Best Grueling Movies & TV Shows

Jonathan Wright has it all, a prestigious job, incredibly beautiful wife Amy, gorgeous 7-year-old daughter Megan and countless friends. In the prime of his life, Jonathan suffers a life threatening brain aneurysm that leaves him comatose. After regaining consciousness, he begins the grueling task of rebuilding his life.

Jack is the sole survivor of a Japanese attack on his squad at Guadalcanal. Because of his heroism and the fact that he is still alive, he becomes a Medal of Honor hero. He returns to train new recruits for the Marines and falls for a girl named Peggy. When training and marriage leave him with an empty feeling, he decides on a transfer back to the front lines. Soon he will find that marriage and life will change his outlook on the grueling battles that lie ahead.

A searing commentary on the "win at all costs" mentality of American high school sports. David Lee Birdsong is the smalltown quarterback hoping to escape with a college scholarship and a pro career. David's father is the overbearing taskmaster vicariously living through his son. The third side of the triangle is Coach Marshall, a hypercritical and cruel man who sees David as the key to his future success. David's lockstep commitment to his father and coach is altered when he witnesses a teammate die after a grueling practice.

Six mates embark on a epic 1500km adventure through six remote North American rivers. They overcome class 6 rapids, a grueling portage and 130km upriver, against the flow. All to show the world; the true value of the North.

During the war in Afghanistan, a local interpreter risks his own life to carry an injured sergeant across miles of grueling terrain.

When Harry Potter's name emerges from the Goblet of Fire, he becomes a competitor in a grueling battle for glory among three wizarding schools—the Triwizard Tournament. But since Harry never submitted his name for the Tournament, who did? Now Harry must confront a deadly dragon, fierce water demons and an enchanted maze only to find himself in the cruel grasp of He Who Must Not Be Named.

A stage director and an actress struggle through a grueling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal extremes.

Based on the recurring TripTank sketches, Jeff And Some Aliens follows Jeff, the world’s most average guy, and the three aliens sent to study him to determine whether or not humanity should be destroyed. Jeff’s mundane life is constantly thrown into chaos by his extraterrestrial guests – it isn’t always easy having roommates who force you to participate in grueling intergalatic decathalons or perform Azurian honor killings to restore interstellar balance

The true life-story of Sara Góralnik, a 13 year-old Polish Jew whose entire family was killed by Nazis in September of 1942. After a grueling escape to the Ukrainian countryside, Sara steals her Christian best friend’s identity and finds refuge in a small village, where she is taken in by a farmer and his young wife. She soon discovers the dark secrets of her employers’ marriage, compounding the greatest secret she must strive to protect, her true identity.

Rick Penning lives life just like he plays rugby; fast, hard-hitting and intense. When life on the edge lands him in jail, prison ward Marcus Tate offers him a chance to get back in the game by playing for his rival, Highland Rugby. Reluctantly Rick joins the team where he must adopt the grueling training schedule that Coach Gelwix enforces, or finish out the season behind bars.

New York, USA, February 1964. Five grueling days in the life of George, John, Paul and Ringo, the Fab Four, The Beatles: the hysterical fan reception at JFK airport; several press conferences; in their rooms at the Plaza Hotel; in the backstage at the Ed Sullivan Show; hanging out with the legendary DJ Murray the K; and the frantic return home.

They spend every waking moment training, playing and competing in the dirt and they wouldn’t have it any other way. Take a look into the lives of twelve professional off-road riders in some of the most grueling, gnarly and incredible tracks and trails on the planet. From fifth gear pinned across the harsh California desert, to the rough and deep sands of Belgium and Germany as Team USA prepare for the prestigious Motocross of Nations, to risking their lives jumping a moving train in California or dropping into a mega quarry in the United Kingdom. Witness these riders put it all on the line in their pursuit to being the best.

Following a grueling five-week shift at an Alaskan oil refinery, workers led by sharpshooter John Ottway, are flying home for a much-needed vacation. But a brutal storm causes their plane to crash in the frozen wilderness, and only eight men, including Ottway, survive. As they trek southward toward civilization and safety, Ottway and his companions must battle mortal injuries, the icy elements, and a pack of hungry wolves.

When pretty dress-maker Andy joins a motley crew of brides-to-be for a grueling bridal boot camp, where young ladies learn how to become "better" brides, she thinks she's found the perfect place to become the perfect bride. But when Andy meets Casey, a handsome delivery man who doesn't believe in marriage, she starts to question her picture perfect image of her current engagement and what marriage truly means.

Alexandra "Alex" Delgado, a pairs figure skater, found her career come to an abrupt halt after her partner (on and off the ice) became injured. As their love affair cooled, a heartbroken Alex stopped competing and turned to teaching. Enter James Van Behr the smoldering bad boy of speed skating, who has had fiery Alex in his sights as a skating partner ever since he was banned from speed skating. There aren't many girls who say no to him but she may well be the first. However, he pushes her buttons, challenging her like no one else - and her fighting spirit returns. She agrees to be his partner and they begin a grueling practice regimen fueled (and occasionally derailed) by their own tempestuous relationship, which heats up as they get closer to competition. But will their passion destroy Alex's chance to bring home the gold again?

In response to political pressure from Senator Lillian DeHaven, the U.S. Navy begins a program that would allow for the eventual integration of women into its services. The program begins with a single trial candidate, Lieutenant Jordan O'Neil, who is chosen specifically for her femininity. O'Neil enters the grueling training program under the command of Master Chief John James Urgayle, who unfairly pushes O'Neil until her determination wins his respect.

Charlie Fitzpatrick is the most successful high school basketball coach in Georgia history. While many of his players think of him as a father, his relationship with his own "bookworm" son, Evan, is strained. With the help of his wife, Laura and Evan's wife, Heather, Charlie determines the best way to connect and bond is to take his son and grandson, Markie, who has just announced he's dropping out of college to tour with his folk band, to a rustic mountain cabin for a weekend retreat. Only this cabin is the same site where he took his many winning teams to test their mettle over a grueling military-style obstacle course, the same one Evan, as a student never got the chance to complete. This is Charlie's idea of fun, Evan's idea of a nightmare, and Markie's idea of-well he's young and idealistic; he's just going with the flow. .

At a crossroads after her divorce, a schoolteacher ventures toward a fresh start in life — and love — when she signs up for a grueling group hiking trip.

Carrie's dreams of adventure in the big city are quickly squashed as she discovers all that awaits her there is a bleak life of grueling and poorly paid factory work—that is, until a traveling salesman named Drouet steps into her life and changes her outlook.

Ellis French is a young, gay Black man, rejected by his mother and with few options for his future, decides to join the Marines, doing whatever it takes to succeed in a system that would cast him aside. But even as he battles deep-seated prejudice and the grueling routines of basic training, he finds unexpected camaraderie, strength, and support in this new community, giving him a hard-earned sense of belonging that will shape his identity and forever change his life.

The true and inspiring story of the Elliott family, who refused to surrender, instead turning to one another and their faith in the worst of circumstances, to rebuild their lives, their boy, and their dreams... together. Step by grueling step, with faith, love, and the tireless work of a mother and father to save their family, their farm, their dream, Hoovey learns to walk again. To read again. To dribble and shoot a basketball again. And yes, to dream again himself. Then stepping out in his faith, back onto the hard court, to live that dream of playing this game once more...

After a mass shooting at a police funeral, reclusive ex-cop Gannon finds himself unwittingly forced out of retirement when he realizes that the killer belongs to the same militia he joined after quitting the force. Understanding that the shooting could set off a chain reaction of copycat violence across the country, Gannon quarantines his fellow militiamen in the remote lumber mill they call their headquarters. There, he sets about a series of grueling interrogations, intent on ferreting out the killer and turning him over to the authorities to prevent further bloodshed.

The story of 31 inexperienced teenagers, biking a daunting coast-to-coast 3,600 miles in the summer of 1982, to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis, unaware of how this grueling adventure would resonate throughout the rest of their lives.

When Dr. Marcus Sommers realizes that he and his troubled, estranged brother David may be prone a fatal brain disease that runs in their family, he decides to make peace with his sibling, and invites him on a trip to the Rockies. There, the brothers bond over their shared enthusiasm for cycling and decide to enter a grueling bike race through the mountains. However, Marcus' health soon begins to fail, and David must compete without his brother at his side.

This historical drama tells the story of the first class to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. In the early 19th Century, Congress appropriated the money to build the school, but opponents who believed it to be an illegitimate expansion of the powers of the federal government decided to sabotage the school. They put the hard-as-nails Major Sam Carter in charge of the academy, and he ruthlessly put the recruits through grueling training -- until only ten prospective soldiers remained. They include Dawson, a patriotic farm boy and Howard Shelton, a selfish playboy who has come to West Point only because of its prestige. The two vie for Carolyn Bainbridge, while they, along with the other eight, try convince Carter that the school is worth keeping.

Pinky Scariano, Allan Ross, and Frankie Davis all join the Army Air Forces with hopes of becoming pilots. In training, they meet and become pals with Bobby Grills and Irving Miller, and the five struggle through the rigid training and grueling tests involved in becoming pilots. Not all of them succeed, and tragedy awaits for some.

Misfits in their lives back home, a group of young people live it up at musical-theater camp. While the sports counselor is completely ignored, the kids' spend all their time in rehearsal for a grueling schedule that involves a new show every two weeks. Several personal stories come to the fore.

Five family-run mining camps risk everything in the hope of hitting the paystreak. Working grueling days under the midnight sun, the crews give it their all to battle the elements ... and each other.

In May 1940, feeling the RAF needs every man to fight to Luftwaffe, Geoffrey 'Geoff'/'Boy' Wellum joins at 18, becoming the youngest ever Spitfire pilot. After an intense training, he soon bonds with the flying men of his squadron. In the air, danger is great, but on the ground drinks, sports and girls, in Geoff's case Sarah, provide great comfort. However in time, the casualties exact a grueling psychological toll, until his tour of duty is ended after 18 months.

Rock Hudson plays an Air Force Colonel who has just been re-assigned as a cold war B-52 commander who must shape up his men to pass a grueling inspection that the previous commander had failed, and had been fired for. He is also recently married, and as a tough commanding officer doing whatever he has to do to shape his men up, his wife sees a side to him that she hadn't seen before.

Civilian recruits compete to win a grueling selection process designed by veterans from six international special forces units.

In each episode, two different world class chefs are dropped into the wilderness where they’ll embark on a grueling and unprecedented mission – survive and forage enough wild ingredients to create a restaurant worthy, five-star meal.

Top cowboys from across the United States compete to win a herd of cattle, a coveted belt buckle and a lifetime of bragging rights.

In the 22nd century, seven explorers set out on a mission to earth's nearest sister planet, AURORA. Their mission - to survey and explore for future colonization. When their ship suddenly malfunctions, the crew is forced to crash land on the planet's surface, where crippling heat, poisonous water, and fierce storms threaten their lives at every turn. With a handful of supplies and little hope of rescue, their only option is a grueling four hundred mile trek to their ship's lost supply bunkers. To survive, the men will have to push their endurance to the limit and entrust their lives to a leader who will risk everything to succeed, no matter what the consequences.

Jimmy Boner, a 20-something slacker living with his parents, is given an ultimatum by his wicked stepmother to find a job and move out within 3 months after he accidentally walks in on her book club meeting wearing nothing but an iPod. Jimmy scrambles to find a job and lands an interview at a rundown, overworked accounting office where he meets Ivana, a recently-demoted corporate ice queen with whom Jimmy falls instantly in love. Through a miracle of fate, Jimmy gets the job despite having no marketable skills and puts his nose to the grindstone, working grueling hours and enduring Ivana's constant disappointment, in the hopes of impressing her and garnering her affections. Chaos, hilarity, and triumph ensue as Jimmy seeks to gain independence and find true love.

A middle-aged housewife and mother, after spending a lifetime giving to others, decides to claim a piece for herself and enters the grueling 26-mile Boston Marathon as an obsessive means of self-expression.

From grueling rehearsals to the world premiere, Romeos & Juliets offers an unprecedented behind-the-curtain look at the National Ballet of Canada as ten dancers vie to perform the lead roles on the coveted opening night of "Romeo and Juliet," as envisioned by acclaimed choreographer Alexei Ratmansky in celebration of the company's 60th anniversary.

In the brutal cold of the unforgiving Pacific Northwest wilderness, nine modern-day warriors take on a relentless, 24-day survival challenge based on the ancient laws of the ninja. Grueling missions created by Jinichi Kawakami, the last known ninja, push each warrior's body, mind, and spirit to the breaking point. Those who complete the entire survival challenge receive a final lesson from the master himself in Iga City, Japan, the legendary home of the ninja.

Set amongst the unlikely backdrop of cowboy boots, rodeos, and global geopolitics, thirty of the world's most promising musicians travel to Fort Worth, Texas to compete in the renowned Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Vying for gold and their shot at classical piano stardom, the contestants must endure six grueling performances, multiple elimination rounds, and a discerning panel of jurists. Behind the scenes, we uncover the stories of adversity, sacrifice, and heartbreak driving the pianists to perform at the highest level. As fan favorites and early contenders are eliminated, one unassuming genius rises to the top.