Footy Legends

Footy Legends is a curious film in that it is the first movie about rugby league to make a genuine impact. It is funny, it is moving and it features plenty of rugby league action, plus a wealth of league legends, including Matty Johns, Mario Fenech, Brett Kenny, Cliff Lyons, Gary Larson, Rod Wishart, Brad Clyde and others.

The star of the movie is Anh Do, who is also involved in the writing and production. His performance is exceptional, demonstrating an impressive array of emotions through facial expressions and body language. Here is a young man who can make a big impact on the Australian movie scene, particularly if he can continue to contribute to quality scripts.

The other impressive qualities of the movie are tight editing and a wonderful music score. Many Aussie movies lose impact by overplaying scenes and thus losing momentum. Footy Legends avoids this trap by keeping each scene to a length that says what needs to be said, then moves on. This is good editing and a feature of Khoa Do's directorial debut in a fictional feature film.

The music score ideally supports the settings and suits the pace and intentions of the movie.

Quality Australian actors Claudia Karvan and Peter Phelps add depth to the movie, but it is Anh Do's performance which stands out. Hopefully this will be the start of a long career for this talented performer.

Whether the movie has enough diversity to appeal to overseas markets remains to be seen, but it has the right blend of comedy, pathos and "feel-good" to suggest that it will capture the attention and interest of Australian audiences. I hope so, because it deserves a wide audience.

Footy Legends (2006), directed by Khoa Do, is a feel-good Australian film that blends the love of rugby league with themes of family, friendship, and community. While the film doesn't boast high-octane action or elaborate drama, it offers an earnest, uplifting story about finding redemption through sport.

**Plot and Structure** The film centers around Luc Vu (Anh Do), a down-on-his-luck Vietnamese-Australian who lives in Western Sydney. Struggling to find steady work and facing the possibility of losing custody of his younger sister, Luc decides to rally his old rugby mates for a local footy competition. The film is structured like a classic underdog sports story, where the team, made up of misfits and out-of-shape former players, aims to prove themselves both on the field and in their personal lives.

The simplicity of the plot is familiar, but its strength lies in its strong community focus. The film taps into the importance of sport in Australian culture, particularly rugby league, while also portraying the struggles faced by immigrant families and working-class communities.

**Performances and Chemistry** Anh Do, both the lead actor and co-writer, brings a lot of heart to his role as Luc. His performance is grounded and sincere, making Luc's struggles feel genuine. The supporting cast, including well-known Australian actors such as Angus Sampson and Claudia Karvan, adds depth to the ensemble, creating a believable camaraderie among the group of ragtag teammates.

The film excels in showing the bonds of friendship, as Luc and his friends reconnect through rugby league and rediscover a sense of purpose and joy. There's a palpable sense of warmth between the characters, and their personal journeys are just as important as the games they play.

**Themes and Emotional** Core At its heart, Footy Legends is a story about second chances. Luc's journey to regain custody of his sister serves as the emotional core of the film, adding a layer of personal stakes that elevate the story beyond a simple sports narrative. The film also touches on themes of belonging, cultural identity, and the power of community, all of which are woven naturally into the narrative.

While it's a sports film, Footy Legends is more about what rugby league represents-a way for people to come together, overcome adversity, and find their own personal victories. The film's uplifting message is clear: sometimes, the game is less about winning and more about the journey, the relationships you build, and the resilience you discover.

**Tone and Humor** There's a gentle humor throughout the film, much of it stemming from the characters' interactions and the absurdity of a group of out-of-practice players attempting to compete again. The film avoids slapstick or over-the-top antics, opting instead for a more grounded and sincere approach. The humor is light but effective, providing levity in what could have been a more melodramatic story.

**Conclusion** Footy Legends is a heartfelt, community-driven film that celebrates the power of sport to uplift and unite. It may not break new ground in terms of its plot or structure, but its sincerity and focus on family, friendship, and second chances make it a touching and enjoyable watch. The film highlights the importance of perseverance, teamwork, and never giving up on the things that matter most.

Rating: 6.5/10 Though it's a small, straightforward film, Footy Legends shines in its heartwarming portrayal of community and resilience. It's an underdog story that resonates, especially for fans of rugby league and those who appreciate a feel-good, uplifting film.

Anh Do's constant spruiking in the media about what a come-from-nothing, refugee, westy battler he is, which by the way is true, only serves as a cop out. Positioning himself to get away with making such a crap movie. While the background of struggling underdog is certainly there, make no mistake, the accolades and experience are certainly there too. Khoa was widely praised for his previous film, "The Finished People" for which he won the independent spirit award and was also named as "Young Australian Of The Year" and Anh was also "Stand Up Comedian Of The Year" a few years back and is an accomplished stand up comic. My question being that with all this industry cred and decent financial backing and casting... couldn't they have put together a kick butt film. Answer: Apparently not.

While The Wayan Brothers soil the cinema screens of the nation with their disgraceful suburban themed Little Man, here in Australia we have the Do Brothers, and their challenging, entertaining new suburban comedy drama FOOTY LEGENDS. These boys are actually 20-something Vietnamese refugee siblings who, with a micro budget and a sharp eye for wanting to create intelligent heartfelt films that resonate and inform are succeeding in Australian cinemas entertaining and delighting Australian audiences..... Their last film was the astonishing FINISHED PEOPLE a 'reality feature' that played like a documentary, about discarded young people living in a depressed suburb in outer western Sydney who felt that a life of success wealth and happiness was not for them, eking out a street existence on social security. Usually films like this are grinding misery but as a debut feature from the 'can Dos' it was a remarkable and applauded experience. FOOTY LEGENDS is about some happier people across the road who want to create a football team and win a prize. No new story platform here, but remember we are in Bowery Boys or FULL MONTY territory on the sports field in Australia instead. Ken Loach makes dramas about these type of people (KES perhaps) but in Oz we make it a heartwarming comedy. In FOOTY LEGENDS, with an oddball group of tubby clumsy boofy and lame pals and with the encouragement of a car as a prize, they get their wobbly act together to focus on winning something for the first time in any of their lives. It is a funny suburban film, modest and almost Ealing in it's lack of pretensions. It isn't crude and offensive (like Little Man) and does not go for violence or humiliation as comedy (like a dumb Sandler farce such as The Waterboy) These guys have had that done to them off-screen and so have progressed to making something of their aimless suburban lives. The Do Boys are on the up and up in Oz and you are easily able to enjoy this new sports film with it's heart and funnybone being shoved and jostled for 90 minutes. Genuine sports stars appear and the drama is anchored by familiar screen actors Peter Phelps and Claudia Carvan. FOOTY LEGENDS is a good new Australian movie that actually hopes and provides you with a good time. After the moronics of the American films mentioned above, and the cretinous skid-marks of some urban Australian films so far this century (You And Your Stupid Mate, Liquid Bridge, The Wannabees and the vile Wolf Creek) it is the ethnic and indigenous members of our community who are making the progress: Ten Canoes and now FOOTY LEGENDS. Go Do Boys!

I just want to say that i really enjoyed Footy Legends and it was real step up from The Finished People which looked and had the feel of a doco. When i first heard of it i didn't want to see it as i am not a fan of football but i changed my mind when i saw a preview which looked funny so i changed my mind. the casting is terrific from the fantastic, talented Claudia Karvan to comedians Anh Do, Angus Sampson, Paul Nakad to rising star Emma Lung to newcomer Lisa Saggers. The story and script was done really well, not the totally heartbreaking sad story i was expecting but heart warmer with Australian humor to match The Castle. Well done.