In the Hands of the Gods

i was at a pre-screening of this film last week and it blew me away. as an American, i wasn't sure what to expect, but at about 20 minutes in i came to see this story as Hoop Dreams with a twist. the story is of five teens who use a lifetimes' worth of passion, skills and wares and engage in soccer street performances (which, by themselves, are worth the price of admission) to raise enough money to trek down to buenos aires to meet their idol, diego maradona. the story is touching and beautiful in its simplicity -- what these boys are willing to go through to meet their idol, without the lure of achieving fortune or fame, makes their quest entirely pure -- the same type of quest that as children made us want to play sports in the first place. for me, the boys' motivation really rang true.

also, their trek to meet maradona is totally captivating and has all the hallmarks of a cool, road trip movie. the boys' journey is from nyc to buenos aires through Latin America. it's very interesting how they come together and how their growth as individuals and as a unit impacts certain decisions as they get closer to achieving their goal. their journey is in constant motion, given the host of countries they have to travel through, and it gives the film a pacing that allows the story to fly by. i was shocked to be told the movie was 100 minutes. it feels like it's an hour long.

last but definitely not least, as i mentioned the street performances are, by themselves, worth the price of admission. i've never seen stuff like what these kids pull off effortlessly and with regularity. just unreal! this is a must see film and it's definitely a story that has a universal quality and appeal to it; it's funny, entertaining and touching.

A great film ...

A story of passion for us all

The premise of the film is simple - 5 friends - football freestylers - have the same passion - the meet their idol, Argentina legend, Diego Maradona. the trick is they have no money, only the football skills. so they all come up with the idea of getting money to achieve this goal. The film is a basic road movie with stunts. All five lads are all completely different from various backgrounds - one was a drug addict, one into god..you get the idea.

The earn their way across the globe to Argentina basically begging for money while showing off the tricks with the ball Bagging free rooms, food and flights on the way

• Will Diego be there when they get there? Would he meet the gang? Will the even get there?

The film starts off like a heavily edited MTV video as you would expect it to but as the film progresses it shows the different sides of each person and who much they want this passion - the ultimate reward. You can see the friends forming and then suddenly they get split up due to money - or the lack off. and this pulls you in. None of the guys are actors and this is the real deal. Some moments shine such as the cheeky Liverpool guy who is proud of earning 250 dollars in one bar just by doing tricks - classic waving money around scene of joy. or indeed when two lads get took in for the night in Rio de Janeiro by a poor family and get fed what little they had - lovely to see. You also see a change in the gang as the films goes to its final reel. Do they meet him? - Im not telling!

What we have is a pure and safe documentary about passion and how to archive your goals. Its fun, heavy, light and very enjoyable even just to see the gang perform together with the footballing skills. Delightful in every way these films show be,

Lee Bolton Salford UK

Take five ordinary lads off the street add a film crew follow them on a road trip. Doesn't really make for an enjoyable movie you think. Well you'd be wrong, (the gang) set off in search of a dream with only raw talent and passion, no cash. What follows is an inspiring journey as the film crew take us through the ups and downs of our 5 dreamers. As the film unfolds we get more insight into each of the 5 members and why they want to achieve the goal. The skills on display you can only marvel at, the determination and bottle shown by the gang is inspiring. If you want to watch something a little different, that will have you enthralled and moved watch this movie..

Trailer is enough to do it for any football/soccer fan i think! BUT regardless of football, is a real emotional roller-coaster and you feel like you are part of the film, egging them on. I have been to documentary like films before and not enjoyed them but not the case with this one. Such great entertainment and such a good idea. 1 of those films you can watch again and again and again! NOW forgetting the fact that this is a film, those skills are unbelievable! I mean how do they do it! Id pay to watch them for 90 minutes let alone my beloved arsenal. haha by the way, i hope there is a sequel to this!...a basketball version or something - in the hands of jordan!

I was fortunate to manage to wrangle a couple of preview tickets though the 10.30am Sunday slot appeared a little doubtful!! Decided to get out of bed to make my way to see the film and how undisappointed was I!!

This truly is a great film to see! Fair enough, I have a huge passion for football (Soccer to the U.S readers)and this film did not disappoint in this aspect. Great skills on show and moments of breathtaking feats. Though, it was not the images of football that made this film but the story of 5 young men who each have individual goals/ aspirations. All of the characters see this opportunity as a method of demonstrating to different parties their resilience and strive for their dreams. Do not be fooled, this film will grip you and make you feel sympathy and compassion for the characters and it is a great way of having an insight into different peoples thoughts and ideals. Would you react in a similar manner to them or would you have chosen a different path. This film truly is gripping with humour, sadness and compassion thrown in. Overall with all aspects considered, you must see this film whatever walk of life you are. Trust me, this is not only a sports based movie but also has elements of "rom com" and a possible "tear jerker" to the more susceptible to emotions! 10/10