Movies Like Wildcats (1986)

Wildcats is a 1986 comedy film from Michael Ritchie with a MovieMagicScore of 6.3/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Leatherheads and Friday Night Lights.

Comedy

Leatherheads

2008

A light hearted comedy about the beginnings of Professional American Football. When a decorated war hero and college all star is tempted into playing professional football. Everyone see the chance to make some big money, but when a reporter digs up some dirt on the war hero... everyone could lose out.

5.9

MagicScore

Friday Night Lights

2004

A small, turbulent town in Texas obsesses over their high school football team to an unhealthy degree. When the star tailback, Boobie Miles, is seriously injured during the first game of the season, all hope is lost, and the town's dormant social problems begin to flare up. It is left to the inspiring abilities of new coach Gary Gaines to instill in the other team members -- and, by proxy, the town itself -- a sense of self-respect and honor.

6.9

MagicScore

All the Right Moves

1983

Sensitive study of a headstrong high school football star who dreams of getting out of his small Western Pennsylvania steel town with a football scholarship. His equally ambitious coach aims at a college position, resulting in a clash which could crush the player's dreams.

5.8

MagicScore

Varsity Blues

1999

In small-town Texas, high school football is a religion, 17-year-old schoolboys carry the hopes of an entire community onto the gridiron every Friday night. When star quarterback Lance Harbor suffers an injury, the Coyotes are forced to regroup under the questionable leadership of John Moxon, a second-string quarterback with a slightly irreverent approach to the game.

6.1

MagicScore

The Replacements

2000

Maverick old-guard coach Jimmy McGinty is hired in the wake of a players' strike to help the Washington Sentinels advance to the playoffs. But that impossible dream hinges on whether his replacements can hunker down and do the job. So, McGinty dusts off his secret dossier of ex-players who never got a chance (or screwed up the one they were given) and knits together a bad-dream team of guys who just may give the Sentinels their title shot.

6.7

MagicScore

She's the Man

2006

Viola Hastings is in a real jam. Complications threaten her scheme to pose as her twin brother, Sebastian, and take his place at a new boarding school. She falls in love with her handsome roommate, Duke, who loves beautiful Olivia, who has fallen for Sebastian! As if that were not enough, Viola's twin returns from London ahead of schedule but has no idea that his sister has already replaced him on campus.

6.8

MagicScore

Facing the Giants

2006

A losing coach with an underdog football team faces their giants of fear and failure on and off the field to surprising results.

7.5

MagicScore

The 5th Quarter

2010

In the wake of a car crash that killed his brother, football player Jon Abbate leads his school's struggling team to its most successful season ever.

5.6

MagicScore

Lucas

1986

A brilliant but socially inept 14-year-old experiences heartbreak for the first time when his two best friends – Cappie, an older-brother figure, and Maggie, the new girl with whom he is in love – fall for each other.

6.7

MagicScore

#10

Hoosiers

1986

Failed college coach Norman Dale gets a chance at redemption when he is hired to coach a high school basketball team in a tiny Indiana town. After a teacher persuades star player Jimmy Chitwood to quit and focus on his long-neglected studies, Dale struggles to develop a winning team in the face of community criticism for his temper and his unconventional choice of assistant coach: Shooter, a notorious alcoholic.

7.0

MagicScore

#11

Vision Quest

1985

After deciding he needs to do something meaningful with his life, high school wrestler Louden Swain sets out on a mission to drop weight and challenge the area's undefeated champion, which creates problems with his teammates and health. Matters are complicated further when Louden's father takes in an attractive female drifter who's on her way to San Francisco.

6.3

MagicScore

#12

Comeback Season

2006

First Down. Second Chance. Skylar is a star quarterback of his football team. He's got the skills, the looks, and the girls. His next-door neighbor, Walter is a loving husband, good father and all-round decent family man. When their worlds start to crumble they find themselves in jail together and suddenly these former enemies must rely on each other to rebuild their lives...

6.2

MagicScore

#13

Remember the Titans

2000

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 group of hostile young men into champions.

7.6

MagicScore

#14

Radio

2003

In the racially divided town of Anderson, South Carolina in 1976, football coach Harold Jones spots a mentally disabled African-American young man nicknamed Radio near his practice field and is inspired to befriend him. Soon, Radio is Jones' loyal assistant, and he becomes a student at T.L. Hanna High School. But things start to sour when Coach Jones begins taking guff from parents and fans who feel that his devotion to Radio is getting in the way of the team's quest for a championship.

7.3

MagicScore

#15

Major League

1989

When Rachel Phelps inherits the Cleveland Indians from her deceased husband, she's determined to move the team to a warmer climate—but only a losing season will make that possible, which should be easy given the misfits she's hired. Rachel is sure her dream will come true, but she underestimates their will to succeed.

6.9

MagicScore

#16

The Mighty Ducks

1992

After reckless young lawyer Gordon Bombay gets arrested for drunk driving, he must coach a kids hockey team for his community service. Gordon has experience on the ice, but isn't eager to return to hockey, a point hit home by his tense dealings with his own former coach, Jack Reilly. The reluctant Gordon eventually grows to appreciate his team, which includes promising young Charlie Conway, and leads them to take on Reilly's tough players.

6.6

MagicScore

#17

The Slaughter Rule

2002

A young man finds solace with a young woman, his mother, and a high-school football coach who recruits him to quarterback a six-man team.

5.5

MagicScore

#18

Let's Go, Jets!

2017

Female students, including Hikari Tomonaga, from a high school cheerdance club follow strict instructions from their teacher Kaoruko Saotome. They compete at the USA Cheerdance Championship.

7.3

MagicScore

#19

The Bad News Bears

1976

An aging, down-on-his-luck ex-minor leaguer coaches a team of misfits in an ultra-competitive California little league.

6.9

MagicScore

#20

Win Win

2011

When down-on-his-luck part-time high school wrestling coach Mike agrees to become legal guardian to an elderly man, his ward's troubled grandson turns out to be a star grappler, sparking dreams of a big win -- until the boy's mother retrieves him.

6.8

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Wildcats?

The top films similar to Wildcats by MovieMagicScore are Leatherheads (5.9), Friday Night Lights (6.9), All the Right Moves (5.8). Each shares comedy themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Wildcats worth watching?

Wildcats holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.3/10 from 201 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Wildcats?

Wildcats (1986) is a comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie, starring Goldie Hawn, Swoosie Kurtz, Robyn Lively.

Where can I find more recommendations like Wildcats?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more comedy recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Leatherheads Movies like Friday Night Lights Movies like All the Right Moves Movies like Varsity Blues Movies like The Replacements Movies like She's the Man

About movies like Wildcats

This ranked list pairs Wildcats (1986), a comedy film from Michael Ritchie, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Goldie Hawn take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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