Want to get into the Super Bowl spirit without actually watching football? Here are some football movies you might enjoy even if you're not a sports person.
"Jerry Maguire"
The football element: Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) is a sports agent, whose clients include Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding, Jr. in his Oscar-winning role).
Why you might like it anyway: It's really a romantic comedy about Jerry and Dorothy (Renée Zellweger). She completes him. He had her at "hello." Jerry's career as a sports agent sparks his nervous breakdown, but it's ultimately a love story. Also a showcase for Jonathan Lipnicki's preciousness.
Image by TriStar
"The Blind Side"
The football element: Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock, who won an Oscar) adopts Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a troubled young man who eventually ends up playing for the Baltimore Ravens.
Why you might like it anyway: Even if you're not familiar with the career of the real Michael Oher, you can still appreciate the story of the bond he forms with Leigh Anne. The film focuses largely on the integration of Michael into the family and the surrounding community.
Image by Warner Bros.
"The Waterboy"
The football element: Bobby Boucher (Adam Sandler) is an awkward water boy who soon becomes the star player of the South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs. There's a lot of kicking.
Why you might like it anyway: It's one of Adam Sandler's more entertaining and heartfelt comedies. Bobby's story is about overcoming adversity — football is only one aspect of that. Plus, great performances from Henry Winkler and Kathy Bates!
Image by Touchstone
"Little Giants"
The football element: It's about competing pee-wee football teams. In many ways, Little Giants is the classic underdog sports movie, with the lesser team beating the odds.
Why you might like it anyway: They're just kids! Even if the football talk doesn't interest you, there's plenty to enjoy about the rag-tag team of misfits who make up the Pee-Wee Cowboys. You might even learn a little bit about sportsmanship, which is more important than the rules of the game.
Image by Warner Bros.
