13 Figure Skating Movies, Because They Are *Literally* The Best Thing Ever

Dust off that VHS player (or head over to Hulu) for this must-see classic. Released in 1992, this movie combines all the best elements of a sports movie and a romantic comedy, and it all takes place on the ice and around the rink. The Cutting Edge is about an upper class, admittedly snooty figure skater who is paired with an injured, benched hockey player to compete in the Winter Olympics. Watch these two go from despising each other to creating some magic, on and off the rink. And if you liked the original, great news: there are lots of sequels.

Tonya Harding has got to be one of the first athletes that comes to mind when you think of Olympic figure skating. She's a legend in so many ways, with both a good and bad reputation to her name after her ex-husband carried out a contracted assault on Tonya’s rival, Nancy Kerrigan. I, Tonya tells this story through interviews with Harding (played by Margot Robbie, who laid down an award-winning performance), and other major players in both her life and downfall.

While the movie doesn’t focus solely on figure skating, it’s a critically acclaimed title with lots of other genres involved, like true crime and mockumentary elements.

If you don’t love a teenage sports movie starring Michelle Trachtenberg, can you even call yourself a millennial? The only way it could get better is with a character played by Hayden Panettiere, which it has! In Ice Princess, a young girl named Casey Carlyle is trying to pursue her dreams of becoming a professional figure skater. All the while, her mother thinks she should just focus on her academics so Casey can follow in her footsteps and get accepted to Harvard. This is the perfect movie to show your kids about the world of figure skating, while also letting them know their dreams are never too far.

Just like Ice Princess, Go Figure came out in 2005, so it has all the best qualities of a mid-2000s teen flick. Even better, it’s a Disney Channel original movie. So, that means it’s a great movie for the kids and a super fun trip down memory lane for you.

In it, one girl’s dream of becoming a figure skater seems close to coming true when she finds out that a famous Russian instructor is teaching at a private school nearby. But she’s going to need a scholarship to go, so this ice princess must join the girls’ hockey team. And while that may get her accepted to school, the skaters and hockey players don’t accept her right away. Hilarity ensues, endings are happy, you know the rest.

Yup, they did it. They made a sequel. Then they cast Christy Carlson Romano in the lead role and premiered it on ABC Family (such simpler times). In Going for the Gold, watch the daughter of Doug and Kate (the leading characters from the first Cutting Edge film) chase her own Olympic gold medal, just like her parents before her.

Along the way she has an enemies-to-lovers storyline with an inline skater, Alex, who becomes her unlikely skating partner in her quest for a world title. Now, is this film as good as the first? You'll have to see it to find out.

OK, they did it again. In Chasing The Dream, the third movie from the Cutting Edge series, figure skater Zack needs a new partner in time for nationals after his usual teammate is injured. His reputation for trying dangerous stunts to win medals means not many skaters want to work with him, but when he meets hockey player Alex, he finally meets his match (both in attitude and natural skating talent). So, the two team up for the International Ice Skating Conference. Oh, and if you didn't guess it already, they fall in love. And Christy Carlson Romano becomes their coach. You love to see it.

Yep, there are four of these bad boys. This film is probably closest to the original The Cutting Edge plot line, so if you prefer the first installment over the second and third, you’ll enjoy this one too. Figure skater Alex Delgado, who we met in the third movie, is in a career rut after her skating partner leaves the ice due to an injury, and their steamy romance tapers off, too. Then James, a bit of a bad boy who was banned from speed skating, convinces her to partner up for a competition. Watch James go from pushing Alex's buttons in the wrong way to, well, the right way.

Not many sports movies start with a body-switching, death-defying moment, but this one sure does. When a hockey player and figure skater die at the same time, the hockey player gets one more chance at life and is reborn into the ice skater’s body. (Long story short, the angels in charge of all the life and death stuff figure, since they both wanted to make it to the Winter Olympics, she’s a suitable vessel for him.) So, he undergoes intense figure skating lessons in order to achieve his goal in time. The movie also features cameos from Nancy Kerrigan and Tara Lipinski.

When a talented 15-year-old figure skater, Mattie Dane, is badly injured during a competition, she’ll have to work harder than ever to make a comeback and remain a champion. Along the way her family is then forced to move to a small town due to financial hardship, where she has a hard time fitting in. But before long, she meets the owner of a local skating rink who helps her get her confidence back on the ice. This is a great figure skating movie for the whole family, with an underdog storyline, sports rivalries, and some very pretty skating ensembles any little girl (or big girl, tbh) can appreciate.

A Hallmark movie about figure skating is guaranteed to be a winner. In Love On Ice, a former champion named Emily James retakes the ice at 27 (which is apparently super old in the figure skating world) when a coach (who happens to be her age and very dreamy) sees her potential. Over the course of their training together, they fall in love and, well, you’ll have to watch it to see if they reach their figure skating goals. You can catch it on the Hallmark Channel or watch it on Prime Video if you sign up for a 7-day free trial for Hallmark Movies.

This is a ‘70s film, so the biggest throwback on the list, but one with a pretty unique storyline in this list. Young figure skater Lexie Winston dreams of becoming a major name in the sport. Until, that is, a freak accident involving a head injury affects her vision, leaving her only able to see light and some shapes, and she leaves skating behind. Luckily, with the support of her dad, boyfriend, and coach, she returns to the ice. This is definitely a feel-good movie about rising above challenges and remembering who’s really there for you, and any fan of ice skating movies will love it.

In this Hallmark movie, a former figure skating competitor and Olympian, Amy Clayton, becomes a coach after a tragic accident leaves her unable to skate. But after agreeing to train a young girl with dreams not too different from her own at that age, she realizes that her dreams aren't over yet either. And hey, having a hunky new friend who offers his support on her healing journey probably doesn’t hurt. Again, you can queue up this movie on Amazon Prime with a free trial of Hallmark Movies (or if you’re deep in Hallmarks clutches, you may already have the subscription, and there’s no shame in that).

There had to be a comedy on this list somewhere, right? And fans of Will Ferrell may very well consider this one of his very best, most guffaw-inducing films. Watch Chazz and Jimmy, two rival skaters previously banned from their sport, come together to skate as a duo once they find a loophole that will allow them to compete on the ice once again. You’re in for a ridiculous ride as you watch these two grown men put aside their differences, squeeze into some extremely intricate and glittery spandex, and compete as a team in this hilarious movie. (Note: this movie is rated PG-13, so you may decide to save it for the big kids.)