Rättskiparen

I believe this film shows all the dirty side of football. As a person from France I feel ashamed to acknowledge the fact that we passed to the World Cup based on cheating that Mr. Hannson could not see. I feel this film shows the problem of being a referee in a nice way and that Thierry Henry should not only apologize to the Irish people but also to Mr Hannson directly. The film is a very nice story about the life behind the "stage" and I will recommend it to people in France who feel very sad about the situation last November. Beautiful portrait of a person in the middle of all the problem and stress that football on this level create..

The life of a soccer referee is far, far away from that of the all-too-famous stars of the sport despite the fact that the referees are in the middle of it all. Mr. Hansson who stars in this documentary seems to involuntarily end up in the center of attention on a frequent basis. Whether his mistakes or need-to-be-seen is the driving force behind this is left to the viewer to make out. However one thing is certain about this film, the sport of soccer has lost its track of a game. On top level it has become something far more sophisticated and cynical. Money and politics seem to play far too much a part in this "sport" and the referees are just the tools for great Mafia-style associations like FIFA and UEFA. At the bottom of all this there is the referee, his family, relatives, friends and neighbors. They are all in one way or the other affected by what is going on but no one really seems to care. A truly insightful documentary to the topic of soccer refereeing. Beside the skillful portrait the dramaturgy plays an important and instrumental part in this film. Truly recommended.

Myself I must admit that Rättskiparen (The Referee) is a story true to reality. The further up on the "ladder" you get the tougher the threats and provocations. I am nowhere near the level of Martin Hansson but colleagues and friends are constantly mentioning how difficult life can be after you make the slightest mistake. I therefore feel that the documentary is real and honest. Also being a referee I feel it is important that people watch these kinds of films in order to get an appreciation for the kind of work we do. I would very much prefer that we were supported by video and extra referees but where do you start and at what level? Time will tell! Enjoy the film!

I find this documentary to be an excellent example of a football/soccer film that deals with the human aspect. Most sport documentaries (I have seen) never get to the core, and usually get stuck on the sport itself, on a character or the specifics therein. This piece did not fall into that trap, instead it shows us what is really going on around this particular football referee and how his family and relatives are affected by his choices and "mistakes"... The last question by the narrator sticks in my mind, and you start to wonder what kind of people choose these kinds of professions. Ultimately a film for anyone who truly cares about football, on and off the pitch. Enjoy!

After watching The Referee I fell a strong urge to ventilate the fact that the referees can be helped by video assists and extra referees, etc. This constant on-going discussion about whether football is just or not have no value anymore as FIFA and UEFA do not make the necessary changes. I believe the personal part of this portrait is interesting and also the part that shows the referee at work but the overall fight against media, fans, etc. seem fruitless. The documentary is a nice example of life outside of the football ground but this Mr. Hansson comes across as a little bit too selfish to be sympathetic in my opinion.