With the Winter Olympics in full flow, I’ve found myself leaning into some themed movies. There’s a surprising number of them out there and these films capture that same spirit of ice, snow, and unlikely triumph. Some are based on true stories, others are gloriously ridiculous, but all deliver that Winter Olympics feeling when you need it most.
Blades of Glory (2007)
Will Ferrell and Jon Heder play rival figure skaters banned from men’s singles competition who discover a loophole: there’s no rule against two men competing as a pairs team. What follows is exactly as absurd as that premise suggests. The film commits fully to its ridiculous concept whilst somehow capturing genuine figure skating choreography (albeit with more fire and iron lotus moves than you’d see at any actual Olympics). It’s utterly silly and more or less Step Brothers on ice.
Cool Runnings (1993)
The obvious choice, but obvious for good reason. Based loosely on Jamaica’s genuinely improbable 1988 Calgary bobsled team, this remains the gold standard for feel-good Winter Olympics films. Yes, it takes considerable liberties with the actual story, but it nails the underdog spirit and fish-out-of-water humour that makes sports films work. It also has John Candy which is a good sign for any movie. “Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme” has been stuck in people’s heads for three decades now. If someone claims they’re searching for Winter Olympics films and hasn’t seen this, start here.
Eddie the Eagle (2016)
Taron Egerton plays Michael “Eddie” Edwards, the British ski jumper who became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping at the 1988 Calgary Games. Eddie wasn’t good, objectively speaking, but his determination and cheerful defiance of everyone telling him he couldn’t do it made him a beloved figure. The film leans into the charm of someone competing purely for the love of sport rather than medals. Hugh Jackman appears as a fictional mentor, adding Hollywood polish to what’s essentially a story about glorious, persistent failure leading to unexpected success.
There’s a lot of talk around Women’s ski events not having a place at the Winter Olympics – a similar story to that of Eddie the Eagle. It’s about personal endeavour and damn inspiring.
I, Tonya (2017)
For something considerably darker, this Tonya Harding biopic tackles one of figure skating’s most infamous scandals. Margot Robbie delivers a fierce performance as Harding, exploring the complicated reality behind the “attack on Nancy Kerrigan” story that dominated 1994 Olympics coverage. The film uses unreliable narrators and fourth-wall breaks to question what we think we know about the incident. It’s blackly funny whilst being genuinely unsettling, offering a more serious counterweight to the lighter entries on this list. Not your typical sports film, but absolutely compelling.
The Mighty Ducks (1992)
Yes, you could watch Miracle for the historical significance of the 1980 USA hockey team’s victory, but The Mighty Ducks is simply more fun. Emilio Estevez coaches a ragtag youth hockey team from hopeless to competitive, hitting every underdog sports film beat with considerable charm. It spawned two sequels and an entire NHL franchise, which tells you something about its cultural impact. The film isn’t specifically about the Olympics, but it captures that same scrappy determination and delivers satisfying ice hockey action without requiring you to understand icing rules.
Men with Brooms (2002)
This Canadian curling comedy isn’t about the Olympics at all, but about a group of former teammates reuniting for a local bonspiel (curling tournament). Paul Gross leads the cast through a story that’s part sports film, part small-town comedy, and thoroughly Canadian. Curling gets limited Olympic coverage despite being genuinely tactical and surprisingly tense to watch, so this offers a chance to appreciate the sport outside the Games context. Given recent Canadian curling controversies, the film’s earnest love of the sport feels refreshingly sincere. Plus, you’ll finally understand what all that sweeping is actually for.
Finding Your Fix
These films cover the spectrum from biographical drama to outright comedy, but they all tap into what makes Winter Olympics compelling: people pushing themselves on ice and snow, often against considerable odds. Whether you want historical inspiration, laugh-out-loud absurdity, or something in between, there’s a film here to tide you over until the next Games roll around.
