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Underdogs

Caitlin Quinlan champions the films that give longshots their time to shine, from the Italian Stallion in Rocky to the girls dreaming of football stardom in Bend it Like Beckham.

Caitlin Quinlan champions the sports films that give the longshots their time to shine, from the working-class Italian Stallion in Rocky, to the young women dreaming of football stardom in Bend It Like Beckham.

Cinema loves an underdog, and the underdog film never fails to have us cheering for these big-screen David's facing up to their Goliaths - but this powerful, predictable and easily parodied formula can also kick against the status quo, and shine the spotlight on heroes we don't tend to see elsewhere either on screen or on the sports field.

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6 minutes

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