10 Made-For-Television Movies That Are Actually Worth Your Time

3. Brian's Song (1971)

Whoever said that it was wrong for men to cry was... well, wrong. If guys weren't supposed to cry, we wouldn't have been given movies like Brian's Song. It might be a cliche to include this movie on this list, since Brian's Song is included on every list of the best TV movies of all time. But just because it's a cliche doesn't mean it's not true. Brian's Song tells the true story of the friendship between Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams) and Brian Piccolo (James Caan). The two are drafted by the Chicago Bears during the same year, and they both become heroes of the Bears' defensive line. After a few years, Piccolo's performance declines. The coach sends Brian home to find out what's wrong; "what's wrong" turns out to be terminal cancer. Football takes a back seat for the rest of the movie, as we watch Sayers, Brian, and Brian's wife come to terms with Brian's eminent death. There are schmaltzy scenes in Brian's Song (especially the "game ball" speech; it'll rot your teeth with its sappiness), but such scenes are few enough that they don't hurt the movie. You don't have to be a football fan to enjoy the movie, either; the games are shown in montages that last maybe two seconds. All you really need to enjoy this film is a heart. If you don't cry during the final scenes, there's something wrong with you.