There are many sports-themed films, but their real level is usually very low. Waiting for something worthwhile from a picture that is associated with Hindu culture and women's football is very difficult. And to be serious, this picture is really divided into two components.
The part that is associated with the national calorite of the main character is unlikely to be enjoyed by many. After all, looking at the title of the film, on the poster, people will expect 100% attention to football battles, and not the next dance for each occasion. I have long noticed that a similar trend is observed in Hindus in absolutely every genre. A comedy, a horror movie. So, before you start watching the picture of Gurinder Chakhi, you need to realize all the “risks” that will complement it.
I liked the football part a lot more. This is not the first film about women's football, but to watch all the intrigues and storylines that haunted the heroines of Parminder Nagra and Kira Knightley, was interesting. It is very interesting to observe the process of formation of Kira as a real star of world cinema. Although the role in this film is not too difficult from a technical point of view, she played a duet of actresses above all praise. No more, no less than what was required of them.
The romantic component in the film is interesting, as it shows the audience prejudices about interracial relations.
The film is worthy to see it at least once, but do not forget about specific scenes with an abundance of dances.
7 out of 10
I watched this movie "Play Like Beckham" and throughout the viewing wondered why it was nominated at the Golden Globes ceremony in 2004 for the prize in the category "Best Comedy or Musical"? It seems that the film Gurinder Chadha (as far as I know an Indian immigrant, despite her birthplace in the capital of Kenya, Nairobi, and now living in the UK) by genre is a sports melodrama with a small share of comedy. And you know what? Neither sports, nor melodrama, nor comedy could be thoroughly considered. Gurinder Chadha’s husband Paul Mayeda Berges, who wrote the script for the film, did everything somehow imperceptibly, with such thin threads that connected the picture with each other that it was often noticeable that they were tearing.
Perhaps we should start with sports. What kind of movies, if it's about children's sports, have we been taught? Right, when nothing works, but then by coincidence, the team makes it to the final and there, perhaps, wins in the last seconds thanks to the earned score of the main character or heroine. In "Play Like Beckham," this is not to be expected. It may be more realistic, closer to life possibilities, but the film has lost the quality of audience expectations, when you want to rejoice for the main characters and for their deserved victory. The competitions themselves were staged in the spirit of the best sports comedies: there is just no realism, a close camera to the feet of football players and the ball, incredible dribbling and the ball in the net. What all this means is unknown. And I may be a fan of football, but in the movie “Play like Beckham” is not football and not even junior football and not even junior football among girls, but something confused and incomprehensible.
Next, you should deal with the melodrama, which is mainly built on two “whales”: family traditions of Indians and the sympathy of two friends for their coach. While watching the movie “Play Like Beckham” you can’t understand why the family of the main character (played by Parminder Nagra) always puts her in the wheels so that she does not do what she does best, that is, play football? If the answer lies in the traditions and mentality of the Indian people, it might be worth explaining, not all are known on the history of Vishnu descendants and Gandhi disciples! And why was this notorious wedding of the older sister so important, and the passion of the younger one is some kind of trouble? I don't understand. The second storyline: both a young Indian woman and her friend (young and then unknown Keira Knightley) have sympathy for their coach (Jonathan Reese Myers). He seems to prefer an Indian woman. But you try to see in all this at least some kind of romance, and it is not, no sparks, no feelings, nothing! More there was a feeling that this storyline is even burdensome for the tape, but was conceived to bring the film under normal full-length timing.
It would seem that Jonathan Reese Myers, whose name is still on hearing, as a true Irishman will show everyone what a good coach for a children's football team is. I don’t know why he was successful there with his team, this moment was also missed by the writer, but even by his gait it was difficult to imagine that he was a promising athlete. In general, his walk is a separate conversation. Every time he walked, he seemed to be afraid that his legs would crunch and break. If he showed an injured footballer in this way, he chose the image extremely wrong. And also this constantly tearful look, as if he was under the influence of something forbidden all the time. In general, he left only a repulsive feeling. But for some romance was said above. I can’t say that Parminder Nagra is a promising actress from “Play Like Beckham”. It is clear that the director took it only on the basis of calculation. But when Nagre had to show emotions, at least some frustration, despair or joy from a goal scored, her only movement was to sharply raise thick eyebrows. Nothing, absolutely nothing was in her. And Knightley was more behind the back of the two actors mentioned in the paragraph, it is difficult to say anything good about her, although it was not bad. Pretty average game of the current movie star.
The film “Play like Beckham” did not work out in all its moments and nuances. Even a strong push for children to play sports does not give. So where is the essence and morality of the film? Is it just that Indians have a mentality? All nations have it. That’s why you ask after watching the question: “What was the movie about?”
2 out of 10
Interesting fact: Keira Knightley in the same 2002 year, when the film “Play like Beckham” was released, starred in the drama “Immaculate”, where she called her son Beckham.
I was very pleased with this sports comedy. We see how an Indian girl wants and dreams of playing football professionally, but her parents are categorically against it. Despite this, she is still stubbornly pursuing her biggest dream.
“Play Like Beckham” is a very positive, original, interesting movie with its own small exclusivity. In the film, there are always scenes of women’s football and Indian traditions with their customs, dances and all the fuss of the wedding. It was nice to see this movie and learn a lot.
The cast in this film pleases the eye. Keira Knightley is so young here, not at all like herself in the present tense. She is an interesting actress who plays completely different roles. Parminder K. Nagra surprised me with her talented performance in this sports comedy. I have never seen this actress before, but I remember her well in this film. I liked actor Jonathan Reese Meyers the most. He played chic and believable. This actor has an interesting appearance and excellent acting talent.
I got a lot of positive emotions watching this wonderful movie. Play Like Beckham is a movie that breaks many stereotypes and shows us things we didn’t know before. A true dream is never stupid, everyone has their own, and you have to go for it no matter what, as this Indian girl did.
Jess (abbreviated from Jasminda) Bamra (Parminder K. Nagra) is the daughter of Indians living in London who are trying to raise her, as they say, without breaking away from her roots. But she is not a typical Indian girl, because every day she plays football with guys in the park, trying to imitate David Beckham, whose photos are pasted on all the walls of her room. But her older sister Pinky is getting married, which means that their family will be under the scrutiny of other Hindus living in the area. The slightest "joint" on the part of the bride - the wedding will fail and it will be a great shame for the family Jess. Therefore, her parents strictly forbid her even to think about football and begin to push her in every possible way to become a lawyer. And then, as a matter of spite, during one of these "holes" in the park, Jules (Kira Knightley) notices her and invites the younger Bamr to a real, albeit amateur, women's football team, coached by ex-footballer Joe (Jonathan Reese-Meyers). So Jess has to attend training every day secretly from her parents, and, of course, at the same time she could not help falling in love with her mentor, and this threatens a real disaster for her family.
At the peak of David Beckham’s popularity, which came at the beginning of the zero, the Indian director filmed this unsophisticated sports-romantic comedy, which largely thanks to its name collected a decent amount in the world box office with a meager budget and generally made quite noisy ten years ago. In my opinion, its success is solely due to its link to the then seventh number of Manchester United. Because I never let go of the feeling that the script was written by Catherine Wilmont, who had emigrated to England, or a similar author of women's books. This picture is almost no different from shown every weekend on “Russia 1” hastily assembled unsightly films especially for housewives, standing out only due to the Indian color and little-known then Keira Knightley and Jonathan Reese-Meyers, engaged in secondary roles. Everything is very predictable, almost all the characters are solid stamps, and the overall mood of the tape, frankly, female. No, don't think I'm a sexist, it's just that the creators usually don't bother about anything, trying to add more sugar and tears, which, in my opinion, necessarily affects the artistic part. Here, although they did not overdo it, but still something like this is in the air. And the sports component is shown here very primitively and schematically, with a large number of close-ups, which partly mask the inability of actors to play football, although the same future Miss Swann seems to have learned more or less tolerably to hit the ball.
However, I can’t say that I regretted the time spent watching it, because everything that is connected with the Hindus in the film is funny and sometimes funny, even if it does not reach the level of the posh British comedy East is East. In any case, they speak English with such an accent that they involuntarily make them smile, even when they talk about serious things. As for the actors, in the context of such a production, something definite is difficult to say about them. Yes, tried, but something above the average here not to see with all desire, and this applies to future celebrities. And Beckham. Hmm, that's an interesting question. Bex seems to appear in the film in a tiny episode, and it looks like that either took some of his television, or filmed secretly, or it was not everyone famous Spice Boy, and someone from afar similar to him. I don’t even know if he’s the actor involved. Although I am personally pleased that in the film the main character imitates him as a footballer, and not as an icon of pop culture. Beckham deserved it with his entire career.
"Play like Beckham" - a movie, in general, a one-time, aimed exclusively at a female audience, but it does not take away a positive attitude and brighten up the evening they can. As you can start with him, acquaintance of his second half with the game Number One - this picture is quite suitable.
I decided to watch a movie about football one day because I am a big fan of it. Before watching, I highlighted the pluses of the film (or so I thought) – shooting beautiful football, favorite of Keira Knightley. And then it turned out that these are not even pros, but something in between (I don’t even know how to call it) between plus and minus. I have never watched women's football in my life, maybe girls play differently. Here’s another reason why I decided to watch Play Like Beckham to see women’s football.
Most of all, I liked in the film not my favorite Keira Knightley, but the Indian woman Parminder Nagra, who played Jess. She played well, quality, I would have seen something else with her. Jess is a very interesting girl, she does not wear saris, shoes and jewelry. In general, she looks like a kid, but somewhere deep in the soul there is something feminine. And it's feminine when she meets Joe (about him later). I liked the way they beat Parminder's scar. The scar is real, but it would be visible because of the short sports shorts. Here is the story of the fried beans in the film.
There is not much I can say about the early Cyrus. Judging by her alone, I don’t think that’s her best role. I can't say the worst either. In short, it's a career starter. As for her role, Jules is a bit psychotic and too emotional. I can also say that everything in matters of the heart reaches her tightly. But the main thing that Jules eventually understood was that Jess listened. After all, after all, girls should not quarrel over guys.
That's what I was really surprised about, was Jonathan Reese Meyers as a football player. I love this actor for the first time, I saw him in August Rush, but I didn’t see him as a coach. But Joe has a very good quality - it's a lack of fear, determination and bravery, as well as following his goal. All these advantages of his character do him credit, for which I looked at him when watching the film.
Well, now I want to talk about the minus that immediately jumped into my eyes. Well, here's how you can make a film about football and not show its quality shooting. I've never seen Jess or Jules run with a sword. That’s how they scored goals – it was, but in other moments it seemed to me that instead of actresses ran understudy. You could have made a better movie.
Despite its football title, the film is not so much about football as it is about dreams that go against national, cultural, and maternal considerations. We show the story of a young Indian girl who loves to play football and watches football matches with David Beckham. One day, in all her 32 teeth, she was lucky in the person of Keira Knightley and she gets into a real football team with the prospect of continuing her career in America, where women's football is more developed. But in her way are Indian traditions, female jealousy, love, etc.
Football, judging by the name, should be the main theme here, but it turned out that it can be replaced by another sport and in principle by any occupation that does not meet the Indian dogmas. It could have been a movie like Play Like Nadal or Run Like Bolt. The lack of some originality, uniqueness slightly spoils the effect. And the football action itself does not strike with its brightness, liveliness, does not stimulate you to go and play football. I understand that women’s football is not as exciting as men’s. But the directors did not even try to make it more exciting. Like I said, this is not a movie about football.
As for the acting, then Parminder Nagra was somewhat expressionless, but her character had to play with different colors. But in some scenes it was nice to watch. Keira Knightley also looked great in the image of an athlete. She definitely decorated this movie.
From the point of view of the clash of traditions and antipode modern aspirations, the film is performed well. The combination of English texture and Indian color made the atmosphere lively and easy. No matter how banal was the situation in which the main character was, the screen action was undoubtedly interesting to follow. The film could have been great, but the mix of so many genres doesn’t lead to anything good. Sports + drama + soap + comedy ... all this at least leads to confusion after watching: what was it? The ability to focus is what Gurinder Chadhe lacked and what the entire Indian cinematography lacks.
For the whole film, I was amused only by the scene where a husband on spices explains to his wife what offside is. So I'm throwing another score.