Netflix streaming 'outstanding' basketball movie critics hated but fans say is 'perfect' ahead of Running Point

Check out this underrated sports comedy ahead of a brand new Netflix show with a fresh and hilarious perspective on the world of American sports.

Kate Hudson stars as Isla Gordon, the newly appointed manager of one of the most successful basketball teams of all time in Running Point, an irreverent sports satire co-created by Mindy Kaling coming to the streamer this week.

Before your next comedy binge-watch, why not prepare for the courtside chaos with a different basketball-based comedy starring another beloved Hollywood star.

Also streaming on Netflix, Champions is the perfect mood-lifter to remind you of the joys of sport before Running Point takes us behind the scenes.

Hunger Games star Woody Harrelson stars as a bitter minor-league basketball coach who’s sentenced to community service following an altercation with another coach.

He’s forced to coach a scrappy team of players with disabilities and eventually develops a newfound love for the game as he gets to know the passionate pros.

Although the film wasn’t the biggest hit with critics, with a 59 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences loved it, giving it a score of 95 percent and plenty of rave reviews across the internet.

Some professional reviewers have also lauded it, including Mark Kermode who wrote of the “uplifting” comedy for the Guardian: “What makes Champions a treat is the deftness with which Mark Rizzo’s script sidesteps sentimentality in favour of something more raucously truthful, conjuring fully rounded characters with believably messy lives, all delivered with Dodgeball-style sporting chutzpah.”

A five-star user review on Google began: “This is an outstanding movie…

“The real stars of this movie, however, are the entire team of actors, all with actual disabilities, who act and play the lights out under Harrelson's gifted coaching,” they added.

“I did not expect Champions to be nearly as good as it is.”

Another reviewer said: “A beautiful movie. The actors did an amazing job and kept part of their own personality in it.

“Very funny, and one of those movies that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. A movie about friendship and gives education [about] people with disabilities and showing us how much they are capable of and how much they contribute to society.”

While a five-star review on the film social media platform Letterboxd raved: “I love films like this in this sub genre. A massively wholesome easy watch that had the perfect amount of humour and emotional moments, I teared up twice at the end and got so invested in the team and story.

“Nothing crazy technically wise but for how it made me feel and what I enjoy, it was perfect. Woody Harrelson was amazing. Definitely a film I will rewatch a lot.”

Fans agree this heartwarming comedy film shouldn’t be missed, so make sure you give it a go ahead of Netflix’s upcoming original sporty sitcom.

Champions is available to stream on Netflix. Running Point premieres Thursday, 27th February.