Bend It Like Beckham (2002)

Directed by Gurinder Chadha. Starring Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Shaheen Khan, Anupam Kher, Juliet Stevenson, Archie Panjabi, Frank Harper, Ameet Chana, Pooja Shah, Pavenpreet Kaur. [PG-13]

West London teenager of Indian descent, Jesminder (Nagra), is torn between duty to her conservative family and her love for soccer (football), joining a women’s team without telling her parents and even developing a romantic interest in her young ex-player coach (Meyers). Provides a culturally-specific spin on the familiar family drama angle, but resorts to formula a bit too often (of course, her shallow sister’s wedding will be scheduled on the same day as the “big game”); relying on the collective bright charisma and screen presence of Nagra and pal/teammate Knightley was a smart move, as they prove themselves up for the task. The sports action lacks the fluid camera movement and sharp editing to really come alive, and the comic “misunderstanding” trope is implemented in a hokey fashion, but it’s lightly amusing and charming enough to satisfy even those who wouldn’t know Punjabi from Farsi, or a soccer ball from a beach ball. Title refers to English football star David Beckham and his talent for curving the arc of a ball when kicked, though the “bending” here involves rules and traditions. Chadha also gets story, co-script, and co-producer credits. Later turned into a stage musical.

67/100