The Scotsman

◆ Trending: Five must-watch films about American football ahead of Super Bowl

- David Hepburn

The Super Bowl takes place this weekend, with the San Fransico 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs doing battle.

To get you in the mood, here are five of the best films featuring American Football.

Any Given Sunday: Oliver Stone's film about an NFL manager strugging both on and off the field is seen as something of a classic of the genre. Al Pacino puts in a typically committed shift as the formerly successful gaffer, ably supported by an all-star cast and a squad of real-life players.

Undefeated: This documentar­y tells the classic underdog story of the Manassas High School American football team who had failed to win a single playoff game in their 110-year history. Could former coach Bill Courtney have what it takes for them to break the losing streak?

Jerry Maguire: Cameron Crowe blends the cutthroat world of sports agents with romance to winning effect. It features three equally-polished central performanc­es from Tom Cruise, Renée Zellweger, and Cuba Gooding Jr.

Heaven Can Wait: Warren Beattie was nominated for a remarkable four Oscars for this metaphysic­al screwball comedy. Also starring Julie Christie and James Mason, it sees a famous quarterbac­k wrongly taken to heaven by his guardian angel before swiftly returning to Earth in the body of a multimilli­onaire industrial­ist. Domination of the footballin­g world and romance follows.

Friday Night Lights: A film that really drives home America's sometimes unhealthy obsession with high school football, Friday Night Lights sees an injury to a star player lead to social problems in the wider community. Billy Bob Thornton plays the coach tasked with turning around the performanc­e of the team and healing the town's ills.

 ?? ?? Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire
Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom