उपयोगकर्ता समीक्षाएं

This is a smart movie, not for the people looking for a formulaic plot. It starts out that way - misbehaving coach gets stuck with the worst team in the world. Moviegoers expecting a miracle will be disappointed, because this is (mostly) a true story. And truth is always a bit more complicated.

But, it's also not taking's itself too seriously, which is absolutely necessary for the story. It's meant to be dumb and silly, which is ironically what makes it so smart (Yes, that's right). That's why this is for intelligent people who see hardship as the best stuff of life, not that which we must fix to be "whole" people. It's anti-perfectionism and against worshipping advantages over character. Which is what smart people know is most important.

Often, I want a movie that is like a fairytale - that gives me pure escapism. And, I'm certainly not one to nitpick entertainment for not being "realistic", and it annoys me when people complain about that when it clearly wasn't the intention of a film. And, those movies make me laugh and feel happy, and that's great. But, that joy is not like real life. With a film like Next Goal Wins, there is an opportunity to experience true joy for something real, which makes it refreshingly different.

I felt cringe for the coach's drinking and terrible behavior. Unlike I suspect many, I saw his back story coming. I also felt his personal disappointment for his wife's unfortunate romantic choices. He is not a perfect character, nor is he meant to be. My favorite scene is probably the team's little pre-game performance at the final game - it is the climax before the resolution. As I expected what came next, it was a satisfying and cathartic ending to me.

As someone who knows what hitting bottom feels like, I can attest that this film is true at heart. There is not a miraculous undoing of the past. That's just not how life works. And, that's not how you move forward. If you get this message, you will love this movie.

I was really excited when this ended up being the Monday mystery movie. I had been looking forward to it, I didn't expect it to be great, just wanted it to be fun and it is.

It's classic Taika Waititi humor, much like Ryan Reynolds; you need to like the person to enjoy their movies because their films are simply extensions of themselves and their humor. If you're not a fan of Taika, this might not be your cup of tea.

The movie is genuinely fun and funny. Every character appears incompetent, yet many seem to have life figured out. Bad analogy, but it's akin to watching a child play something badly or a homeless man dancing in the rain, dog chasing it's tail-technically futile, but they have no worries and are having the time of their lives. There's an innocence and purity to them, and despite their shortcomings, the movie remains uplifting.

Michael Fassbender felt miscast, but considering it's based on a true story, maybe he was a perfect fit as the actual coach in real life? However, still felt the movie would've been better served if the actual team took the spotlight instead of the coach. A case where the supporting characters outshone the lead.

The 5 stages of grief bit was really funny. I kind of wish they had called "the Hollywood" the Neymar. What happened to the bleeding guy in the clinic? He was so random.

Really cool underdog story, reminiscent of sports comedies from my primary school years in the late 2000s. Like a movie Adam Sandler should've been in. While the plot is one that's been done many times, it feels refreshing touch because it's been a while since a film like this was made.

The movie emotionally kicks into high gear in the last third. The daughter's voicemails added a great emotional touch, providing depth without being too obvious until their purpose is revealed. I found myself asking "why?" a lot-pick up the phone. The movie's nothing extraordinary but it's decent.

This movie shows how pacific culture is both humorous and heartwarming.

A Dutch football coach who is living in the USA is given an offer he couldn't refuse to go and coach American Samoa national football (soccer) squad.

The coach's Dutch European direct style clashes with the Pacific Islanders culture and it takes time for both to understand each other.

American Samoa lies at the bottom of the FIFA world rankings after losing 31-0 to Australia. Now they have a chance to renew themselves with a new coach.

This movie is full of laughs , the comedy writing is very good. The American Samoan way is so endearing and warm it is a real feel good movie.

The.movie steers close to the truth and is a movie based on the documentary of the same name.

If you need cheering up, or need to recharge your faith in the human spirit watch this movie.

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.

I had several expectations from this one. Taika Waititi and football? Get out of here! One of the funniest directors and actors takes the round ball and tells a sport story? The greatest genre and greatest sport alive, all wrapped up with a Michael Fassbender ribbon. Can't get something better for an hour and a half of my time.

The story is worn out - store wise. It's the cranky coach that cannot success anywhere and will make his correct turn when he takes ab bunch of losers and try to rehabilitate them and shoot them and their careers to another level. Well...its almost what you'll see in this movie...almost.

We are talking about American Samoa national team, that suffered the biggest lose in professional football and got new coach, that failed measurably in last two years. A matching from heaven or hell, if you ask me. But then again...things start to develop between two sides and a silver lining is ahead for both sides.

Can't say that this movie made me connect emotionally or be unforgettable, but it made me laugh with Waititi's special kind of humor. It has another star except the coach and she tells another story, of tolerance and love and it is gentle and beautiful. Except those two stories we get hell of a fun and joyride from this great director.

The shell of the movie is pretty much what you get from a sport drama genre general movie. The internal details and content, about losers that just like the game, is something else and the collision between them and the coach that might teach them how to level up, while they teach him to mellow down - that's the stuff that dreams are made from.

The feel-good sports flick might be the most formulaic of film subgenres. You could argue it's even more familiar to us than the slasher movie. How many times have you seen this in a movie: a down-on-their-luck sports team gets a down-on-his-luck coach to whip them into shape, but the coach doesn't want to be there, he tries to get out of it, he ends up bonding with some of the team over their quirky individuality, he starts seeing within them a chance at redemption, they work hard in preparation for the big game, it looks like all hope is lost when the team suddenly lose hope so the coach has to make a big speech, where typically he realises that he has actually regained confidence in the team, and therefore himself (redemption arc).

If you grew up in the '90s like me, you probably know "Champions"/"The Mighty Ducks", "Cool Runnings", maybe "The Air Up There". Prior to that, there's "Bad News Bears", "Hoosiers", maybe also "A League of their Own", though I haven't seen that one, but it seems like a safe bet.

I don't blame them for basically making the same movie over and over again, with changes in sport and location. The formula works; it's like they finally discovered the secret of alchemy: how to turn rubbish into gold.

I particularly don't mind when somebody like Taika Watiti is at the helm. Watiti breathes new life into this formula. I mostly watched it because of him, and the fact that the movie is set in American Samoa, and I've never seen a movie set in Polynesia before.

The movie is made with warm humour, and an eye for detail, and an understanding of place, and what makes Polynesia special. Note details like Sunday being church day, the whole island's speed limit being a slow crawl, the local cop radioing his mother for details.

Also, there's the fa'fa'fiine. Probably few know about the role of transgenderism in Samoan society. Remember what I said about the coach bonding with individual team members over their individuality? And the bit about Watiti breathing new life into clichés? Here's the best example of both: Watiti uses the current issue of transgenderism to reinvigorate this old cliché, making the individual problem the character has something instantly recognisable, and also making it involve an obscure fact about a fascinating culture.

I'd be lying if I said the movie probably wouldn't have been more interesting with less of the formula, but would it have been as successful?

There is one other problem with the movie, though, and that's the casting of Michael Fassbender as the coach. You can forgive him for never dropping his Irish accent in character as a Dutchman, in a movie this good-natured and charming. But can you forgive them for casting him in the first place? Fassbender is a great actor. Check out "Hunger" and "Shame" for two of the best performances of the new millennium. But whose idea was it to cast an actor that disturbingly real and intense in a movie this cheerful and easygoing? He just doesn't fit. They should have cast a Ryan Reynolds or a Ben Affleck type. Somebody with an easy command of Hollywood charisma, who can appear troubled but you know a wisecrack and a wink at the audience is never far away. Fassbender seems to be working from a reserve of pain the audience can't begin to understand. This isn't his world: watching him here I kept being reminded of the character he played in "12 Years a Slave", who was just pure sadism.

LIKES:

The Music: -It's a small like, as this movie isn't known for the most picturesque or unique arrange of music, it does use the small number of songs to its advantage.

-Orchestral numbers that feel straight out of a sports' movie fill the action moments, orchestral pieces matching the moment of the sport and the intensity of what is to come.

-Training montages and recruitment sections are filled with other fun tracks, those inspiring tracks that get stuck in your head and are filled with just good vibes and good times.

-Again, minor in terms of scale, I always appreciate a good soundtrack to lift something up.

The Acting: Another colorful cast brought together, Waititi has fun with the group he has assembled, using the American-Samoan culture to make a lot of fun in this simpler movie.

-Kaimana, new to me, plays the transgender role well. A bit stereotypical, and a bit in your face, but nevertheless works as the character evolves past the political point and into something more. There is sass, edge, vulnerability, and feminine charm in the movement that turned out to be inspiring rather than annoying for me.

-Kightley is fun. A very awkward humor that he executes well, with positivity and sincerity that fits the bill in the promised feel good movie moments. His dialogue is catchy, his comedic prowess is fun, and dare I say, I just love how well he and Fassbender get alone in this film. Certainly not the deepest role, but I applaud how he balanced the quirky Taika comedy, with the sincerity of the show.

-Fassbender is still a magnificent magician of the acting world, and this movie only further shows how much I like his diversity. He's passionate, poetic, alcohol infused, and inspirational all in one, and was just so good at delivering his lines to have that bite. His engagement with the characters matches the referenced coach's passion, alongside his natural ability to capitalize on every word uttered. It's simply quite awesome and magical how he pulls out a good role and doesn't go over the top unless directed to.

The Dialogue -Waititi is quite famous for his written words and turn of phrase that makes his movies so memorable. And in this film, there is still that clever wording that I can't quite believe seems natural and forced at the same time.

-The movie has these odd metaphors that feel very belonging to the island, wise, but silly at the same time, and timed so well that I chuckled at the response the actors had with it.

-But then turns back to these moments of inspiration that are harsh, funny, and direct insulting, but somehow not crossing the border and having me laugh.

-Then, the writing somehow goes back to silly and off the beaten path candor, these indirect presentations that though random, work in the moment to ad a comedic punch and mirror the reverie of storytelling.

-And yet still, there are moments where the rawness of vulnerability comes out and really inspires and moves you to be better.

-The whole thing seems messy at first, but as the movie progresses, gets better as you grow accustom to the odd turns of phrase, the weird balance, and get to know the character's point in the movie.

The Comedy... to an Extent: -I laughed and chuckled a bit in this movie, those key moments so fun and well executed that I was in stitches from just how simple they delivered the lines.

-In the case of slapstick humor, there is crashing, hitting, harmful, and over the top theatrics that are the typical soccer sports. It works because most of the time it's not overdone, and there was writing to support the humor.

-As mentioned above, the dialogue has those moments that are surprisingly fun and complicated, a mix of witty and silly that again just seems to be perfectly timed to match the fun.

-And even some of the more forced moments are thrilling to enjoy, when done in balance and not over and over, really pack that comedic punch Waititi is known for having.

The Inspirational Moments: -The story is cliché, and the predictability is there, but, the movie does indeed accomplish the goal of being that feel good movie of the year.

-The character development of the coach alone has some hard hitting life lessons that had my heart swelling with the promise of improving.

-Meanwhile, the self-mockery and poking fun at the culture, only to turn it back towards something productive further made me nod at how well this movie is built to be funny and uplifting.

-It's an odd dance of the two, and even the predictability can't hinder too much the presentation of inspiration, and how Taika's balance managed to still shine through.

DISLIKES:

Too Silly At Times: -The mockery can be fun, but like many things, sort of steps out of his boundaries and crosses the lines that might either be too much or too insulting depending on your perspective -Religion mockery can be a tad on the nose and blasphemous at times, but relatively in check and less used that we should be okay.

-While the banter sometimes goes a tad too far for my liking that the moment is over and we are just going around circles with little reward for the investment in their time.

The Movie Plot Feels Bland: -Certainly the writing and comedic styles are the center stage of this movie and a message as a secondary outlook, but the plot of the movie feels a bit of a mess and a bland one at that.

-The struggle for soccer training seems very mismatched, the progress missing the movie magic spark that I go for in these films and telling the story with a little less accuracy to the real life events.

-Secondary plots fall out the wayside, and only one major player, maybe two, gets an actual dive into a story to make them engaging, the major one being a bit on the political agenda, but still kept in check.

-Then even the ending feels like a Waititi finish, funny, humorous, but sort of just done, only to fade into the typical summary of where they are now.

-For the guy that brought us Free Guy and Thor Ragnarök, I can't help but feel there was more to this tale, but the silliness I feel dictated the finesse of the story.

The Character Usage: -It's not the worst, but at the same time, not the best when a former Disney movie about kids playing soccer does it better than this.

-There are a lot of characters introduced in this film, but I didn't really care about most of them, because they were not used that much and quite honestly boring when there was a lot a potential.

-A star player, a goalie or two, even some of the other members all just feel flat and lacking, only discernible because of anatomical landmarks than character ones. It's a bit sad, as again there was a lot of potential, but the time constraints of a comedy often mean... this is a sacrifice.

The Soccer Match Itself: -I've seen plenty of sports movies that do their bouts right, but this movie... well... it doesn't do the bouts very well and misses the magic for me.

-No coordinated bouts of soccer prowess going against each other, no impressive moves, or even suspenseful action moments I like in these flicks. And yet... we have only another silly presentation that comedic, and has its moments, is very stale and not worth the buildup the training was trying to present.

Will Arnett's Involvement: -Arnett has a silly style, I get that, but this just seemed a misfire for me in terms of his inclusion in this film.

-Some stupid and darker humor is the strength of his, but otherwise another accessory character that is boring, not needed, and does little to add to the grand scheme of the movie.

-A weaker antagonist, and actual weaker comedy presentation to the normal jack of all trades of humorous use just feels... weaker and a waste given the potential.

The Verdict: Next Goal Wins is a complicated mess of fun, surprising heart, and inspiration all at the hands of the mad director of comedic messes. The comedy is a bit much at times, but the movie does a nice job entangling silliness to the heart, and keeping much of the laughs diverse and to lots of styles. My opinion for the real winner is the writing, this complex balance of moods, atmospheres, and personality that moves with the characters and makes for a fun movie that fits with the holiday season. The acting is good for this movie, delivering the lines solidly, and I felt there was a good chemistry that never lost the family feel. And yet, Waititi's direction still loses grasp on other elements in his mockery of the culture and getting the laughs out seems priority that the equilibrium shifts away from some of the other elements I find important. The character usage, the plot, and the soccer game itself are lackluster, mediocre, and quite disappointing when you know what could have come with it. And thus this movie is hard to determine if it's really good for the theater, or if this was meant for something like Hulu or Apple+. Thus, my scores for this movie are:

Comedy/Drama/Sport: 7.0 Movie Overall: 5.5-6.0.

I don't understand how a fair critics have rated this movie so poorly.

This is a funny, feel good movie about underdogs who you route for throughout the whole movie. The characters are likeable, the music is good and mainly it's just a fun movie. It doesn't add anything to the sport film catalog but when it comes to sport films, this is definitely one of my favorites. In my opinion, it's very rewatchable.

You can tell it's a Taika waititi movie with his obvious style of comedy. It works for the majority of the movie but does sometimes feel forced or falls flat. I don't know the whole story about the American Somoan football team but as movie, I really enjoyed this story and would recommend it.

Thomas Rongen is brought in to manage The American Samoa football team, his brief is to get the team to score a single goal in The World cup qualifiers. A team that was sitting at the bottom of the rankings list, and famously lost 31 nil to Australia.

Instantly you'll recognise that Taika Waititi is behind this film, his style is etched all over it, and as I eagerly await the second series of Our flag means death, this hits the mark.

It's not perfect, arguably it's a little slow to start, but as it develops, it just gets better and better, and by the end, I was absolutely engrossed.

Funny, moving, uplifting, it's real life given a feel good twist, a great film for the whole family to enjoy.

I recently read an article from an American website, which was discussing the fact that so many American parts were being played by Brits, here's another example of that, Michael Fassbender does such a great job as Rongen, proving he can do comedy very well.

OK small slice of life stuff that was based on a true story. Next Goal Wins wasn't horrible, but if you've seen the trailers you get the idea. There is nothing new here The jokes should have landed better for bigger laughs. The finish wasn't that soaring or heartwarming. If wrapped up too quickly after the storyline dragged on longer that it should have. Minor characters could have been developed better to help get a feel for the island people. It was OK but not as good or as clever as I expected it to be. This movie included the usual dose of diversity, but in this case it was true to the real story.

The movie was funny, breezy and entertaining. Saw this at TIFF opening, and the crowd had a blast. Every scene has a laugh in it, and there's a couple sappy moments that made you feel. This is a return to roots for Waititi and has the same tone as his earlier break through films, but his signature quirkiness is a little toned down. I would probably recommend this to anyone who can enjoy a feel good film.

Fassbender did well in the role, and played the straight man often before diving into the comedy himself. However, the standout is. Kaimana as. Jaiyah Saelua, who I hope pops up again in film. Not to say the film was perfect, but I found very little to complain about and is thus far my film of the festival for TIFF 2023.

Next Goal Wins is an ideal movie for the many football fans amongst us. Yes, I call it football as I'm an European, and because the sport is being played with feet and not hands like American football. Calling it soccer is stupid, but not as stupid as American football which in my opinion should be called American handball or throwball. That said it's an enjoyable story about the national team of American Samoa which obviously isn't good at football. I say obviously as it's a small country and so only normal they won't find eleven football legends to play for their country like other way bigger football cultured countries have. Still great to watch if you love the sport. Michael Fassbender plays the foreign coach, trying to teach the football basics and culture to the sympathetic island people that have a complete different lifestyle.

Did the MCU cause Taika's creativity to wither into nothing? I honestly can't believe that this movie was made by the same artist who created the hilariously witty 'What We do in the Shadows'. While 'Jojo Rabbit' was divisive, its originality landed Taika numerous awards, including an Academy Award for screenplay.

However, this screenplay seems like one of the absolute laziest in years. If you told me that this was the first script ever written by a film student, I would have believed you. As the story is based on real characters and an actual event (and was also the subject of a 2014 documentary), what did Taika add here besides a few obvious jokes and some cheap references? If you've seen the trailer, sorry but you've seen most of the jokes, with the exception of the many movie references that are so desperately trying. This movie can't even trust its audience to get the references; it has to literally have the characters say "like in The Matrix", "like in the Karate Kid", and "that's from Any Given Sunday". Towards the end, it tries to take a more serious tone to give some of the characters a semblance of development, but it all feels too little, too late.

On a positive note, most of the actors (except Will Arnett doing his typical shtick and Taika in an odd cameo) do a good job of trying to get me invested in the team, even if the writing and directing ultimately let them down.

Despite being a soccer lover, I wasn't aware that a national team lost 31-0 in a WC qualifier, unbelievable but true. This Taika Waititi's parody is based on the aftermath of this event.

American Samoa, is a permanent territory of USA in south pacific with a population of less than 50K. Yet they tried qualifying for 2002 FIFA WC in which they terribly failed while conceding 31 goals. Not only this, they had never scored a goal in their entire history. But this didn't stop them.

Starring Michael Fassbender as the coach of this doomed team, Waititi has assembled quite awesome comic characters who'll make your day by their funny accent and one-liners. Especially the guy playing Samoa Football federation chief Tavita, whose only dream is his team scoring "one goal, just one" will win your heart.

Rest assured, you won't regret this movie taking 100 mins of your precious time.

In this film adaptation of a true story, we witness the remarkable journey of an American coach who reluctantly takes on the challenge of coaching the American Samoa football team, a squad that had never tasted victory and suffered a humiliating defeat against Australia, losing 31-0. Despite initially being driven by necessity rather than choice, the coach's transformative leadership sparks a profound shift in the team's mindset, liberating them from their past failures and personal demons. While the character development may feel somewhat limited, the film's engaging narrative and humorous moments keep audiences hooked throughout. Despite following the familiar patterns of a classic sports movie, it manages to captivate with its authentic portrayal o of resilience and triumph against the odds.

Co-writer (with Iain Morris) / director Taika Waititi's 'inspired by truth' dramedy "Next Goal Wins" may not compare with his superb "Jojo Rabbit" or be football's equivalent to "Cool Runnings", but it's ok. In 2011, at a career impasse, coach Michael Fassbender reluctantly becomes gaffer of the world's then officially worst national footie team, American Samoa, amongst the likes of Waititi, Oscar Kightley, & Kaimana. With support from Elisabeth Moss, Will Arnett, Luke Hemsworth & others, Waititi offers a fresh, enjoyable spin on the usual 'down on his luck coach inspires rag-tag team while finding himself' tale. While a tad disappointing for Waititi, it's still good enough.

Thomas Rongen is brought in to manage The American Samoa football team, his brief is to get the team to score a single goal in The World cup qualifiers. A team that was sitting at the bottom of the rankings list, and famously lost 31 nil to Australia.

Instantly you'll recognise that Taika Waititi is behind this film, his style is etched all over it, and as I eagerly await the second series of Our flag means death, this hits the mark.

It's not perfect, arguably it's a little slow to start, but as it develops, it just gets better and better, and by the end, I was absolutely engrossed.

Funny, moving, uplifting, it's real life given a feel good twist, a great film for the whole family to enjoy.

I recently read an article from an American website, which was discussing the fact that so many American parts were being played by Brits, here's another example of that, Michael Fassbender does such a great job as Rongen, proving he can do comedy very well.

Well worth seeing.

8/10.

American Samoa has the worst football team in the world. They are infamous for the worst defeat ever 31-0 in a 2001 qualifying against Australia. It's 2014 and they have continued to lose. They are looking for a new coach. Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) is a down and out coach forced to take the job.

Taika Waititi does some quirky Taika Waititi things, but at its heart, this is a simple solid underdog sports movie. This definitely has its heart in the right place. It's standard and simple and sweet with a dash of quirk. There is an interesting trans story with Jaiyah although that may not please everybody. Rongen needs to foreshadow his tragic backstory a little better. That's one part where Taika's quirky humor may have detracted from the emotional payoff. This is not the most daring movie in the Waititi catalogue, but it is pretty good.

Next Goal Wins is a movie that the whole family can watch together and enjoy.

It's a feel good movie based on true events, with a little bit of glamour thrown into the mix.

I was drawn to this movie as I spent a few weeks in Samoa earlier in my life, and quickly grew to love the people, the culture, and their genuine happiness for the simplicity of their lives.

I was hoping this movie would have touched on this a little more, but there are elements where the viewer gets to learn more about the Samoan culture.

Samoa is a beautiful place, which you get to see a little throughout the movie.

But back to the movie, it's fun, touching in places and very heartwarming as you join the Samoan national team on their journey to achieve 'success' in world class football.

Next Goal Wins is an easy, relaxing and enjoyable movie for all ages, it's not going to challenge you with a complex plot, but a simple goal for a nation, so join in and cheer them along.

Very enjoyable, and worthy of the good reviews.

Taika Waititi's (Thor: Love & Thunder/Hunt for the Wilder People) current release in theaters. Based on a true story where the country of America Samoa ranked dead last in the soccer standing losing to Australia at a staggering amount during a crucial game. A decade passes & the team leader, Oscar Kightley, fires his current coach when the news feelers have been put out to get a new one w/only Oscar nominee, Michael Fassbender, the taker (he himself pretty much shunned from the league due to his temper). Arriving in paradise, Fassbender has to build the team from the bottom up w/a ragtag band of losers (one which is an openly transsexual played by Kaimana) which hopefully can collectively pull themselves up to pull something resembling a win as their qualifier against Samoa proper is coming up. Fassbender's backstory also extends to his failed marriage (wife, Elizabeth Moss, is seeing a member of the soccer committee, Will Arnett) which has to be resolved as she shows up for the game, w/the rest of the committee, as the audience waits w/baited breath to see what the game's outcome will be. Breezy w/the right amount of lunacy, Waititi's effort (who shows up in a cameo as a church pastor w/a Catfish Hunter 'stache) will not redefine the genre but will leave you w/not necessarily w/a bellyful of laughter but definitely smiles from ear to ear.

A U. S. mainlander is hired to coach a soccer team in a far-off land. The coach is separated from his wife, but still loves her. He's a total misfit in a foreign culture and everybody thinks he's going to fail.

No, this isn't the Ted Lasso movie, it's Next Goal Wins, which is based on a true story. A hotheaded mainlander is hired to coach the pathetic American Samoa national soccer team that has never even scored a goal in international competition. Culture clashes ensue as the coach tries to whip the team into shape for a match three weeks away. The humor is goofy and the ending is totally predictable, but that's okay. If you need a feel-good break from today's dark and dreary movies, go see Next Goal Wins.

I am a huge fan of Taika Waititi. Whether it be What We Do in the Shadows, Jojo Rabbit, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Boy, or Thor: Ragnarok, I have loved every single one of his films. His signature brand of comedy really works for me and I love the way he manages to find a perfect balance between heartbreak and humour. His films always have so much humanity and zany humour.

That was... until last year's Thor: Love and Thunder. I am still one of the people who ended up enjoying that film, but there is no denying it was a step-down and got a little too silly.

So I went into Next Goal Wins hoping we'd see a return to form for Waititi.

Unfortunately, we didn't. This film really isn't Waititi's best and I honestly think it's a step down from Love and Thunder. That being said, there is still lots to enjoy here; it's a light, breezy crowd-pleaser with endearing characters and a likeable underdog story. The film is essentially what you'd get if Ted Lasso, Cool Runnings, and Taika Waititi had a baby.

But damn, this movie is trying way too hard to be funny. It's like Waititi lost the spark that made his earlier films special. His comedy is getting a little too silly, a little too zany, it needs to be more restrained and controlled. Because he's so focused on the silliness of it all, we lose some of the heart and humanity in that, which makes the film seem like it is not especially well written and directed. There are a few really great laugh-out-loud moments, but not enough as most jokes didn't land. The characters are so likeable and endearing, but unfortunately many didn't have any depth to them. They were just shallow, one-dimensional characters stuck in a rushed story with poor narrative flow. Michael Fassbender is such a great actor, but the script lets him down - he had nothing to work with.

And I say all this while still having enjoyed the film. It's a good little movie and not terrible by any means, I've just come to expect better from Academy Award winner Taika Waititi. It has many enjoyable things, just not enough of them. Definitely my least favourite Waititi film - I hope he finds his way back to the style that worked for him so well in the past! His heart was in the right place here, it just misfired. It's likeable, just not enough to win me over.

Next Goal Wins is self-aware of the sports genre cliches and white saviour stereotype it's playing with. Taika Waititi tries to make light of them with a vibrant exaggeration of a true story designed not to be a high piece of art but to simply have fun and make audiences feel good. It's imperfect but endearing in so many conceivable ways.

3 out of 5 stars.

Next Goal Wins is a fair sports comedy drama film that has Taiki Waititi humor all over it. His humor is fun and odd and occasionally stupid if you can tolerate it. This film is about a washed out soccer coach who has to coach a team that never scored once.

Michael Fassbender was great and fun. The script did have some funny moments. The story was okay. The direction was also okay. But the film never felt inspirational emotionally or encouraging about what was happening. Taiki waititi focused too much in trying to be a comedy. The scenes with him in it as a priest was odd and stupid. Also felt unnecessary.