10 Films That Unveil The Dark Side Of Sports

Football is one of the greatest games enjoyed by millions of fans worldwide, but hidden deep within the gridiron is a sea of immorality and questionable actions that are perfectly conveyed in Oliver Stone’s 1997 film.

Any Given Sunday is Stone’s nonconforming examination of the dark side of professional football. The story follows an old-school coach, a female owner with something to prove, and an arrogant third string QB turned football star whose worlds collide constantly in their attempts to salvage the season and win a championship.

This film is basically an in-depth look at the difficult struggles of modern day gladiators and those who lead them.

The film gives audiences a clear view of some of the games familiar problems. Abusing painkillers, concussion repercussions, wild off-field behavior, the influence of big TV money, stadiums causing inner city frictions, and some questionable medical designs by the team's doctors come into full focus in this two-hour piece.

The film’s premise was so real that the squeaky-clean NFL wanted nothing to do with it. If this plot was too rich with reality for the National Football League’s blood, chances are a good amount of it is something the people of that industry deal with on a regular basis.

If you think it is a war on the field, off the field is an even bigger battle according to Stone.