Bend It Like Beckham

Eight? Eight for a predictable sports-based movie where the lead overcomes every obstacle thrown at her and triumphs at the end just like every other sports-based movie? Have I gone mad? Well, no actually because although "Bend It Like Beckham" is as original as a boy-band cover version, it is still a surprisingly enjoyable film which somehow manages to avoid becoming another chick-flick cliché. A solid cast add to the mix but while there are plenty of goals, there are still one or two holes at the back which threaten the side. Incidentally, whenever I talk about football, I refer to soccer in case any US readers get confused.

Parminder "ER" Nagra plays Jess, a rebellious daughter in a strict Indian family living in London. Obsessed with football star David Beckham and possessing more skills on the pitch than she realises, she is spotted by another female footballer Jules (a very young-looking Keira Knightly) who persuades her to try out for a local football team, the Hounslow Harriers. Keeping her place in the side a secret from her family, she struggles with the gaping chasm in culture as well as her feeling for her coach Joe (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). As her sister's wedding day approaches and the resentment from his disapproving parents (Anupam Kher and Shaheen Khan) grows, can she develop her skills further and secure her dream of playing professionally in the US?

Like I said, there is nothing shocking and surprising about the screenplay which manages to throw in every conceivable barrier for our hero to overcome. And despite the creaking plot, the story is enlivened by quality performances throughout. Nagra and Knightley are fantastic but Meyers lets the side down a bit. There is also a surprising amount of humour which is genuinely amusing, particularly from Knightley's mother (Juliet Stevenson) who worries excessively that her daughter is a closet lesbian. The clash of cultures does offer a unique perspective as far as sports movies go but it isn't much to offer the casual movie fan.

But that's the thing with sports movies - no matter how impossible victory looks or how many obstacles you put in front of the hero, you still watch them to see the hero overcome it all and bask in the glory they richly deserve. You already know how the movie will end but that doesn't stop you enjoying it - a philosophy that surely led to Sylvester Stallone making "Rocky Balboa" recently. The fact that the hero in "Bend It Like Beckham" is a cute Indian girl instead of a sixty-year-old meat head means that this is not your typical sports movie. Instead of guts and sweat, it has heart and brains and it's that which gives this film its rating. See, I haven't gone mad...

It's really refreshing to re-visit this film, 16 years later, lots of know British actors, the most famous of course being Keira Knightley. Perhaps football has moved on slightly for women and some cultural traditions too, but I'm sure both still have a relevance.

Probably a pretty important movie culturally. I suspect it has many sister movies in various other cultures across the world.

This witty, comedic but perspicacious dissection of gender, sexuality, identity, ethnicity and body image never feels forced or sanctimonious. It is a friendly and fun story of a person that just wants to indulge a passion and is under a lot of pressure from both sides.

As a child of the '90s I have this tendency to think sexism ended in the fall of 1988 and this reminds us of prejudices that women, as well as men have, in telling people who they can't be for various reasons.

I'm tempted to say that every remotely subcontinental actor I've seen on British television makes an appearance at some point.

A challenging but accessible feel-good movie that doesn't just cave into easy solutuons.

Thoroughly enjoyable film about a Sikh girl wanting to be a footballer. Highly unlikely in real life but you want her to be victorious and the film is put together very well to hold your attention. Whilst the football element isn't worth very much, the film is well worth watching

Wow, I can't believe I waited so long to see this film. I just never got around to watching it. The plot has nothing that interests me. I know nothing about soccer (football.) I am one of those American fools that has no clue. I had never even seen David Beckham before this film. I chose to ignore the buzz surrounding this film at the time it was released in America. Enough about me.

Truth be told, it was a mistake to ignore this little piece of movie-making heaven. What a fun film. It's full of color and exuberance. I had a goofy grin on my face through the whole movie. Parminder Nagra is so sweet and lovable, you can't help but root for her. No wonder why the American television show E.R. has snatched her up. I have a new appreciation for Indian culture. Those people know how to have a good time. The wedding scenes are dazzlingly beautiful.

The only problem I had was deciphering some of the British slang and dialogue through the accents. I turned on the English subtitles to make sure I didn't miss anything. (This is not a criticism of the film!) I'm sure audiences worldwide have trouble understanding the constantly changing slang in American films as well.

This is a perfect date film. It has a great sports plot like Rocky, and a strong sense of feminism that is empowering for women. I watched it with my wife, and sixteen year old niece, and we all loved it. I highly recommend it.