46 - "Rudy" (1993)

     While ladies have their romances they can get sappy over, uplifting sports movies can provide the same emotional outlet for guys. It doesn't get much better than an athelete(s) overcoming long odds to achieve their ultimate dreams. In a bit of a spoiler alert, there's about 5 movies other than this one in my top 50 that fit this criteria somewhat. I guess you can say I'm a sucker for these stories. When they are based on real life events, that makes it even better. Rudy is the story based on the real-life Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, a shorter guy with little natural athletic ability, whose only dream in life was to play football for the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Rudy is constantly told by many people, including his own family, that he will never make it and needs to be working in the local factories instead of chasing false hopes. Rudy doesn't listen and after the death of the one person who did believe in him, his best friend Pete, he heads to South Bend, IN in pursuit of his dream. Rudy doesn't have the grades to get in school but is able to get in a nearby junior college where he works at his grades in hopes of applying at Notre Dame as a Junior. In the meantime, he is able to get a job on the grounds crew at Notre Dame's football stadium. We watch as Rudy receives denial letter after denial letter each semester. Only on the last opportunity does his dream come true and he becomes a student at Notre Dame. He uses that same tenacity to work himself on to the practice squad for the football team and pursue his ultimate dream of dressing for a game day with the Fighting Irish. Sean Astin stars as Rudy and gives perhaps his finest performance. Rudy is such an emotional film, perhaps a bit too sappy and convenient at times, but it is an uplifting movie and you can't help but feel inspired after seeing it.