is more than just a sprinter or olympian. This creates a sense of purpose throughout the movie which shows the viewers that they might think they are in the right place in life but maybe there is something better for them out in the world.
The Greatest Game Ever Played
The Greatest Game Ever Played was filmed and then shown in theaters in 2005 and is based on the true story of an amatrue golfer who beat a pro in the 1913 U.S. Open. The film is lighthearted at times, but also has viewers face themes like fighting adversity and ambition.
The main character is Fraince Ouinmet who is from the working-class and is thrown into the elite society of golf where nobody respects him. When viewers watch Ouinmet struggle to fit in with his new group, it creates a feeling of empathy as the audience wants this character to succeed. These feelings of empathy can then be taken out of the viewing setting and shared among people which creates a stronger humanity.
Viewers also watch Ouinmet set a goal that seems out of reach but ends up being what he achieves in the end. Seeing this can instill a goal oriented mindset into viewers that can help them see their full potential.
Coach Carter
Coach Carter is about a high school basketball team from a low income neighborhood. The team seems to do the impossible by going to state after they geting a new coach. The movie can be intense at times and deals with themes like discipline and the value of hard work.
At the start of the movie, the players are doing whatever they want outside of the court, things like skipping class and partying. Coach Carter comes in and requests everyone to sign a contract about appropriate student athlete behavior if they want to be on the team. For viewers the message is loud and clear: in order to get to where you want to go, you have to do the small things just like you would the big things. Throughout the movie, the value of hard work is instilled into viewers as they watch a dreadful basketball team go further than anyone ever thought they could. From that, viewers learn that you can’t get what you want without trying and putting yourself in some uncomfortable situations to get better. It also shows how working with other people can help you stay motivated and on the right track to achieve your goal.
Sports movies can bring people together through their overall positive universal messages they can spread. The messages in the movies talked about in this article are just a few messages that are in the movies but they are some of the most significant ones. Sports movies can send a positive message in one form or another so the public will keep coming back and learning from them.
