Bend it Like Beckham review by Orlando C. Fernando April 19, 2003 Storyline: 8 (0=worst, 10=best) Originality: 8 Acting: 9 Special Effects: N/A Overall: A (F=worst, A=best)

A soccer coming-of-age film travels the Atlantic Ocean from the UK to America.
This funny but heartwarming comedy-drama looks at the life of Jess (Parminder Nagra), an Sikh-Asian-English teen who aspires to be a soccer star like the Manchester United superstar David Beckham. Problem is, her family is very traditional and feels a "proper lady" would never play such a rough sport and expect to have a suitable husband. At the start, she is content playing for fun in a local park with the boys. And with good reason. She's very talented and earns their respect in the still largely male-dominated sport. But that changes when Jules (Keira Knightley), an outstanding player on a girl's school soccer team, catches her moves and convinces her to join them.

The course of the story is how Jess juggles pleasing her family, keeping her traditions, and pursuing her dreams at the same time.
This is the source of comedy, as she masterfully comes up with different ways to disguise her double-life from her parents, often to no avail and at times creates some hilarious misunderstandings. Also entering the picture is a budding love triangle between the girls and their young Irish coach (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers).

Delivery of the actors by far overshadows some of the story's clichés.
Some of the antics do get a bit repetitive and some of the reactions are expected, as seen in other movies dealing with different ethnic backgrounds. But what may be new to the American audiences are the Sikh traditions and stereotypes, some of which from personal experience are very close to accurate. There's even a racial slur which amazed me that was said - though got rightfully vindicated. Additionally, I can certainly forgive some of the traditional plot devices for the expert acting that pulled it off, especially from the principals. They helped pull off what could have otherwise been "Hoosiers" by focusing on certain individual struggles, familial conflicts, and even witty political correctness. With enough story and subplots going on, it manages to avoid having nor requiring a central enemy. In fact, it focuses more on the increasingly enterprising choices the main character has to make, including a scout opportunity. (Think somewhat of Dennis Quaid's character of another sports winner "The Rookie".) And when it comes for decisions to be made at climax, it realistically brings all factors of her life together and has an appropriate serious but tender tone. Though I rated storyline an 8, the acting almost makes me want to push it to a 9 or even a perfect 10 - so this is one rating that I truly can't be totally conclusive about.

Worth full movie price AND a DVD buy, Parminder has a winner in her latest picture.
This successful British comedy of last year hit this coastline back in February. Already, carrying North American critical acclaim from those that had seen it previously in Toronto festivals, it finally makes its way here. It was indeed worth the wait. Whether this will make Parminder a rising Asian star on this side of the "big pond" remains to be seen. But with her energy, charm, and screen presence, I have high hopes for her. Lets hope for more movies such as these to trounce some of the mainstream Hollywood nonsense on the screens here today. Bend it indeed!

Copyright 2003 by Orlando C. Fernando. Movie picture is copyright Twentieth Century Fox FE. This page is for personal use only. It may be openly distributed for nonprofit in whole or part, but authorship must be credited.