So yeah, a story simple as simple can get- a man dreams of being a soccer player, and is one day offered a chance by a major to go to England to join a major soccer team. No kidding that's basically the plot of the whole thing. So yeah, it's gonna be a bad soccer movie, right? That's basically my thoughts before watching this movie.
Boy, am I ever kicking myself to this day for thinking that.
This movie was a PROFOUNDLY amazing movie on every level. I wasn't expecting The Godfather, and normally I'm not a fan of sports movies. But watching this movie, I was so surprised at how much I liked it. It take a plot that would normally be considered simple and turns it into something complex and surprisingly really great. One would not expect a good movie at all watching it, but they would be surprised as hell at how well done it is.
Ever since his childhood days in Mexico, Santiago Munez has had one dream- playing soccer. One night, his family sneaks across the border into California, where he has two jobs- one as a chef in a Chinese restaurant and one as a gardener for his dad. In his time off in the hot California sun, he plays soccer with his mates. That's his passion. His dream is to be a major league soccer player for a soccer team. Putting aside his status as an illegal immigrant, he saves his earnings so he can try out for a major soccer team.
Then one day, a man from England sees him playing Soccer. He is impressed at how well Munez plays. After the game, he offers him the chance to go to England and try out for the team. His grandmother encourages him to ignore his non-believing father and just go, offering him the money.
While in the UK, Munez learns that it's not easy being a big-name soccer player. And he learns it the hard way- he has trouble playing in the rain, he has trouble with his severe asthma, and a death in the family causes some drama.
This film is of course clichéd and predictable- LA is depicted with an orange tint, England is depicted with a rainy, cold washed-out blue tint, the stereotypical characters all come into effect at one point, and the finale is predictable as ever. But the way the movie is done, it's done in a way that you wouldn't care about that- you'd just really be blown away by how amazingly well done it is. And I must say, if this movie doesn't make you wanna go to England, who knows what will.
Do not miss this movie, even if you don't like soccer. It is a great movie.
