25 best sports movies, ranked by the dust in your eye

20. Miracle (2004)

Directed by Gavin O’Connor
Starring Kurt Russell, Noah Emmerich, and Patricia Clarkson

Despite its title, Miracle does not actually document a miraculous happening. In reality, the 1980 US Olympic hockey team’s triumph over the much more highly rated Soviets was just extremely unlikely. As the film documents, the Americans’ victory was not the result of divine providence as much as it was due to old-fashioned hard work. As it turns out, with the right conditioning and mindset, the impossible can become doable.

The film’s protagonist is coach Herb Brooks (Russell). As is the case with most coaches in sports movies, Brooks is not immediately well-liked by his team. A ruthless pragmatist, he has no patience for lingering regional rivalries, teenage cockiness or a lack of dedication. He understands that instilling mental toughness requires the infliction suffering. And as a former hockey player who was cut from the 1960 US Olympic hockey team before their big win, he knows that hard work and desire only take you so far.

Eventually, Brooks’ meticulous deconstruction and rebuilding of his players bears fruit. Weeks of nonstop drilling turn the team into a well-oiled machine. But even that isn’t enough. The Soviets play with such power and precision they seem unbeatable. So Herb gives his team the speech of a lifetime. One that confirms not only his faith in their ability but also gives them the inspiration they need to push past what they thought were their limits. Accordingly, when the team manages to bring home the gold, you weep. Not because their victory was miraculous, but because it was extremely unlikely and on that cold day in February, the odds didn’t matter.