Racism and discrimination are the hidden reasons behind most modern-day problems. It erodes communities from within and makes the people who suffer from it feel angry, depressed, and even commit crimes. You can see racism everywhere even in sports. Find here the best sports movies about racism and try to accept people’s diversity, because it is something we need to love and understand.
Ali
Everybody knows the legendary boxing player Muhammad Ali Clay, this movie is a biography of this wonderful man who stays on top of the game for 10 years. The movie was created by Gregory Allen Howard, Stephen J. Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson, directed by Michael Mann and starring Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, Jon Voight, Mario Van Peebles, Ron Silver, Jeffrey Wright, Mykelti Williamson, Nona Gaye, Paul Rodriguez, and Jada Pinkett Smith.
Movie Plot
Cassius Clay is a boxing player who become very popular in 1964 after he wins the Olympic gold medal, and because he broke the stereotypical picture of the African American in people’s mind.
He is bold, brave, and has self-confidence. He tells everyone that he is the greatest boxer of all time and he shows them that as well.
His personal life also makes everybody curious about him, because he becomes a Muslim and a close friend to the revolutionary Malcolm X. Eventually, he refuses to attend the compulsory military service during the Vietnam war, and that decision cost him much. It is one of the best sports films about racism.
Movie time: 2 hours and 37 minutes.
Movie type: Biography, Drama and Sport.
Woodlawn (best sports movies about racism)
Another biography and one of the best sports movies about racism created by Jon Erwin, Todd Gerelds and Quinton Peeples, directed by Andrew ErwinJon Erwin and starring Caleb Castille, Sean Astin, Sean Astin, C. Thomas Howell, Nic Bishop, Sherri Shepherd, Joy Brunson, Lance E. Nichols, and Kevin Sizemore.
Movie Plot
Tony Nathan is a high school student and a gifted black football player studying in a school in Birmingham, Alabama.
In 1973, the federal government desegregated so Nathan joined the football team which was dominated by white students, and to control the team their coach Tandy Gerelds suggested that the players have to aim their angry feelings at the game and cooperate together to win forgetting everything about the racism. The coach asks chaplain Hank Erwin to motivate them to cooperate and accept each other in the name of Christ.
Movie time: 2 hours and 3 minutes.
Movie type: Biography, Drama and History.
The Karate Kid
Another one of the best sports movies about racism created by Robert Mark Kamen, directed by John G. Avildsen, and starring Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, Martin Kove, Randee Heller, William Zabka, Ron Thomas and Rob Garrison.
Movie Plot
Daniel’s mother got a new wonderful job in California so they went together there from New Jersey, but Daniel has Italian roots and dark hair, so he cannot blend in with the blond-haired people of California.
He tries his best to avoid fights with them, but he finds himself surrounded by a group of karate player and they defeat him badly.
Before Daniel passes out, he saw Mr. Miyagi the gardener fighting for him and saving him, after that they discover together the reason behind the violent behavior of the teenagers who beat him, and that was their coach who taught them to fight without any mercy.
Mr. Miyagi teach Daniel karate and lets him compete in the school competitions, could he win the game?
Movie time: 2 hours and 6 minutes.
Movie type: Action, Drama and Family.
Remember the Titans (best sports movies about racism)
You can consider this movie as one of the best sports movies about racism. The movie directed by Boaz Yakin, written by Gregory Allen Howard, and it is based on the biography of coach Herman Boone or Denzel Washington in movie.
Movie Plot
Everything begins in the summer of 1971 at the time of integration, at this time coach Bill Yoast who leads a team of white boys in T. C. Williams High School in Virginia was informed that there is a black coach called Herman Boone who was hired to lead the black team of high school, and now he had to work with him.
The tension at first was very high between them, until the school district makes Boone the head of the coaches in the team, Bonne refused this rule, because he thinks it is unfair for Yoast.
But later Bonne found this opportunity means a lot for the black community, so he accepted it, and it makes Yoast resign and want to join another team somewhere else.
The white players boycott the playing and demanded their coach, so Yoast felt that his students will lose their chances to win scholarships so he cooperates with Bonne for the good of everyone.
Movie time: 2 hours and 6 minutes.
Movie type: Action, Drama and Family.
Invictus
A Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman movie talking about Nelson Mandela and Francois Pienaar (captain of a rugby team), it’s one of the best sports movies about racism created by Anthony Peckham and John Carlin, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Tony Kgoroge, Patrick Mofokeng, Matt Stern, Julian Lewis Jones, Adjoa Andoh, and Marguerite Wheatley.
Movie Plot
It is a true story about the power of the sport which was used by the South African activist Nelson Mandela, to unite people and make them all work together in the same direction to cheer their beloved rugby team and his Captain Francois Pienaar, to win the world cup of rugby in 1995.
Movie time: 2 hours and 14 minutes.
Movie type: Action, Adventure and Biography.
Fences (best sports movies about racism)
Another one of the best racism sports movies, created by August Wilson, directed by Denzel Washington and starring Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Mykelti Williamson, Saniyya Sidney, Christopher Mele, Lesley Boone, and Rachelle Beinart.
Movie Plot
Troy Maxson is a black man working as a sanitation worker in Pittsburgh on 1950s’ his dream is playing with a baseball team and becoming a professional player, but all football teams told him he is not young enough to play with them.
Maxson kept his dream alive in his heart, until one day the major football leagues accepted the black athletes to join them, he tried to let his son take the opportunity and do what he could not do before because of racism.
Movie time: 2 hours and 19 minutes.
Movie type: Drama.
Glory Road
A basketball movie and another one of the best sports movies about racism created by Christopher Cleveland and Bettina Gilois, directed by James Gartner, and starring Josh Lucas, Derek Luke, Austin Nichols, Jon Voight, Evan Jones, Schin A.S. Kerr, Alphonso McAuley, Mehcad Brooks, Sam Jones III and Damaine Radcliff.
Movie Plot
Don Haskins is a basketball coach leading a high school team of girls in 1965. He got an invitation from Texas Western Miners to lead their team, he accepts the invitation despite the low budget they have for him and went there with his family.
He starts choosing his team, and he hired 7 black players and five white players, and formed his legendry basketball team, he works to dismantle all the racial animosity between his players and won them the national championship in 1966.
Movie time: 1 hour and 58 minutes.
Movie type: Drama, Biography and Sport.
