Gurinder Chadha has followed up her wonderful film WHAT’S COOKING? with this delightful crowd pleaser about an Indian girl named Jess (Parminder K. Nagra, TV’s ER) who just wants to play soccer. The plot is standard “girl fights tradition to do what she wants” kind of story. What sets this film apart is that it has heart and real pathos. The characters are fleshed out and the action of the story occurs naturally.
Jess gets caught playing soccer and her father (Anupam Kher) and mother (Shaheen Khan, CAPTIVES) forbid her from playing. In a lesser film, this would be the big second act conflict that propels the film to an inevitable end. However, this film has Jess continue to defy her parents over and over again, much like a real teenager. She is spotted playing in the park by Jules (Keira Knightley, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN) who invites her to play for her female team, which is coached by ex-men’s player Joe (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, TITUS). Those three form an unusually believable love triangle.
Added to the mix is Jules’ parents Alan (Frank Harper, LOCK, STOCK & TWO SMOKING BARRELS) and Paula (Juliet Stevenson, NICHOLAS NICKLEBY). Alan encourages his daughter’s soccer because to him it’s better than boys, however Paula feels the exact opposite. She even begins to suspect that Jules is a lesbian, which leads to several hilarious moments. The scene between Stevenson and Knightley in the car after they leave Pinky's wedding is comic brilliance.
Rounding out the cast is Pinky (Archie Panjabi, EAST IS EAST), Jess’ older sister who only wants to get married. Her and Jess both exemplify the virtues of the Indian culture both traditional and modern. They allow the film to show both sides of the issue without just saying that tradition is “bad” and modernity is “good.” It all comes down to personal choice.
I also liked the portrayal of Jess’ parents; they are strict, but caring. Her father’s story about wanting to play cricket when he moved to England is sadly touching. Plus, there is a line by Jess’ mother near the end of the film that annihilates the teen movie cliché about parents being completely clueless about what their children are up to.
My wife didn’t want to see this film because she felt it would be a sports cliché movie. This is one of the films she purchased with her Christmas gift cards. This is a funny and uplifting film that anyone of any age can enjoy. This film is one of the best sports films that has come out in years and may be one of the best female sports films ever made. It's right up there with A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. Don't let the title scare you off, you don't have to know more than "balls going into nets is good" to enjoy this film.
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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
