The NHL is more fashionable than ever. The National Hockey League that integrates Canada and the United States is gaining more and more followers outside its borders, going more and more from being a minority sport to something that is of interest all over the world. However, in Spain it is still a fairly unknown league, barely famous for the movies and series that, over the years, have promoted the sport.
But there is no doubt that the best way to become a field hockey fan is precisely through movies. That’s why today we bring you a top of the best movies ever made about field hockey, as a way to quickly become a fan of the NHL. If you’re sick of soccer and want to try skates and ice, nothing better than to take a look at these historical movies (in no specific order) that have exported this talent beyond the borders of America.
1 – Goon (Michael Dowse, 2012)
What is it about? After being kicked out of his elitist family for not being smart or focused enough, a field hockey goalie begins to build a semi-professional career in the sport. The problem is that he has no talent for the sport… but he makes up for it by being the best in fights.
This comedy is one of the funniest sports movies ever made. It also works perfectly as a guide to get into field hockey beyond what we see at first glance: how the fights work, the locker room, what talent you have to have for the sport, etc.
Available on Amazon Prime Video.
2 – Mystery, Alaska (Jay Roach, 1999)
What is it about? The film is set in Mystery, a remote and isolated Alaskan town where everything revolves around ice hockey games. When a national magazine proposes to do a story about the Mystery citizens’ passion for the sport, the National Hockey League sees it as a great opportunity for exposure and sends the New York Rangers to take on the town’s team.
A new comedy about the differences between small-town America and big-city America. Endearing and full of love, it mostly works to understand the culture of field hockey in America.
Available on Rakuten TV to buy or rent.
3 – Red Army (Gabe Polsky, 2015)
What is it about? This documentary film follows the grueling training of the Russian field hockey team during the Cold War, conducted by ruthless Soviet coach Viktor Tikhonov. It follows the team in their political dispute through sport, and explains how the Russian players were booed by the NHL and then went on to compete in the league.
This documentary has nothing to do with the previous films, but it works as a way to see the sport from another perspective and to understand the US-URRS rivalry in a very original way.
Available at Filmin.
4 – Miracle (Gavin O’Connor, 2004)
What is it about? In the midst of the Cold War between the US and the USSR, a former US ice hockey player, Herb Brooks, takes charge of his country’s national team and leads them to the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, where they face the all-powerful Soviet Union team.
The counter-film above is this Americanized feature in which the spirit of country is squeezed into an epic story. A double feature with Red Army could be very interesting.
Available on Disney Plus.
5 – The Mighty Ducks (Stephen Herek, 1992)
What is it about? This legendary film follows lawyer Gordon Bombay, who after committing fraud is sentenced to the social work of coaching a children’s ice hockey team. The team is awful, but they soon begin to climb the ladder to become true champions.
Beyond the original movie, in 2021 premiered on Disney Plus The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, a series in which the Mighty Ducks arrive in the 21st century to tell a new story of overcoming and laughter.
Available on Disney Plus.
6 – Slap Shot (George Roy Hill, 1977)
What is it about? This film starring Paul Newman tells how a veteran field hockey coach decides to apply his iron fist to a team that keeps losing games. Thanks to his strategies, he manages to turn around a team that seemed rudderless.
One of the greatest classics of field hockey movies, and also one of the funniest. Despite being so old, it hasn’t aged at all, and its epic, comedic storytelling works like clockwork.
Available on Apple TV+ to buy or rent.
7 – Tooth Fairy (Michael Lembeck, 2010)
What is it about? This film tells how a rather rough field hockey player (played by Dwayne Johnson) and who is in a bad moment of his career, has a bad relationship with his little daughter Tess. In a moment of poor judgment, he tells his daughter the truth about the tooth fairy, which disappoints her. But this is overheard in Hadalandia, and the protagonist is taken there in his sleep, condemned to work as a tooth fairy.
Field hockey is a fairly ancillary element here, but this is an endearing comedy for family viewing that was a big hit at the time. Plus, The Rock is great, as he usually is in comedy.
Available on Amazon Prime Video to buy or rent.
8 – Breakaway (Robert Lieberman, 2011)
What is it about? This Indian-American film tells how a Canadian-born field hockey player struggles with traditional family values and discrimination against traditional field hockey players. A debate between the traditional expectations of his Indo-Canadian family and his dream of playing ice hockey.
Again, this is a film that serves to delve deeper into field hockey beyond the sport as such. It serves to understand its relationship to society and how it speaks to America.
Available on Apple TV+.
9 – Youngblood (Peter Markle, 1986)
What is it about? It tells the story of Dean Youngblood, a young man who wants to become a professional field hockey player. Despite his father’s opposition, he manages to join a modest team and start climbing the ladder.
A field hockey classic and one of the most remembered films of the era. With a dramatic tone that is nothing like the typical ice hockey comedies, it is one of the best films to understand the sport.
Available on Apple TV+ for purchase or rental.
10 – The Cutting Edge (Paul Michael Glaser, 1992)
What is it about? It tells the love story between Doug Dorsey, an ice hockey player who has to retire after an accident, and Kate Moseley, a figure skater with a very bad temper who can’t stand any of her partners. When Kate’s coach brings them together, with a view to the 1992 Winter Olympics, there is a harsh confrontation between such disparate characters, but not without romance.
A love story of the kind that worked so well in the 90’s with field hockey and ice skating as the nexus of union. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon.
Available on Amazon Prime Video.
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