Rating: Summary: Heartwarming Story Review: Bend It Like Beckham is a heartwarming story about a girl growing up and finding out who she is. Don't worry if you don't like sports - the storyline is something all of us can relate to. In the movie, Jes finds out she is very good and playing soccer. It is just her traditional Indian family does not approve. They want her to become a traditional Indian wife. Add into the story Jes having to deal her older sister is getting married, while Jes herself starts to like her non-Indian soccer coach. Jes has her friend Juliet to lean on, but even there friendship has its problems. This is a great film for teenage girls to see. It will show them a great example of finding out who you are and how the choices you make will affect your life.
Rating: Summary: Beckham Bends Right Where Big Fat Wedding Went Wrong Review: This movie is a real movie. My Big Fat Greek Wedding was a glorified sitcom whereas this director takes full advantage, nay, glorifies in the fact that this is a movie, not a sitcom. The charcters are well devloped, the plot exquisite, and the casting flawless. I especially enjoyed the actress who played Jools' mum, I last saw her in Gwyneth Paltrow's version of Emma. She was hilarious as were Nagra and Knightley. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers was an interesting choice as the romatic lead, but he pulled it off well. The only thing that bothers me about the movie is the sexual references which might not be the best for younger viewers. All in all though, the movie was a treat to watch and went by very quickly.
Rating: Summary: bend the rules! Review: Director Gurinder Chadha shows us, with her movie, one universal truth about women and men: when facing an obstacle, women tend to "bend" it while men tend to fight against it. This message is amply and reliably illustrated in the film through the stories of Jess, Jules and Joe. Jess and Jules (the two girls) face their families' opposition to their wish to play football. It is interesting that the director has chosen two British girls of different cultural backgrounds (Jess's family is of sikh Indian origin, while jules's is white anglo)to show the opposition that they face is not a cultural issue, but a gender issue: to play football is not considered "femimine" and so, the girls will scare away potential husbands; and at least for these two different cultures -as well as many others- a woman without husband is an unhappy unsuccesful woman. On the other hand Joe, the boy, has broken his relations with his family and stopped talking to them, because of a problem also concerning football. But breaking with their family is something the girls -especially Jess- do not even consider doing. And we have a very good time seeing how Jess tries to "bend" her family's opposition -a charming family, with a father and mother reminiscent of Tevye and Golde of The Fiddler on the Roof-throughout the whole film. For the director the term "bend" is a metaphore: the character tries to do with the obstacles as Beckham does with the ball, that is, to curve around them or above them without ever clashing. Wonderful performance of every actor -the writer-director loves her characters and it shows-, good music, visual feast .... the ultimate feel-good comedy with quite a good, well chosen and well illustrated message. It seems unbelivable that it was made in eight weeks and with such a low budget. Not to be missed. Well done Gurin-dah!
Rating: Summary: Just alright... Review: All in all this film appeals less about the world of soccer than it does to your typical everyday relationship flick. The comedy in this film is forced and anyone knowing a great deal about football will come away quite embarrased as to how a movie made in the breadbasket of the sport comes out so juvenille. The way soccer is treated here is almost like it was treated in the Disney flick "The Big Green" or "Ladybugs." If really looking for a film that correctly describes the obessive passions associated with soccer and how it relates to relationships pick up "Fever Pitch."
Rating: Summary: Creatively witty Review: This film really keeps your attention.It's sort of a My Big Fat Greek Wedding meets some romantic comedy like Serendipity.The issues faced in this film are something that we can all relate to at some point,our family.Despite the differences in cultures and views on life, once again they put that aside and act like the way a family should be,united.It truly captures your heart.Check it out, I laughed the whole time and maybe teared up once or twice too.It provides all you need in a movie.See it!
Rating: Summary: GOAL! Review: I just saw this movie with my mother and my two teenage daughters. We all loved it. My brother had seen it earlier and as he described, it was excellent on "many levels". It addressed multiple issues in an interesting (and sometimes humorous) way while at the same time making you aware that some of these issues exist at all. While our family has hosted multiple foreign exchange students, our world is very far removed from that of an Indian family and one that isn't living in it's native country so the cultural education was excellent. The sport was great too, from the perspective of a family of soccer/football lovers. Well done & well worth seeing. Good family movie too.
Rating: Summary: Girl's Soccer Rocks! Review: I love soccer. I went to watch this movie with my mom, my sister who plays soccer but is not a real fan of it, and a friend who does not play soccer at all, and all of us loved this movie. This movie is good whether you play soccer or not. There were some parts of the movie that were sad and some parts that were really funny. I like the way the movie showed how serious female athletes can be, and that soccer (or football as the movie calls it) is not just for boys! I also like the way the movie deals with how hurtful stereotypes and prejudice can be. Everyone should be able to follow their dreams!
Rating: Summary: Bend It Like Beckham is a GREAT movie! Review: Bend It Like Beckham is a totally awesome movie! It was very entertaining, yet still had a deeper message about following your dreams.Bend It Like Beckham is the story of an Indian girl. She really likes playing football (also known as soccer, for those of you that live in the U.S.A.) and has a talent for it. Her parents, however, don't believe football is a good hobby/career for a girl. When the girl is asked to play on a women's team, she has to sneak out and play. Also, in this movie there is an English girl who's father is okay with her playing football and her mom isn't. This girl becomes friends with the Indian girl and they play on the same team, but they both develop a crush on their Irish coach. Bend It Like Beckham is a really good movie! I highly reccomend you see it! It is good, whether or not you like soccer. See this great movie about culture, relationships, and following your dreams!
Rating: Summary: And then some! Review: Course I've now seen the movie 3 times, but each time I discover another reason to enjoy, relish and empathize with Jess - the soccer playing, A level, beauty around which the plot revolves. Take your kids, your clients and your friends. Even if you just take yourself, you will smile, grin with delight and laugh out loud! As a former wanna be quarterback, it's as if someone reminded me that the sky is the limit if you are willing to hang it over the edge! a
Rating: Summary: "...Beckham" - A film that "bends" all conventional rules! Review: A film that's sure to hit the ground running this spring/summer, "Bend It Like Beckham" is one feature that's neither hit or miss, but is spot on! Jes (Parminder Nagra) is an Indian teenage girl making inroads as a member of her Hounslow, London-based football (soccer in the U.S.) team. But, her strict parents have other ideas about her future, as they wish for her to pursue a life in the academic world, and that sports plays no part in their worldly culture. Jes' best friend Jules (Keira Knightley) somehow gets caught up in Jes' somewhat misguided adventures - both on the playing field, as well as in both hers and her best friend's family fiascos, and the recipe calls for a delightfully funny movie that never lets up from the get-go! However, there's one small insignificance which may baffle many a viewer - although Jes keeps her football playing activities a secret (in accordance to "BILB"'s storyline), it is well-known that Jes' parents know about her football activities, thus being strongly against them. Along the way, both Jes and Jules have designs on their coach (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers). Jes and Jules' friendship is suddenly tested when Jes is seen (by Jules) in a scene featuring a warm and tender moment shared with Coach Joe. Jes' mettle with the rest of her team is tested as well, as both she and Jules are up for an athletic scholarship at an American university. As the big day of the local championship game arrives, Jes must choose between attending her sister's wedding and her huge match, of which she is ordered by her father to attend the former. But, seeing as how important the latter is to his daughter, he decides to let her attend the match, and therefore wants his daughter to be happy, which is only right. Of "...Beckham"'s funnier moments, one of which features a scene with Jes about to kick the deciding shot, when she envisions her family (instead of the members of both opposing teams) standing in the way, attempting to discredit the goal (this is where she has her sister's wedding on her mind, by the way), is the best and funniest moment in the entire movie! This is just one of "BILB"' priceless "snapshots". Even Juliet Stevenson's performance as Jules's mom would pass as a dead-ringer for Hayley Mills! Everything aside, "Bend It Like Beckham" doesn't break (nor bend) when it comes to capturing the perfect essence of a spectacular comedy/drama. So, all that's left to be cleared up is do the girls get their scholarships, and do they get to spend an "ultimate eve in eternity" with their coach? The answers to this and similar questions are waiting just for you and yours at a local theater today! Oh, one more question which may contain an answer: Could a sequel be in the works? Let's keep our fingers crossed! It also features a brief cameo of British football star David Beckham. What more could a sports freak ask for?
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