2002, UK/Germany
Comedy, Drama, Family, Romance
What to do when you are an amazing soccer player with the chance to finally play on an organized team, and your family could not think of a more horrible insult to their traditions? Such is the conundrum for Jess (played passionately by Parminder Nagra), in Gurinder Chadha's (What's Cooking?) film Bend it Like Beckham.
Though the theme of tradition versus modernity has been traversed before, this lighthearted film addresses the situation with respect and humor. Jess, who lives in a traditional British-Indian household, becomes frustrated when the family refuses to allow her to play soccer as they believe it will hinder her chances of finding a good Indian husband. Meanwhile, her sister is following the respectable path and getting married, even though she has lied in the process of doing so. While playing soccer with the local boys in the park, Jess gets picked out by Jules (Pirates of the Caribbean's Keira Knightley) to join a local women's soccer league, and the deceptions to Jess's family begin. Jules is also dealing with similar family aggravations, as her mother continually presses her into boys and push-up bras and away from soccer cleats. The two quickly become friends and bond over their desire to play professional soccer.
Many follow-your-dreams movies could be dry and cliché, but this one allows both arguments to vent, and avoids any Disney trappings. The DVD includes many extras, including a making-of featurette, a humorous segment of the director making Aloo Gobi with her mother commenting in the background, deleted scenes, a music video of the cast, and trailers.