The Beautiful Game

Going in this movie I did not know about the Homeless World Cup at all. Never heard from it so I was surprised when I Googled it and found out it was a real thing. It was on my watchlist because I'm a huge fan of Bill Nighy to be honest.

The chemistry of that man holds the film together with Michael Ward. Loved every minute of it. Refreshing story, a feel good story that must be inspiring many soccer players out there. Reminded me a bit of Ted Lasso. And left me teary and I'm not even a soccer fan.

Great story, touching and emotional, I laughed and cried and was on the tip of my seat during the games. Very wholesome perfectly decent film.

The Beautiful Game is a perfect Netflix movie because of its pure formula in every way. It's not a bad thing though as it's a heartwarming film that shines a light on a wonderful creation and the people involved whilst remaining easy going without really undermining any of the more dramatic moments.

Bill Nighy comes dangerously close to phoning it without actually going there thankfully. His soft presence works with any of the more serious sequences and it's nice to see the film avoid the usual tropes of having the manager coaching them against his will, he just genuinely wants to be there.

Michael Ward has the most well developed character with understandable flaws and even if he spends most of the film with an abrasive nature, he makes it feel human. He works even better when paired with the rest of the England team, who really do feel like a supportive and caring team.

Thea Sharrock's direction favours technical competency (so many medium shots) over any grand stylistic flourishes but still imbues the film with a real warmth visually. Equally vital to ensuring the film always remains a good time is the soundtrack, which chooses obvious songs for the greatest effects.

I love Bill. A great actor. A legend. I love football. I admire the cause. Most of us are one cheque away from being in this tournament. So I was desperate to like this.

But the story was a little rushed and a little shallow. It knew the story it wanted to tell and just spewed it out. Very dumb and simplistic. Yes, it ticks the good feeling box. But it could have done so much more.

The herioin addict made a great first impression. Good acting. Believable character.

The cause that I have NEVER heard of. Why? My ignorance or a system failure. Why is FIFA not shoving this down my neck every Saturday!? But this film got the message to me. So I am wiser. And I get to thank this film for that.

So the film was a success. And I am grateful. Thank you 👍

No pun intended - some call it soccer (actually mostly Americans do that. But the rest of the world calls it football - and if you consider how it is played, you have to admit it makes sense calling it that - more so than the other one (American Football that is).

But this is not about the differences - this is about the game itself. And while it is constrained and really plays in a ... well box, it is mostly about the characters, about the people involved. So while the title is talking about the game itself, the movie dives into the people playing it (no pun intended when I say diving - if you know football, you know what I mean).

This is a feelgood movie and I don't think it has many surprises for most who watch this. Just enjoy the ride and the pitch is ... yours.

I'm so glad they told this story and so glad I watched. While entertaining, it's also thought provoking. 2 for 1 deal. I've never heard of this Tourney and I want others to see this and hear the cause it represents.

We're tired of shallow movies. With this we can have entertainment and depth.

I appreciate the chance to laugh with no attempt to force emotion or make me want to cry. But just telling something that seems plucked from real life, down-to-earth but with substance that matters? I don't want to give away any of the movie but it is based on stories of real people without being the story of 1 person. The tournament is real. And I'm sure the experiences are real. The ending was not predictable and the story kept me engaged the entire time.