Remember that movie with Emilio Estevez, "The Mighty Ducks"? Yes, that one where Estevez was the coach and took the ice-hockey team to victory, with a young Joshua Jackson being the star and the real Mighty Ducks providing their name to get some publicity. Or for that matter, remember "Miracle", something similar with Kurt Russel last year I didn't see? More specified, remember the boy who had a dream and it was impossible for him to make it happen? If you do, welcome to "Goal!", if you don't, then welcome to "Goal!", Movies like this one you can watch them with different perspectives; the first one being you know what's going to happen and consider it dull and predictable; the second one being you don't know and you are surprised.
What about a third one, being you know what's going to happen but you let yourself go, try to enjoy the ride and accept it might be a good movie after all? Two paragraphs above, I mentioned "The Mighty Ducks", because it is predictable and obvious, but also because it is enjoyable and because it is a good film.
That we can appreciate these movies depends very much in the way the story is told, and the situations of the characters. Our hero here is Santi Munez (Mexican talent Kuno Becker), a good hearted Latin "lad" who lives the American Dream and divides his time in helping his dad (Tony Plana) with the family business and playing in a soccer team. He's talented and, of course, he dreams of playing the game he loves professionally.
Then of course (it's not my intention to keep saying the expression, but for a little while), his father doesn't support the idea; not even when important Glen Floy (a charming Stephen Dillane) says it could actually happen. Of course he's busted his ass to maintain the family after his wife left them, and of course he thinks there's no future in a stupid soccer dream. But of course there's always someone willing to help, and Grandma Mercedes (Miriam Colon) will do it.
What follows is not more known by me than by you, but luckily director Danny Cannon is in love with his characters, with their story and most importantly, with the game. His camera moves passionately throughout Santi's trainings with coach Dornhelm (Marcel Iures), his love developments with Roz (the incredibly beautiful and extremely talented Anna Friel) and the life of his family back home; all solidly told by a team of four screenwriters.
So the movie is an advertising for the Spanish team Real Madrid and its player, it's an opportunity for Kuno Becker, who's really promising, to make a name in the industry. For me it's also (I hadn't mentioned it) a display of Alessandro Nivola's big talent. The actor is the best of the film and he reaches dramatic levels we are not used to witness in these types of films. The movie is worth watching just for him, but there is more; and it works.
What about a third one, being you know what's going to happen but you let yourself go, try to enjoy the ride and accept it might be a good movie after all? Two paragraphs above, I mentioned "The Mighty Ducks", because it is predictable and obvious, but also because it is enjoyable and because it is a good film.
That we can appreciate these movies depends very much in the way the story is told, and the situations of the characters. Our hero here is Santi Munez (Mexican talent Kuno Becker), a good hearted Latin "lad" who lives the American Dream and divides his time in helping his dad (Tony Plana) with the family business and playing in a soccer team. He's talented and, of course, he dreams of playing the game he loves professionally.
Then of course (it's not my intention to keep saying the expression, but for a little while), his father doesn't support the idea; not even when important Glen Floy (a charming Stephen Dillane) says it could actually happen. Of course he's busted his ass to maintain the family after his wife left them, and of course he thinks there's no future in a stupid soccer dream. But of course there's always someone willing to help, and Grandma Mercedes (Miriam Colon) will do it.
What follows is not more known by me than by you, but luckily director Danny Cannon is in love with his characters, with their story and most importantly, with the game. His camera moves passionately throughout Santi's trainings with coach Dornhelm (Marcel Iures), his love developments with Roz (the incredibly beautiful and extremely talented Anna Friel) and the life of his family back home; all solidly told by a team of four screenwriters.
So the movie is an advertising for the Spanish team Real Madrid and its player, it's an opportunity for Kuno Becker, who's really promising, to make a name in the industry. For me it's also (I hadn't mentioned it) a display of Alessandro Nivola's big talent. The actor is the best of the film and he reaches dramatic levels we are not used to witness in these types of films. The movie is worth watching just for him, but there is more; and it works.