Hoosiers

Play trailer

Hoosiers

PG

1986

1h 54m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

49 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Failed college coach Norman Dale gets a chance at redemption when he is hired to direct the basketball program at a high school 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.

Critics Consensus

It may adhere to the sports underdog formula, but Hoosiers has been made with such loving craft, and features such excellent performances, that it's hard to resist.

Read Critics Reviews

Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

02/17/2021

A

This film has so much heart. Every time I watch it, I am on the verge of tears for almost the entire runtime.

Go to Full Review

Steven D. Greydanus

Decent Films

10/29/2008

A-

The filmmakers are at the top of their game.

Go to Full Review

Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

08/01/2008

Hackman is wonderful as an inarticulate man tense with the struggle to curb a flaring, mysterious anger.

Go to Full Review

Richard Freedman

Newark Star-Ledger

Dec 30

There's an awful lot of basketball, not but much human interest in this "Rocky"-like treatment of the sport.

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 22

3.5/4

Much of its appeal comes courtesy of Gene Hackman, whose work here -- a canny mix of aw-shucks bluster and below-the-surface slyness -- was a warm-up for the career-best performance he would deliver in 1988's Mississippi Burning.

Go to Full Review

Justin Brown

Medium Popcorn

03/26/2025

4/5

I love a good sports movie. There's a formula to them, which this film actually went a bit against. I really enjoyed the historical accuracy of how they used to play basketball in the '50s.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Tim A.

@TimmyTaco Mar 27

Greatest movie of all time.

See more

Margie M

@DrManifold Feb 6

I'm not a basketball fan - but I LOVE this movie. Based on a wonderfully true story. . . It is brilliant, heartbreakingly beautiful and leaves one with the hope of possible impossibilities.

See more

Charles P.

@reptaddict Jan 23

The best sports movie ever, and nothing else is close.

See more

Michael F

@Moviemaven58 Dec 9

Hoosiers is definitely in the top five sports movies of all time. Right there with The Natural and Field of Dreams. I’ve seen it half a dozen times at least and never get tired of it. Perfectly edited, filmed and staged. A definite must see even if you’re not a basketball fan. Just to see Gene Hackman again is priceless.

See more

Stephen C

@bob25009 Jul 8

The worldwide gross is $28,607,524.00 over a budget of $6,000,000.00.

See more

Rob A

@RT76386004 03/27/2025

Here's an oldie but goodie for you! A David vs. Goliath story about a tiny Indiana high school basketball team, led by a former college coach with a checkered past (Gene Hackman RIP) and their unlikely run at the state championship back in the 1950's. Barbara Hershey and Dennis Hopper co-star as a skeptical Principal and alcoholic father/assistant coach repectively. The film is a classic; well written and directed. Every few years I watch it again. Hoosiers having been released in 1986 (I was in high school myself) I've probably seen it 5 times by now.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

David Anspaugh

Director

Gene Hackman

Coach Norman Dale

Barbara Hershey

Myra Fleener

Dennis Hopper

Shooter

Sheb Wooley

Cletus

Fern Persons

Opal Fleener

Hoosiers: Official Clip - Coach Meets His Team

1:58

Hoosiers: Official Clip - Measuring the Massive Gym

1:54

Hoosiers: Official Clip - God Wants You on the Floor

1:01

Hoosiers: Official Clip - Benching Rade on Principle

2:09

Hoosiers: Official Clip - Jimmy's Final Shot

2:13

Hoosiers: Official Clip - Shooter Runs the Picket Fence

2:09

Hoosiers: Official Clip - David and Goliath

2:08

Hoosiers: Official Clip - Coach Offers Shooter a Job

2:07

Hoosiers: Official Clip - Ollie Sinks His Free Throws

2:14

Hoosiers: Official Clip - Your Coaching Days Are Over

1:50

View more videos

The Natural

83%

88%

The Natural

Watchlist

Phar Lap

88%

93%

Phar Lap

Watchlist

Desert Bloom

71%

71%

Desert Bloom

Watchlist

The Trip to Bountiful

100%

86%

The Trip to Bountiful

Watchlist

Tender Mercies

83%

81%

Tender Mercies

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Five Favorite Films

New on Netflix October 2019

Finding Dory, The People v. O.J. Simpson, Superbad, and a Ton of James Bond Available to Stream on Netflix and Amazon Prime

View more photos

Synopsis

Failed college coach Norman Dale gets a chance at redemption when he is hired to direct the basketball program at a high school 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.

Director: David Anspaugh
Producer: Angelo Pizzo, Carter DeHaven
Screenwriter: Angelo Pizzo
Distributor: Orion Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: Hemdale Film Corporation [us]
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 14, 1986, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 20, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.8M
Runtime: 1h 54m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

Most Popular at Home Now