The XXV Winter Olympic Games are underway in Milan, Italy and I couldn’t be happier. I love the Olympics. I’ll admit, the Summer Games are my favorite, but growing up in the frozen tundra of the Midwest gave me a soft spot for nearly every Winter event.
So, while Team USA fights for gold, I figured: what better way to get into the Olympic spirit than by watching some great movies inspired by the Winter Games? Each of these films highlights the grind to reach the Olympics and the agony and ecstasy of chasing greatness.
Downhill Racer (1969)
We begin on the slopes with Downhill Racer, a character‑driven drama following American skier David Chappellet, a talented athlete desperate to earn his spot on the U.S. Olympic Ski Team. As he competes across Europe, David’s single‑minded obsession puts him at odds with teammates and coaches, but no one can deny his raw ability.
What makes Downhill Racer special is the realism and the psychology of ambition. The ski sequences are exhilarating, especially the first‑person shots barreling down European slopes. Those sequences alone are worth watching.
It’s a portrait of the cost of obsession and how the Olympic dream can consume a person.
The Cutting Edge (1992)
The Cutting Edge gives us a nice blend of rom‑com energy and Olympic ambition.
The movie opens at the 1988 Winter Olympics, where both main characters suffer devastating losses. Hockey star Doug Dorsey takes a blow to the head that ends his career. Figure skater Kate Moseley is dropped by her skating partner, ending her gold‑medal hopes.
Two years later, training for the 1992 Games, Kate and Doug team up out of necessity and desperation.
Doug’s rough‑around‑the‑edges hockey mentality smashes directly into Kate’s icy perfectionism. But as they train through long hours and grueling routines, their hostility slowly melts into respect, then friendship, then something more.
Cool Runnings (1993)
Cool Runnings tells the incredible true(ish) story of the first Jamaican bobsled team, a group of sprinters from a tropical island who dared to chase a Winter Olympics dream.
When sprinter Derice Bannock fails to qualify for the 1988 Summer Olympics, he discovers that legendary and disgraced bobsledder Irving Blitzer once tried to form a Jamaican sled team. Determined to get to the Olympics any way he can, Derice recruits Blitzer to train a team for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.
Cool Runnings is a pure feel‑good movie, an underdog tale that radiates joy.It’s impossible to watch this movie without smiling. It’s comedy, heart, and Olympic determination all rolled into one.
Miracle (2004)
Miracle retells the iconic story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, one of the greatest underdog victories in sports history. At the center is legendary coach Herb Brooks
Brooks assembles a roster of young college players, not the most talented individuals, but the ones who will form the best team. He trains them relentlessly, reshapes their mindset and prepares them specifically to confront the Soviet Union, the unstoppable powerhouse of global hockey.
The final act recreates the legendary “Miracle on Ice” that stunned the world. Even if you know the outcome, the film delivers tension and suspense.
Miracle is more than a sports movie. It’s about grit, unity, sacrifice and the belief that a group of ordinary people can achieve something extraordinary.
Those are my picks for the Winter Olympic movie marathon, four films that capture the heart, struggle and triumph of the Games. They showcase the sacrifices athletes make, the hours of training, the impossible odds, and the pure joy of victory. They also deliver everything you want in a movie night: drama, laughs, and underdogs worth cheering for.
Enjoy the Games and enjoy the movies.
