Movies about women in sports. "Million Dollar Baby", "Play like Beckham", "Tonya against all"

Sport is an ideal subject for motivational stories about willpower, overcoming obstacles and breaking stereotypes. And if the protagonist of the movie is a woman, the effect of watching the movie can be multiplied by two. Especially for stories do not need to go far, they kindly throws up life itself.

Table of Contents

“Soul Surfer”

Country: USA
Year: 2011

The real story of surfer Bethany Hamilton, who at the age of 13 lost her arm after a shark attack. Yesterday the athlete was promised a great future, but today she has to come to terms with what happened and learn to live in a new reality.

The girl has a very difficult time, but thanks to the support of her loved ones she finds the strength to get back on the board. In the end, she manages to survive the blow of fate and prove that she is no worse than healthy competitors.

“Play like Beckham”

Country: UK, Germany, USA
Year: 2002

Jess is crazy about soccer and admires David Beckham’s game. One problem: she is an Indian with strict parents who honor tradition and want her daughter not to do stupid things, but to get an education and build a decent career.

However, the talent is still not hidden, and Jess’s desire to become like Beckham is too great. The girl has to lie to her family in order to play for the local women’s team. The ending of the movie is, of course, happy. And in one of the scenes appears and the famous soccer player himself.

“Million Dollar Baby”

Country: USA
Year: 2004

Four Oscars, unparalleled performance of Hilary Swank and Clint Eastwood and no happy ending. This is a story about a 30-year-old waitress from a dysfunctional family who enrolls in a boxing class in an attempt to change her worthless life. With hard work and persistence the girl draws the attention of a strong coach and begins to make the first successes. It seems that just a little more and she will prove to everyone that she is capable of much, but it is not destined to come true.

The movie is about the fact that anyone can defy fate and follow their dreams. And even if it ends sadly, it wasn’t for nothing.

“Tonya Against All Odds”

Country: USA
Year: 2017

This is a pseudo-documentary movie, filmed in the genre of black comedy. The story tells about one of the most famous and scandalous American figure skaters Tonya Harding. She has been surrounded by anger and violence all her life: from childhood she is humiliated by her mother, then beaten by her husband. She swears and is defiant. She is far from perfect, but on the ice she is incomparable and performs the most difficult jumps.

The movie is based on the main scandal involving Toni, which cost her further career. During the U.S. Championships, the figure skater incited her ex-husband and his accomplices to break the leg of her main rival. The conspiracy was quickly learned about in the FBI, as a result, she was banned from participating in any figure skating competitions.

“Mary Kom”

Country: India
Year: 2014

An Indian movie without dancing and songs, which is based on the biography of Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte – an ordinary girl from a poor Indian family, who got into boxing. She has to overcome prejudices, but she goes to the intended goal and eventually gets recognition, as well as find love and start a family. Mary Kom is a six-time world champion and she is a bronze medalist at the London Olympics.

“Their Own League”

Country: USA
Year: 1992

World War II began, and most American athletes went to the front. Only young people, cripples and… women were left to play baseball, for whom they created their own championship. The movie tells about the formation of the Women’s Baseball League, about girls for whom the fun gradually becomes something important. They manage to prove to the whole country that not only men are worthy to perform in this sport.

“Champions: Faster. Taller. Stronger.”

Country: Russia
Year: 2016

The movie, which tells about three illustrious Russian athletes, begins with the story of the Olympic champion Svetlana Khorkina. She did not fit the standards of artistic gymnastics, was a quiet provincial, who in Moscow had to face great competition and hard to win the trust of coaches. Having overcome all the difficulties, Khorkina entered the history of national sports as the Queen of the uneven bars.