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Movies like Breaking the Limits

Key Features:
Biopic, Drug addiction, Overcoming adversity, Sports drama, Athlete, 1980s, Perseverance, Inspirational, True story
Tone:
earnest, dramatic
Target Audience:
Sports enthusiasts, Fans of inspirational stories, Viewers interested in true stories
Emotional Arc:
Despair → Determination → Triumph

Breaking the Limits

2017-11-17
Breaking the Limits Poster - Find Similar Movies

Based on true events. In 1980s Poland, Jerzy Górski is a young man who finds the determination to struggle against his drug addiction through athletic training, with the aim of competing in the US Ironman Triathlon.

Genres
Drama, History
Cast
Jakub Gierszał, Kamila Kamińska, Anna Próchniak, Arkadiusz Jakubik, Janusz Gajos, Artur Żmijewski, Magdalena Cielecka, Adam Woronowicz, Szymon Piotr Warszawski, Mateusz Kościukiewicz
Crew
Maciej Karpiński, Agatha Dominik, Łukasz Palkowski
Rating
7.6(98 votes)
Breaking the LimitsBreaking the Limits
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100 Meters
7.363

Based on the incredibly true story of a Spanish man with Multiple Sclerosis who tried to finish an Iron-Man: 3,8km swimming, 180km cycling and 42 running. And he was told that he could not make 100 meters.



NYAD
NYAD(2023)
7.094

Athlete Diana Nyad sets out at 60 to achieve a nearly impossible lifelong dream: to swim from Cuba to Florida across more than 100 miles of open ocean.



The Finishers
6.859

Julien, 17, is wheelchair-bound due to cerebral palsy. Despite their love for him, his family is gradually falling apart under the strain of dealing with his disability. In a bid to bond with his father, Julien challenges him to participate with him in the Ironman race in Nice (French Riviera), a triathlon in which his father has previously competed.



Without Limits
6.538

The life of renowned runner Steve Prefontaine and his relationship with legendary coach Bill Bowerman.



Marathon
Marathon(2005)
7.3

Cho-won is an autistic but happy young man who loves to draw zebras and run. His mother wants him to feel normal by accomplishing a feat that no one thought his son could achieve. With the help of a coach in exile, she trains him to become a marathon runner.



Broad Peak
5.853

After climbing Broad Peak mountain, Maciej Berbeka learns his journey to the summit is incomplete. 25 years later, he sets out to finish what he started.



The Program
6.371

An Irish sports journalist becomes convinced that Lance Armstrong's performances during the Tour de France victories are fueled by banned substances. With this conviction, he starts hunting for evidence that will expose Armstrong.



The Flying Scotsman

Based on the incredible true story of amateur cyclist Graeme Obree, who breaks the world one-hour record on a bike he made out of washing machine parts.



Tyson's Run
7.7

When fifteen-year-old Tyson attends public school for the first time, his life is changed forever. While helping his father clean up after the football team, Tyson befriends champion marathon runner Aklilu. Never letting his autism hold him back, Tyson becomes determined to run his first marathon in hopes of winning his father's approval. With the help of an unlikely friend and his parents, Tyson learns that with faith in yourself and the courage to take the first step, anything is possible.



Pocket Hercules: Naim Suleymanoglu

From defecting to the Olympics, an underdog weightlifter powers through adversity to raise up his community in this biopic of Naim Süleymanoğlu.



Back on Track
7.3

A former Olympic champion wants to compete in the Berlin Marathon one last time.



Gods
Gods(2014)
7.701

Set in communist Poland of the 80s the movie depicts early career of cardio surgeon Zbigniew Religa.



Antoine Griezmann: The Making of a Legend

With heart and determination, Antoine Griezmann overcame his small stature to become one of the world's top soccer players and a World Cup champion.



Race
Race(2016)
7.254

Based on the story of Jesse Owens, the athlete whose quest to become the greatest track and field athlete in history thrusts him onto the world stage of the 1936 Olympics, where he faces off against Adolf Hitler's vision of Aryan supremacy.



Stronger Than The World

The Story of longtime UFC Featherweight champion and the struggles facing him on the road to the top.



Bigger Stronger Faster*

In America, we define ourselves in the superlative: we are the biggest, strongest, fastest country in the world. Is it any wonder that so many of our heroes are on performance enhancing drugs? Director Christopher Bell explores America's win-at-all-cost culture by examining how his two brothers became members of the steroid-subculture in an effort to realize their American dream.



The Marathon
7.244

Four out-of-shape car mechanics decide to participate in the Rotterdam marathon. If they reach the finish in time, they will be able to pay off their debt — if they don't, they will lose their garage.



Young Woman and the Sea

This is the extraordinary true story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel. Through the steadfast support of her older sister and supportive trainers, she overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete the 21-mile trek from France to England.



Man of Iron
6.936

In Warsaw in 1980, the Communist Party sends disgruntled radio reporter Winkel to Gdańsk to dig up dirt on the shipyard strikers - particularly on Maciek Tomczyk, an independent labour union leader whose father was killed in the December 1970 protests. Posing as sympathetic, Winkel interviews the people surrounding Tomczyk, including his detained wife, Agnieszka.



Cool Runnings
7

When a Jamaican sprinter is disqualified from the Olympic Games, he enlists the help of a dishonored coach to start the first Jamaican bobsled team.



Prefontaine
6.541

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Against the Ropes

A fictional story inspired by North America's most famous female boxing promoter, Jackie Kallen. Her struggle to survive and succeed in a male dominated sport.



Wałesa: Man of Hope

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Full Out
Full Out(2015)
7.233

Based on the true life story of California gymnast Ariana Berlin. As she zoned in on her Olympic goals, 14 year old Ariana Berlin's life took a sharp turn when she was involved in a debilitating car accident. Gaining her confidence and movement back through learning hip hop dance, she unexpectedly found herself called back to the gymnastics world thanks to world renowned UCLA Coach Valorie Kondos Field. With Val's help, Ariana was eventually able to secure a spot on the UCLA gymnastics team and win an NCAA championship, a lifelong goal that she had always dreamed of. This is a wonderfully inspiring story of persistence, confidence, and the heart and courage to make a somewhat impossible comeback in life.



Bigger
Bigger(2018)
6.9

The inspirational tale of the grandfathers of the fitness movement as we now know it, Joe & Ben Weider. Battling anti-Semitism, racism and extreme poverty, the brothers beat all odds to build an empire & inspire future generations.



The Basketball Diaries

A high school basketball player’s life turns upside down after free-falling into the harrowing world of drug addiction.



Into the Wind
5.4

She graduated from a prestigious high school in Warsaw and entered medicine in London. He works as a kitesurfing instructor at the seaside, thanks to which he combines earning money and passion. They will meet in Hel. The unusual charm of the boy makes the girl exceed her limits and enter a completely unknown world of kitesurfing, music and fun. The feeling that arises between them does not please her family or his friends. Is Ania and Michal's relationship strong enough to overcome adversities and become more than just a holiday love?



Underdog
Underdog(2024)
8.5

Two Tarahumara brothers, with a deep spiritual connection and a fervent desire to become the best ultramarathon runners in the world, will see their dreams shattered when they are violently recruited by a dangerous cartel as drug runners, putting their family at risk and forcing them to join forces to finally take control of their own destiny.



Rudy
Rudy(1993)
7.347

Rudy grew up in a steel mill town where most people ended up working, but wanted to play football at Notre Dame instead. There were only a couple of problems. His grades were a little low, his athletic skills were poor, and he was only half the size of the other players. But he had the drive and the spirit of 5 people and has set his sights upon joining the team.



4 Minute Mile
5.947

A teenager overcomes odds to run a 4-minute mile race.



Unbroken
Unbroken(2014)
7.425

A chronicle of the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by Japanese forces during World War II.



Downhill Racer
5.8

An ambitious young skier, determined to break all existing records, is contemptuous of the teamwork advocated by the US coach when they go to Europe for the Olympics.



The Mighty Angel
6.1

Jerzy is a writer and a heavy drinker. We meet him at the point when he believes that he can beat his addiction. He falls in love with a young girl and finally feels that he has got the person and the reason to live for. But soon he yields to his addiction.



Breaking Away
7.1

Dave, nineteen, has just graduated high school, with his three friends: the comical Cyril, the warm hearted but short-tempered Moocher, and the athletic, spiteful but good-hearted Mike. Now, Dave enjoys racing bikes and hopes to race the Italians one day, and even takes up the Italian culture, much to his friends' and parents' annoyance.



Jack Strong
6.504

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Stop at Nothing: The Lance Armstrong Story

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Overcomer
Overcomer(2019)
7.7

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Perfect Addiction
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A female boxing trainer discovers that her champion cage-fighter boyfriend has been cheating on her with her sister and decides to seek revenge by training up his arch-rival to challenge him.



Breathe
Breathe(2017)
7.45

Based on the true story of Robin, a handsome, brilliant and adventurous man whose life takes a dramatic turn when polio leaves him paralyzed.



The Gabby Douglas Story

The true story of Gabby Douglas who becomes the first African American to be named Individual All-Around Champion in artistic gymnastics at the Olympic Games.



1:54
1:54(2016)
6.6

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The Jericho Mile

A runner, serving a life sentence at Folsom Prison, works at becoming the world's fastest miler and wins a chance to compete for a spot on the Olympic team.



Generation Iron
6.7

Generation Iron - examines the professional sport of bodybuilding today and gives the audience front row access to the lives of the top 7 bodybuilders in the sport as they train to compete in the world's most premiere bodybuilding stage - Mr. Olympia.



Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

A biography of Ian Dury, who was stricken with polio at a young age and defied expectations by becoming one of the founders of the punk-rock scene in Britain in the 1970s.



Gran Turismo
7.738

The ultimate wish-fulfillment tale of a teenage Gran Turismo player whose gaming skills won him a series of Nissan competitions to become an actual professional racecar driver.



To the Top
5.9

Scott, a gifted young snowboarder, has one dream: to be number one. He wants to do what no one has ever succeeded in doing: to climb Mount Everest and ride the world's purest, steepest, and most dangerous descent. Once in Chamonix, the riders' Mecca, he crosses paths with Pierrick, a former champion turned mountain guide. Scott knows that this is the encounter that could take him to the top.



Unstoppable
5.122

With the unwavering love and support of his devoted mother Judy and the encouragement of his coaches, Anthony Robles fights through adversity to earn a spot on the Arizona State Wrestling team. But it will demand everything he has, physically and mentally, to achieve his ultimate quest to become an NCAA Champion.



Eddie the Eagle
7.2

The feel-good story of Michael 'Eddie' Edwards, an unlikely but courageous British ski-jumper who never stopped believing in himself—even as an entire nation was counting him out. With the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach, Eddie takes on the establishment and wins the hearts of sports fans around the world by making an improbable and historic showing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.



The Champion
7.7

It is 1940. The first transport of prisoners arrives at the newly created concentration camp Auschwitz. One of them is Tadeusz “Teddy” Pietrzykowski, pre-war boxing champion of Warsaw. The camp officers force him to fight in the ring for his and other prisoners’ lives. However, his every win strengthens the hope that Nazis are not invincible. Auschwitz officers notice the growing resistance. The confrontation with the authorities of the camp becomes inevitable.



Fierce People
6.1

A massage therapist looking to overcome her addictions and reconnect with her son, whose father is an anthropologist in South America studying the Yanomani people, moves in with a wealthy ex-client in New Jersey.



The Resistance Fighter

Based on the true story of Jan Nowak-Jezioranski, who served as a courier between the commanders of the Polish Home Army and the Polish Government in Exile in London. He must return quickly to Warsaw to transmit orders from the Polish PM to the Home Army's commander-in-chief before the start of the Warsaw uprising.



Generation Iron 2
6.788

From the director of Generation Iron, comes the anticipated sequel that will depict 5 of the top bodybuilding and fitness mega-stars on a quest of achieving the ultimate physique and taking it to the next extreme level. In the world of social media and internet, the rules have changed as to what makes an iconic bodybuilding mass-monster. Starring Kai Greene, Calum Von Moger, Rich Piana, among others, this film will explore an all new generation of bodybuilders and how this new world, and new people, carve their own path to physique perfection.



A Million Little Pieces

A young drug-addled writer approaching the bottom of his descent submits to two months of agonizing detox at a treatment center in Minnesota.



No Limit
No Limit(2022)
6.047

Roxana Aubrey decides to drop her studies and escape her life in Paris for a free diving course in the south of France. She is quickly pulled into a life that reaches new depths brought by the weight of an ocean's descent.



North Face
7.2

North Face tells the story of two German climbers Toni Kurz and Andreas Hinterstoisser and their attempt to scale the deadly North Face of the Eiger.



More
More(1969)
6.3

A German student, Stefan, now finished with his studies, hitchhikes to Paris. There he meets a free-spirited American girl, Estelle, who he follows to Ibiza. The two begin a sad and dark path into heroin addiction.



Pride
Pride(2007)
6.582

Coach Jim Ellis shocks the community and changes lives when, aided by a local janitor, he sets out to form Philadelphia's first black swim team. But the odds are against them as they battle rigid rules, racism and more.



Submarino
Submarino(2010)
7.1

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Tough Enough
6.788

From the youth directed novel of the same name by Greogor Tressnow comes a film by Detlev Buck that is a realistic portrait of life in the section of Berlin called Neukölln. It’s about power and weakness, delinquents and victims, and the difficulties a 15-year-old faces in a poor and criminal environment.



Sweat
Sweat(2021)
6.262

Three days in the life of fitness motivator Sylwia Zając, whose presence on social media has made her a celebrity. Although she has hundreds of thousands of followers, is surrounded by loyal employees and admired by acquaintances, she is looking for true intimacy.



Ghislain Lambert's Bicycle

In the 70s, there was Merckx and there were the others. Ghislain Lambert was one of the others. This is his story, a quite simple one. The story of a modest Belgian bike racer. His greatest ambition in life? To become a champion. His greatest tragedy? Not having the legs his heart deserves.



Iron Will
Iron Will(1994)
6.7

When Will Stoneman's father dies, he is left alone to take care of his mother and their land. Needing money to maintain it, he decides to join a cross country dogsled race. This race will require days of racing for long hours, through harsh weather and terrain. This young man will need a lot of courage and a strong will to complete this race.



Gia
Gia(1998)
7.1

Gia Carangi meteorically rises to modeling fame in the late 1970s but becomes overconsumed by persistent loneliness and drug addiction.



Race for Glory: Audi vs. Lancia

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Man of Marble
7

A young Polish filmmaker sets out to find out what happened to Mateusz Birkut, a bricklayer who became a propaganda hero in the 1950s but later fell out of favor and disappeared.



Journeyman
6.608

A boxer suffers a serious head injury during a fight, and must deal with the consequences.



Arthur the King
7.577

Over the course of ten days and 435 miles, an unbreakable bond is forged between pro adventure racer Michael Light and a scrappy street dog companion dubbed Arthur. As the team is pushed to their outer limits of endurance in the race, Arthur redefines what victory, loyalty and friendship truly mean.



The Swimmers
7.438

From war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics, two young sisters embark on a risky voyage, putting their hearts and their swimming skills to heroic use.



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The Debt(1999)
6.968

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Nothing Can Stop Us Now

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The Prayer
6.343

Thomas is a drug addict. In an effort to put an end to his habit, he joins a community of former addicts who live isolated in the mountains and use prayer as a way to cure themselves.



Italian Race
7.542

Giulia De Martino is a pilot. At seventeen she participates in the GT Championship, under the guidance of her father Mario. But one day everything changes and Giulia has to face alone both the track and her own life.



Boys
Boys(2014)
7.7

Two teen track stars discover first love as they train for the biggest relay race of their young lives.



The Smashing Machine

In the late 1990s, up-and-coming mixed martial artist Mark Kerr aspires to become the greatest fighter in the world. However, he must also battle his opioid dependence and a volatile relationship with his girlfriend Dawn.



Dream
Dream(2023)
6.9

With hard work and dedication on lock, a group of homeless men trains to compete in a global tournament — despite a cranky coach.



Warsaw 44
Warsaw 44(2014)
6.755

City of Warsaw, Poland, August 1st, 1944. Citizens have experienced inhuman acts of terror and violence during five long years of Nazi occupation. As the Soviet Army relentlessly approaches, the youngest and bravest among them rise up as one and face tyranny fighting street by street, but the price to pay will be high and hard the way to freedom…



Everest
Everest(1998)
6.586

An international team of climbers ascends Mt. Everest in the spring of 1996. The film depicts their lengthy preparations for the climb, their trek to the summit, and their successful return to Base Camp. It also shows many of the challenges the group faced, including avalanches, lack of oxygen, treacherous ice walls, and a deadly blizzard.



Stronger
Stronger(2017)
6.971

A victim of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 helps the police track down the killers while struggling to recover from devastating trauma.



A Million Miles Away
7.633

The life of engineer and former NASA astronaut José M. Hernández, the first migrant farmworker to go to space.



Murderball
7.1

Quadriplegics, who play full-contact rugby in wheelchairs, overcome unimaginable obstacles to compete in the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece.



Hitting the Apex
7.7

The inside story of six fighters – six of the fastest motorcycle racers of all time – and of the fates that awaited them at the peak of the sport. It's the story of what is at stake for all of them: all that can be won, and all that can be lost, when you go chasing glory at over two hundred miles an hour – on a motorcycle. But this documentary is also an opportunity to understand the passionate relationship that links the pilots, the technical teams and the legions of fans to the spirit of GP Moto.



Race to the Summit
6.9

Fearless alpine climbers Ueli Steck and Dani Arnold enter into a death-defying rivalry to set speed records on the Swiss Alps' great north faces.



Run the Race
7

Reeling from his mother’s death and his father’s abandonment, Zach, an All-State athlete, finds glory on the football field, working to earn a college scholarship and the brothers’ ticket out of town. When a devastating injury puts Zach—and his dreams—on the sidelines, David laces up his track cleats to salvage their future and point Zach toward hope.



Bleed for This
6.8

The inspirational story of World Champion Boxer Vinny Pazienza, who after a near fatal car crash, which left him not knowing if he'd ever walk again, made one of sports most incredible comebacks.



The Ride
The Ride(2018)
7.1

The story of John Buultjens, who has dedicated his life to the sport of BMX.



14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible

In 2019, Nepalese mountain climber Nirmal “Nims” Purja set out to do the unthinkable by climbing the world’s fourteen highest summits in less than seven months. (The previous record was eight years). He called the effort “Project Possible 14/7” and saw it as a way to inspire others to strive for greater heights in any pursuit. The film follows his team as they seek to defy naysayers and push the limits of human endurance.



Limitless
Limitless(2011)
7.2

The life of an unsuccessful writer is transformed by a top-secret 'smart drug' that allows him to use 100% of his brain and become a perfect version of himself. His enhanced abilities soon attract shadowy forces that threaten his new life.



The Robber
6.5

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Mary Kom
Mary Kom(2014)
7

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Ice Castles
7.3

Alexis is on top of the world until a tragic accident dashes her hopes and dreams of becoming a world-class figure skater. Only with the help of those who love her can she prove to the world — and herself — that she still has the potential to realize her dreams.



All This Mayhem
7.4

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My All American
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Bartali: The Iron Man

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Oslo, August 31st
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A recovering drug addict is granted a day’s leave from rehab and returns to Oslo, where he reconnects with friends, faces the weight of his past, and struggles with uncertainty about his future. Over the course of one day, he drifts through encounters that reflect his longing for connection and his deep sense of alienation.



Adventures of a Mathematician

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The Deepest Breath
7.548

Bonded by their love of freediving, a record-setting champion and a heroic safety diver try to make history with a remarkable feat, ready to risk it all.



Rising Phoenix
8.1

Elite athletes and insiders reflect on the Paralympic Games and examine how they impact a global understanding of disability, diversity and excellence.



Gold Run
Gold Run(2022)
6.485

Fredrik isn’t the bravest of men, but now he is faced with a great responsibility and an enormous task - to get the entire Norwegian gold reserve away from the Nazis during the invasion of Norway.



The Closed Circuit
6.3

The film is set in the Tricity in 2003, ten years after the end of communism in Poland. The plot, apparently based on the real-life experiences of Kraków businessmen Lech Jerzorny and Paweł Rey, is about three young, talented businessmen who open a high-tech factory. This comes to the attention of the local state ‘mafia’, the local Prosecutor, played by Janusz Gajos, and tax office boss, played by Kasimierz Kaczor, who are both jealous and would like to make money for themselves. We are in Poland, so success must be punished.

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