Review by masonsaul

Next Goal Wins is a winning crowd pleaser that, like its loveable cast of characters, isn't the best at what it does but makes sure to have a good time doing it. It's weird to see an earnest version of a Dances With Wolves style narrative in 2023 and like previous Taika films, undercuts some of the emotional beats for humour. Luckily, the heart of the film still manages to shine through it all.

Michael Fassbender proves he's a really talented comedic actor purely because he plays everything completely straight, which works wonders for all the comedy. Oscar Kightley is the MVP though, that endless optimism wins you over instantly and the film wisely knows to keep him around for as much as possible.

Taika Waititi's direction is so recognisably him, mostly for the better. Even though too many emotional moments are undercut, the jokes themselves are consistently funny. Starting from the first scene the jokes are landing and they rarely miss. Whilst the final match isn't the most thrilling, Taika does successfully draw out the result as much as possible for maximum impact.