Triumph of the Nice: 10 Most Compelling Underdog Movies on Amazon Prime

Although it may not seem like it, people generally love the good guys. Perhaps underdog characters are so popular with audiences because they're relatable and easy to sympathize with. And of course, there are many movies about such characters.

If you're looking for something in this genre, here are ten of the best underdog movies on Amazon Prime.

Legally Blonde (2001, 6.5 on IMDb)

One of Reese Witherspoon's most iconic films, this romantic comedy follows Elle Woods, a Southern California girl who is seen by everyone as a rich, dumb bimbo. When her boyfriend dumps her because he says she's not serious enough for him, Elle studies hard to get into Harvard Law School and becomes one of the top students there so that no one will underestimate her anymore.

Next Goal Wins (2023, 6.5 on IMDb)

Taika Waititi's sports comedy-drama centers on Michael Fassbender's Thomas Rongen, a Dutch-American soccer coach who is given an ultimatum. Either he is fired from his job or he must turn the American Samoa national soccer team, widely considered to be one of the weakest in the world, into highly skilled professionals. When he makes the obvious choice, the task proves even more challenging than expected.

The Karate Kid (1984, 7.3 on IMDb)

The original Karate Kid film tells the story of Daniel LaRusso, an Italian-American teenager from New Jersey who moves to Los Angeles with his widowed mother, where he is bullied and harassed by his new classmates. One day, the boy meets Mr. Miyagi, a war veteran working as a handyman, and begins taking karate lessons from him to learn how to defend himself and prepare for an upcoming tournament.

Invictus (2009, 7.3 on IMDb)

Adapted from John Carlin's Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation, this sports biopic follows the events before and after the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa, which had just emerged from apartheid, and centers on the country's Springboks rugby team. The movie stars Matt Damon as Springboks captain Francois Pienaar, who led the team to victory when no one expected them to win.

Eddie the Eagle (2016, 7.3 on IMDb)

Starring Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman, this biographical sports comedy-drama tells the story of Michael Edwards, a British skier who became the first Brit to represent his country in the Olympic ski jumping competition since 1928. The movie follows his journey from a young boy with walking difficulties and dreams of Olympic glory to competing at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.

Moneyball (2011, 7.6 on IMDb)

Inspired by Michael Lewis' Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, the film follows Brad Pitt's Billy Beane, the manager of Oakland Athletics, and Jonah Hill's Peter Brand, the team's assistant manager, who start using a sabermetric scouting approach in an attempt to build a successful team on a very tight budget. Though it seems too theoretical at first, the sophisticated method quickly proves fruitful.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012, 7.9 on IMDb)

Unlike most of the other movies on this list, this is not a sports biography. Stephen Chbosky's romantic drama centers on Charlie Kelmeckis, a very reclusive teenager who isn't very popular with his peers. Throughout the movie, he writes letters to an unnamed friend, telling them about his everyday life, his struggles, his difficulties, and his victories as he experiences his freshman year of high school. This ritual helps Charlie overcome his PTSD and make real friends.

Million Dollar Baby (2004, 8.1 on IMDb)

Directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, this sports drama is loosely based on F.X. Toole's Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner and follows Margaret Fitzgerald, a largely underrated amateur boxer who dreams of becoming a professional fighter and achieving success in the field. Eastwood's boxing trainer, Frankie Dunn, underestimated by other boxers, helps Maggie make her dreams come true and guides her through the dangerous journey.

Spotlight (2015, 8.1 on IMDb)

Tom McCarthy's Oscar-winning biographical drama follows the members of The Boston Globe's investigative journalism unit, the oldest continuously operating in the US, as they uncover the elaborate cover-up of child sexual abuse by several priests of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. The star-studded film is a tale of seemingly boring nerds who help bring down a corrupt and powerful institution.

Ford v Ferrari (2019, 8.1 on IMDb)

This sports biopic stars Matt Damon as Carroll Shelby, the famed automotive designer, and Christian Bale as Ken Miles, the legendary British race car driver and engineer, who are hired by Ford Motor Company to design a racing car that could challenge Ferrari's unquestioned dominance in the field. Through trial and error, the two friends design the Ford GT40, a car that would become a racing legend and lead FMC to victory.