10 Best Running Movies That You Should Watching Update 04/2024

Best Running Movies

Forrest Gump is simply one of many ongoing movies. Some of them have stood the test of time and are regarded as genuine legends in their respective fields.

As Forrest Gump is one of the best movies of 1994, it’s one of the few commercially successful running movies, since running isn’t exactly the most popular subject matter. Many running movies follow a similar formula, with most of them being biopics of real-life athletes who reached greatness, and the movies are often uplifting and full of whimsy. This may be why they aren’t as successful as they could be:

Running movies that have the best IMDb ratings, on the other hand, tend to steer clear of sports movie clichés and tropes. This isn’t to say that running movies that don’t fit into the sports genre aren’t good; it’s just that they’re better when they challenge the sports genre’s expectations.

1. Run Fatboy Run (2007) – 6.6

Run Fatboy Run (2007)

One of Stephen Merchant’s best performances, Simon Pegg and Stephen Merchant’s best roles together, Run Fatboy Run is one of the most accessible movies about running for broad audiences to enjoy.

Unlike other games in the category, Run Fatboy Run follows an overweight security guard as he attempts to run a marathon. Furthermore, the character’s London Marathon attempt fails miserably, as he gets numerous injuries and is the last person to finish at the end.

2. Race (2016) – 7.1

Runner Jesse Owens, who won four Olympic gold medals as a member of the United States team in the 1936 Summer Games, is the subject of the new running film Race.

The film, which has a small budget and is unknown to most people, includes an impressive cast, including Jason Sudeikis and Jeremy Irons. Sport movie stereotypes are hammered hard, despite the film’s significant liberties with the real-life events, even though it didn’t get the best reviews from critics.

3. Without Limits (1998) – 7.2

Without Limits (1998)

Without Limits follows runner Steve Prefontaine from the beginning of his career in his adolescence all the way to his death in a vehicle accident, making it a heartfelt drama.

Bill Bowerman, his mentor and coach, is a major focus of the film. However, the film excels at portraying the mounting expectations placed on young people and the pressure they feel to live up to those expectations.

4. Chariots Of Fire (1981) – 7.2

Although widely regarded as one of the best British films ever made, Chariots of Fire has a very low IMDb rating. A Jewish man and a devout Christian are the two most prominent athletes in the 1924 Olympics, which is not just about running, but also about people of different religions putting aside their differences.

In the same way that many running movies are wrongfully neglected, this one is a forgotten Oscar winner.

5. Saint Ralph (2004) – 7.4

Saint Ralph (2004)

As a sleeper hit even in the very restricted and limited number of running movies, Saint Ralph is an underdog success story. In the film, the protagonist is certain that if he wins the 1954 Boston Marathon, his mother will wake up from her long-term coma.

Some viewers may find the film overly sentimental, but I found it to be amusing from the get-go.

6. McFarland, USA (2015) – 7.4

Many sports movies star Kevin Costner, and this one has a heartwarming conclusion that isn’t surprising given the actor’s track record. There is little doubt that fans have come to anticipate a certain level of quality from a Disney film because it is based on an actual tale about the McFarland High School cross country team from 1987.

Because of its predictability, this movie is one of the studio’s best sports films.

7. On The Edge (1986) – 7.4

On The Edge (1986)

Wes Holman, a 44-year-old guy who has been off the grid for decades, returns home determined to run the oldest marathon in America in one of the most inspirational films of the 1970s, On The Edge. Like Forrest Gump, the odds are against him after he called out the people who launched illegal payments to athletes to participate in the marathon, and it’s an uphill battle in more ways than one..

Even throughout the race, the organizers try to stop him whenever they can, but Holman emerges victorious 7.5 miles later.

8. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962) – 7.6

Running Man isn’t just about running; it’s also a political drama that reveals the split of British society at the time of its release. It’s about a thief who steals from a bakery and is taken to a youth jail camp, but he gets special treatment because of his running ability.

To show the way the upper-class are granted more advantages in society, he is permitted to run outside, while the other convicts are forced to stay inside.

9. Run Lola Run (1998) – 7.6

Run Lola Run (1998)

Because of its lack of recognition, Run Lola Run is one of the best indie films that most cinephiles haven’t seen. An action thriller that sees the protagonist sprinting to make 100,000 Deutschmarks in 20 minutes makes it clear that the film is about running.

There are three timelines in which Lola appears in the film; the least adjustment in any of these timelines has a significant effect on the outcome.

10. Forrest Gump (1994) – 8.8

Forrest Gump taught followers that people should pursue their passions, and he did just that. A lot of things are going through the thoughts of moviegoers when they think about the Oscar-winning film, but the first thing that comes to mind is running.

With everyone following in Forrest’s footsteps, literally, he breaks free of his leg braces and sprints across the United States. It’s not only the best running movie; it’s one of the greatest films of all time because of how long it runs, how the character is superimposed on historical events, and how good it makes you feel.