Underdog movie: A movie in which a loser, or team of losers, pit themselves against the established champions of a sport, against all odds, and win the Big Match at the end. Or at least learn a valuable life lesson.
Ingredients:
A past sin must be redeemed–usually, a team member or coach has cheated in the past, and must prove his mettle by being honest this time around.
The underdog protagonist is having girl problems–He will find True Love just as he is about to win the Big Match.
The grizzled old coach–A wise but hard-drinking coach will be called out of retirement to lead the team to victory. He will have an unusual coaching technique, like winging wrenches at the team’s heads or asking the team to wax his car.
The goofy teammate–One teammate will be small of stature and really goofy. Used for comic effect.
The icy and smug opponent–The winner of the last 17 Big Matches. Thoroughly loved by everyone except the protagonist and the movie audience. He’s lean. He’s mean. He’s too arrogant for his own good. And it’s as predictable as the Sun rising that he’s going to be humbled in the end.
In many of these, you have the “superstar” who gets recruited onto the team and turns the entire thing around (usually this occurs in kid underdog movies)
Examples, The Bad News Bears, Ladybugs, Little Giants
Yes, but this person often goes missing during the crucial moment of the Big Match. It’s then up to the losers to show their true grit.
Example: In Men with Brooms, Leslie Nielson (both the ringer and the grizzled old coach with a substance abuse problem), throws out his back, and the henpecked team member leaves his wife to do right by his team.
The championship must be won by coming from behind, preferably on something rare like a penalty shot with no time left on the clock or two boxers knocking each other down simultaneously.
The love interest who discovers she truly loves Mr. Hero but not until the last game is underway.
Alternatively, the good guys win, but then lose on a technicality, and so then can only win with some sort of showdown between the ne’er-do-well protagonist and Mr. Slick Asshat.