Against the odds movies and TV shows

The list contains the best, new and most relevant against the odds movies ordered by relevance. The recommendation service has sorted out realistic, touching, inspirational, serious, emotional and feel good films and TV shows about / with against the odds, hopes, ambition, motivation, biopic, underdog, family relations, rivalry, father son relationship and historical event plots mostly in Drama, Biography and Sport genres shot in USA, UK, Australia and other countries.
against the odds
 1044
against the odds movies
TOP 10 movies tagged as against the odds: 300 (2006), In the Heart of the Sea (2015), October Sky (1999), Temple Grandin (2010), The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), Real Steel (2011), The King's Speech (2010), The Theory of Everything (2014), Men of Honor (2000), Erin Brockovich (2000).

List of against the odds movies

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Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story (2003)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 104 min.
Story: Based on a true story. Liz Murray is a young girl who is taken care of by her loving, but drug-addicted parents. Liz becomes homeless at 15 and after a tragedy comes upon her, she begins her work to finish high school.
Style: sincere, serious, touching, captivating, realistic ...
Audience: teens, family outing, chick flick, teen drama
Plot: homeless, homeless teenager, against the odds, life is a bitch, drug addict, youth, starting over, university, family problems, dysfunctional family, society, aids ...
Time: 21st century
Place: america, nova scotia, new york, usa
Is relevant ?
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (2009)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min.
Story: Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story is a movie based on the life story of world-renowned neurosurgeon Ben Carson from 1961 to 1987.
Style: uplifting, sincere, inspirational, realistic, factual ...
Audience: family outing
Plot: medical, african american, against the odds, human spirit, neurosurgeon, medicine, surgeon, biopic, ambition, medical school, doctor, rise to the top ...
Time: 70s, 60s, 2010s, 20th century, 80s
Place: cuba, usa, detroit, west germany
Is relevant ?
The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant (2005)
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Country: Australia, UK
Duration: 480 min.
TV show
Story: A young woman is transported to the New South Wales penal colony in 1788.
Style: serious, realistic, suspense, captivating, historical drama ...
Plot: life is a bitch, human spirit, against the odds, girl heroine, escapades, on the run, danger, society, prisoner, injustice, survival, female whipping ...
Time: 18th century, 1780s, georgian era
Place: australia, england, europe
Is relevant ?
 7.6
 860K
300 (2006)
Genre: Action, Drama
Country: USA, Canada, Bulgaria
Duration: 117 min.
Story: Based on Frank Miller's graphic novel, "300" is very loosely based the 480 B.C. Battle of Thermopylae, where the King of Sparta led his army against the advancing Persians; the battle is said to have inspired all of Greece to band ...
Style: epic, exciting, intense, scenic, visually stunning ...
Audience: boys' night, manly, adult
Plot: sword fight, war, warrior, ancient, battles, courage, military, ancient world, gory, mythology, human spirit, legends and myths ...
Time: year 2006, ancient times, 2000s, middle ages, 5th century
Place: ancient greece, greece, rome italy, hellas, europe
Is relevant ?
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In the Heart of the Sea (2015)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA, Australia, Spain
Duration: 122 min.
Story: In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex was assaulted by something no one could believe: a whale of mammoth size and will, and an almost human sense of vengeance. The real-life maritime disaster would inspire Herman Melville’s ...
Style: scenic, suspense, exciting, realistic, inspirational ...
Audience: kids, teens, adult
Plot: survival, ocean, ship, whale, sea, boat, disaster, whaling, starvation, man versus nature, shipwreck, dangerous animal ...
Time: 19th century, victorian era, year 2015, 1800s, future ...
Place: new england, america, pacific ocean, ecuador, massachusetts ...
Is relevant ?
 7.8
 97K
October Sky (1999)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story: Based on the true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes, and eventually became a NASA scientist.
Style: inspirational, touching, realistic, feel good, sentimental ...
Audience: teens, kids, family outing, date night, teen drama
Plot: small town, teacher, follow your dream, teenage life, against the odds, friendship, biopic, generation gap, mathematics, mining, space program, scientist ...
Time: 50s, 1950s, year 1999, 90s, 20th century ...
Place: west virginia, virginia, usa, appalachia, indianapolis indiana
Is relevant ?
 8.2
 32K
Temple Grandin (2010)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 107 min.
Story: A biopic of Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who has become one of top scientists in humane livestock handling.
Style: touching, inspirational, sincere, compassionate, emotional ...
Audience: kids
Plot: autism, human spirit, teacher, disability, genius, female protagonist, scientist, against the odds, biopic, inventor, asperger's syndrome, ambition ...
Time: 20th century, y2k, 60s, 70s, year 1951 ...
Place: arizona, new hampshire, boston, texas, usa ...
Is relevant ?
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min.
Story: A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional career.
Style: inspirational, emotional, sentimental, uplifting, motivational ...
Audience: family outing, chick flick, teens, family friendly
Plot: homeless, life, human spirit, life philosophy, family drama, rags to riches, success, rise to the top, single father, against the odds, life is a bitch, down on your luck ...
Time: 80s, year 2006, 2010s, 20th century
Place: usa, san francisco, bay area, california, america
Is relevant ?
 7.1
 353K
Real Steel (2011)
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Sport
Country: USA, India
Duration: 127 min.
Story: In the near-future, Charlie Kenton is a washed-up fighter who retired from the ring when robots took over the sport. After Charlie's robot is trashed, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max to rebuild and train an unlikely contender.
Style: futuristic, feel good, exciting, sentimental, inspirational ...
Audience: teens, kids, family outing, girls' night, chick flick
Plot: boxing, robot, father son relationship, underdog, androids and robots, technology, against the odds, parents and children, boy, contests and competitions, artificial intelligence, arena ...
Time: future, year 2011, 2010s, near future, 2020s ...
Place: usa, iran, detroit, austin texas, brazil
Is relevant ?
The King's Speech (2010)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 118 min.
Story: The King's Speech tells the story of the man who became King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II. After his brother abdicates, George ('Bertie') reluctantly assumes the throne. Plagued by a dreaded stutter and considered unfit ...
Style: inspirational, period piece, sincere, uplifting, dramatic ...
Audience: chick flick, teens, adult
Plot: british royal family, british history, world war two, stuttering, royal family, disability, queen, politics, unlikely friendships, british monarchy, king of england, historical character ...
Time: 1930s, year 2010, 2010s, pre world war two, 50s ...
Place: england, britain, london, united kingdom, scotland ...
Is relevant ?
The Theory of Everything (2014)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance
Country: UK, Japan
Duration: 123 min.
Story: The Theory of Everything is the extraordinary story of one of the world’s greatest living minds, the renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, who falls deeply in love with fellow Cambridge student Jane Wilde.
Style: touching, uplifting, inspirational, compassionate, heartbreaking ...
Audience: chick flick, kids, teens
Plot: disability, genius, love, physicist, cambridge university, mathematics, prodigy, husband wife relationship, supportive spouse, scientist, against the odds, biopic ...
Time: year 2014, 2010s, 20th century, 60s, 90s ...
Place: oxford university, england, united kingdom
Is relevant ?
 7.2
 125K
Men of Honor (2000)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 129 min.
Story: Against formidable odds -- and an old-school diving instructor embittered by the U.S. Navy's new, less prejudicial policies -- Carl Brashear sets his sights on becoming the Navy's first African-American master diver in this uplifting true ...
Style: inspirational, motivational, touching, emotional, sincere ...
Plot: racism, african american, u.s. navy, courage, military, navy, racial segregation, hopes, human spirit, racial discrimination, diving, dream come true ...
Time: 20th century, 1950s, year 2000, y2k, 60s ...
Place: america, africa, usa, pacific ocean, cuba
Is relevant ?
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 7.4
 219K
Erin Brockovich (2000)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 131 min.
Story: A twice-divorced mother of three who sees an injustice, takes on the bad guy and wins -- with a little help from her push-up bra. Erin goes to work for an attorney and comes across medical records describing illnesses clustered in one nearby town. ...
Style: inspirational, factual, uplifting, touching, feel good ...
Audience: girls' night, chick flick, adult
Plot: environmental, lawyer, court, single mother, justice, small town, contamination, investigation, corporate crime, against the odds, lawsuit, corruption ...
Time: year 1993, 90s, 2000s, year 2000, y2k ...
Place: california, los angeles, usa
Is relevant ?
Remember the Titans (2000)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 113 min.
Story: After leading his football team to 15 winning seasons, coach Bill Yoast is demoted and replaced by Herman Boone – tough, opinionated and as different from the beloved Yoast as he could be. The two men learn to overcome their differences and turn a ...
Style: inspirational, sentimental, touching, uplifting, emotional ...
Audience: kids, teens, chick flick, family friendly, date night ...
Plot: racism, african american, civil rights, american football, high school, racial tension, racial prejudice, football, against the odds, racial slur, prejudice, friendship ...
Time: 70s, 20th century, year 2000, y2k, 2000s
Place: virginia, boston, america, africa, usa ...
Is relevant ?
 7.0
 53K
Soul Surfer (2011)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Family, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 112 min.
Story: Soul Surfer is the inspiring true story of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton. Bethany lost her left arm in a shark attack and courageously overcame all odds to become a champion again, through her sheer determination and unwavering faith.Bethany ...
Style: christian film, touching, uplifting, sentimental, motivational ...
Audience: teens, chick flick, kids, family outing, girls' night ...
Plot: surfing, christian, disability, human spirit, shark, teenager, against the odds, surfer, shark attack, survivor, volunteer, lifestyle ...
Time: year 2011, 20th century, 2000s, 21st century
Place: hawaii, usa, thailand
Is relevant ?
 6.7
 256K
Escape Plan (2013)
Genre: Action, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story: Ray Breslin is the world's foremost authority on structural security. After analyzing every high security prison and learning a vast array of survival skills so he can design escape-proof prisons, his skills are put to the test. He's ...
Style: suspenseful, exciting, suspense, clever, entertaining ...
Audience: boys' night, chick flick, manly
Plot: prison, prison escape, survival, escape, prisoner, revenge, escape plan, lone hero, outsmarting, planning, ship, convict ...
Time: year 2013, 2010s, 21st century
Place: morocco, usa, colorado, florida, california ...
Is relevant ?
Oranges and Sunshine (2010)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: UK, Australia
Duration: 105 min.
Story: The story of Margaret Humphreys, a social worker from Nottingham, who uncovers one of the most significant social scandals in recent times – the forced migration of children from the United Kingdom. Almost singlehandedly, Margaret reunited ...
Style: realistic, serious, sincere, captivating, educational ...
Plot: social worker, deportation, child abuse, against the odds, fighting the system, uncover truth, injustice, life is a bitch, state affairs, society, rebellion, family reunited ...
Time: 80s, 20th century, 2010s, 21st century
Place: england, united kingdom, australia, europe, adelaide south australia ...
Is relevant ?
 6.8
 121K
Serendipity (2001)
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min.
Story: Although strangers Sara and Jonathan are both already in relationships, they realize they have genuine chemistry after a chance encounter – but part company soon after. Years later, they each yearn to reunite, despite being destined for the altar. ...
Style: romantic, feel good, touching, sentimental, sweet ...
Audience: chick flick, date night, girls' night
Plot: destiny, fall in love, christmas, serendipity, coincidence, love and romance, true love, looking for love, friendship, fate, love, love story ...
Time: year 2001, 2010s, 2000s, 21st century
Place: usa, new york, california, san francisco
Is relevant ?
Related movie lists
uplifting movies
1715
hopes movies
6497
coach movies
824
The World's Fastest Indian (2005)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
Country: New Zealand, Japan, USA
Duration: 127 min.
Story: The life story of New Zealander Burt Munro, who spent years building a 1920 Indian motorcycle -- a bike which helped him set the land-speed world record at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats in 1967.
Style: inspirational, realistic, road movie, touching, uplifting ...
Audience: family outing
Plot: motorcycle, human spirit, against the odds, follow your dream, motorcycle race, racing, race, car race, elderly, auto mechanic, goodhearted, ambition ...
Time: year 2005, 2000s, 20th century, 60s, year 1914 ...
Place: new zealand, california, utah, nevada, usa ...
Is relevant ?
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)
Genre: Comedy, Sport
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story: When megalomaniacal White Goodman, the owner of a trendy, high-end fitness center, makes a move to take over the struggling local gym run by happy-go-lucky Pete La Fleur, there's only one way for La Fleur to fight back: dodgeball. Aided by a ...
Style: humorous, funny, hilarious, slapstick, entertaining ...
Audience: teens, adult
Plot: underdog, against the odds, dumb, coach, tournament, competition, cheerleader, pirate, redemption, rivalry, contests and competitions, gym ...
Time: year 2004, 2000s, 20th century, 21st century
Place: las vegas, usa, nevada, california, los angeles
Is relevant ?
Here Comes the Boom (2012)
Genre: Action, Comedy, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 105 min.
Story: A high school biology teacher moonlights as a mixed-martial arts fighter in an effort to raise money to save the school's music program.
Style: inspirational, funny, entertaining, humorous, exciting ...
Audience: girls' night, kids, teens, boys' night, adult
Plot: underdog, teacher, martial arts, contests and competitions, mixed martial arts, against the odds, dedicated educator, teachers and students, boxing, lifestyle change, ambition, coach ...
Time: 2010s, year 2012, 21st century
Place: boston, massachusetts, usa, las vegas
Is relevant ?
The Miracle of Bern (2003)
Genre: Drama, Sport
Country: Germany
Duration: 118 min.
Story: The movie deals with the championship-winning German soccer team of 1954. Its story is linked with two others: The family of a young boy is split due to the events in World War II, and the father returns from Russia after eleven years. The second ...
Style: serious, realistic, exciting, feel good, sentimental
Plot: soccer, athlete's life, working class, pow, follow your dream, human spirit, against the odds, contests and competitions, football, hopes, ambition, rivalry ...
Time: year 2003, 20th century, 50s, post world war two, 1950s
Place: west germany, budapest, europe, germany, hungary ...
Is relevant ?
 7.3
 76K
Seabiscuit (2003)
Genre: Drama, History, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 140 min.
Story: True story of the undersized Depression-era racehorse whose victories lifted not only the spirits of the team behind it but also those of their nation.
Style: inspirational, sentimental, feel good, emotional, touching ...
Audience: adult
Plot: horse, horse race, racehorse, follow your dream, underdog, against the odds, marriage, jockey, self made man, racing, depression, animal training ...
Time: 1940s, 2000s, year 2003, 1920s, year 1938 ...
Place: california, pasadena california, chicago, albuquerque new mexico, tijuana mexico ...
Is relevant ?
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Lucky Trouble (2011)
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Sport
Country: Russia
Duration: 90 min.
Story: Who said you have to win to be a champion? Slava Kolotiloff, a schoolteacher from a sleepy seaside town by the name of "Fingers" comes to conquer Moscow with the manuscript to his first novel in hand. But instead, quite by accident, he ...
Style: realistic, sentimental, semi serious, humorous, light ...
Audience: family outing
Plot: wedding, contests and competitions, athlete and trainer, soccer, street kid, against the odds, disorder, mistaken identity, race against time, coach, street urchin, sport team ...
Time: 21st century
Place: russia, moscow russia
Is relevant ?
 7.5
 102K
42 (2013)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 128 min.
Story: The powerful story of Jackie Robinson, the legendary baseball player who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier when he joined the roster of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The film follows the innovative Dodgers’ general manager Branch Rickey, the ...
Style: inspirational, sentimental, emotional, touching, factual ...
Audience: family outing, kids
Plot: racism, baseball, african american, athlete and trainer, civil rights, rise to the top, hopes, human spirit, racial segregation, athlete's life, against the odds, biopic ...
Time: 1940s, year 2013, 2010s, 20th century, year 1947 ...
Place: africa, new york, usa, new orleans, pittsburgh ...
Is relevant ?
 7.7
 314K
Apollo 13 (1995)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History
Country: USA, UK, Canada, Japan
Duration: 140 min.
Story: The true story of technical troubles that scuttle the Apollo 13 lunar mission in 1971, risking the lives of astronaut Jim Lovell and his crew, with the failed journey turning into a thrilling saga of heroism. Drifting more than 200,000 miles from ...
Style: factual, realistic, inspirational, suspense, epic ...
Audience: teens, family outing, kids, boys' night
Plot: astronaut, survival, nasa, space travel, moon, disaster, rescue, space program, outer space, race against time, space, space exploration ...
Time: 70s, 20th century, 60s, year 1970, year 1969 ...
Place: houston texas, usa, pacific ocean, texas, florida ...
Is relevant ?
The Day I Became a Woman (2000)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: Iran
Duration: 78 min.
Story: A girl reaches the age of nine and is supposed to act as a grown woman according to her family. A girl participates in a bike race against the will of her husband. An elderly woman decides she wants to buy all the things she always wanted but could ...
Style: touching, stylized, talky, thought provoking, realistic ...
Plot: feminism, culture clash, against the odds, injustice, feminist, life is a bitch, society, rebelliousness, women, husband wife relationship, mother daughter relationship, bicycle ...
Time: 90s
Place: iran, middle east, persia
Is relevant ?
 7.0
 200K
A Knight's Tale (2001)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 132 min.
Story: William Thatcher, a peasant, is sent to apprentice with a Knight named Hector as a young boy. Urged by his father to "change his Stars", he assumes Sir Hector's place in a tournament when Hector dies in the middle of it. He wins. With ...
Style: feel good, period piece, romantic, inspirational, humorous ...
Audience: boys' night, chick flick, teens, family outing, date night ...
Plot: medieval, knight, sword fight, jousting, against the odds, sword duel, love and romance, love, love story, writers, underdog, fall in love ...
Time: middle ages, medieval times, year 2001, ancient times, 2000s ...
Place: england, europe, france, london, paris france
Is relevant ?
 7.7
 257K
Philadelphia (1993)
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 125 min.
Story: No one would take his case until one man was willing to take on the system. Two competing lawyers join forces to sue a prestigious law firm for AIDS discrimination. As their unlikely friendship develops their courage overcomes the prejudice and ...
Style: touching, sad, tear jerker, sincere, emotional ...
Plot: aids, courtroom drama, lawyer, hiv, gay, lgbt, discrimination, lawsuit, medical, courtroom, trial, judiciary ...
Time: 20th century, 90s, year 1993, 80s
Place: pennsylvania, usa, philadelphia
Is relevant ?
 7.2
 30K
Secretariat (2010)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Family, History, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 123 min.
Story: Housewife and mother Penny Chenery agrees to take over her ailing father's Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge. Against all odds, Chenery - with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin - manages to ...
Style: inspirational, sentimental, touching, emotional, romantic ...
Audience: kids, family outing, family friendly, teens
Plot: horse, horse race, animal training, racehorse, underdog, against the odds, jockey, equestrian, animal, stallion, rise to the top, contests and competitions ...
Time: 20th century, 70s
Place: usa, kentucky
Is relevant ?
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