Movies Like The Hopeful

If you liked The Hopeful (2012), a movie directed by Brendan Kirsch, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Sidelined: The QB and Me (2025)
★ 6.5/10
Dallas, a burdened but headstrong dancer, is determined to get into the best dance school in the country—her late mother’s alma mater. However, that dream is suddenly derailed when the cheeky yet secretly grieving…
2
We Are Marshall (2006)
★ 6.9/10
When a plane crash claims the lives of members of the Marshall University football team and some of its fans, the team's new coach and his surviving players try to keep the football program alive.
3
Friday Night Lights (2004)
★ 6.9/10
A small, turbulent town in Texas obsesses over their high school football team to an unhealthy degree. When the star tailback, Boobie Miles, is seriously injured during the first game of the season, all hope is lost…
4
Greater (2016)
★ 7.1/10
The incredible true story of the greatest walk-on in the history of college football.
5
The Blind Side (2009)
★ 7.7/10
The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.
6
American Underdog (2021)
★ 7.1/10
The true story of Kurt Warner, who went from a stockboy at a grocery store to a two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl champion, and Hall of Fame quarterback.
7
When the Game Stands Tall (2014)
★ 6.7/10
A young coach turns a losing high school football program around to go undefeated for 12 consecutive seasons.
8
Concussion (2015)
★ 7.1/10
A dramatic thriller based on the incredible true David vs. Goliath story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE, a football-related brain…
9
The Express (2008)
★ 7.1/10
Follow the inspirational life of college football hero Ernie Davis, the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy.
10
Seriously Single (2020)
★ 6.8/10
While her free-living bestie urges her to embrace singlehood, a commitment-craving social media expert can't stop following the life of a former love.
11
Heaven Can Wait (1978)
★ 6.7/10
Joe Pendleton is a quarterback preparing to lead his team to the superbowl when he is almost killed in an accident. An overanxious angel plucks him to heaven only to discover that he wasn't ready to die, and that his…
12
Horse Feathers (1932)
★ 6.9/10
Quincy Adams Wagstaff, the new president of Huxley U, hires bumblers Baravelli and Pinky to help his school win the big football game against rival Darwin U.
13
Any Given Sunday (1999)
★ 6.8/10
A star quarterback gets knocked out of the game and an unknown third stringer is called in to replace him. The unknown gives a stunning performance and forces the aging coach to reevaluate his game plans and life. A…
14
Invincible (2006)
★ 7/10
Inspired by the true story of Vince Papale, a man with nothing to lose who ignored the staggering odds and made his dream come true. When the coach of Papale's beloved hometown football team hosted an unprecedented…
15
The Game Plan (2007)
★ 6.5/10
Bachelor football star Joe Kingman seems to have it all. He is wealthy and carefree, and his team is on the way to capturing a championship. Suddenly, he is tackled by some unexpected news: He has a young daughter, the…
16
A Castle for Christmas (2021)
★ 6/10
To escape a scandal, a bestselling author journeys to Scotland, where she falls in love with a castle -- and faces off with the grumpy duke who owns it.
17
The Longest Yard (1974)
★ 6.7/10
A football player-turned-convict organizes a team of inmates to play against a team of prison guards. His dilemma is that the warden asks him to throw the game in return for an early release, but he is also concerned…
18
Players (2024)
★ 6.1/10
New York sportswriter Mack has spent years devising successful hook-up "plays" with her friends, but when she unexpectedly falls for one of her targets, she must learn what it takes to go from simply scoring to playing…
19
Palo Alto (2014)
★ 6.1/10
A lack of parental guidance encourages teens in an affluent California town to rebel with substance abuse and casual sex.
20
I Am Heath Ledger (2017)
★ 7.4/10
The life and career of an actor, artist, and icon. His own journey through his own camera.