Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Running Time: 146 min.
Stars: Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhy-Meyers
Found at: ColmanTwo young British women, Jess (Nagra) and Jules (Knightley), have a talent for football (that’s soccer to you). They both have a shot at getting a full ride to college for their football skills, but the girls’ parents won’t have it. Jess’ Indian family won’t allow her to go to school: she must fulfill her duty to her family, which means no sports. Jules also has her problems, one of them being that her parents think she is gay and just trying to get into Jess’ pants.
Comments:: If you like girl power and soccer, then this is the movie for you! While the film just can’t shake its feel-good, trite-social-message mood, it still makes for a pretty good story. Knightley and Nagra do a great job at portraying the you-don’t-understand attitude to their parents that we have all been through, and with which we can sympathize. Also, the cultural issues raised by the movie, though not groundbreaking, do set the tone for a situation that inevitably occurs to many young people. If you are in need of a quick lift and some good sport scenes, then give “Bend It Like Beckham” a shot. B-