The Beautiful Game: How Football can change lives, Including the Homeless and those who have lost their way

 4/5

“You represent the possibility of change. You represent the massive potential that sport has to help build a better world.”

These words encapsulate the spirit and message of this life affirming movie that is available on NETFLIX. Directed by Thea Sharrock and starring Bill Nighy and Michael Ward, the story follows a gifted but troubled player Vinny and his relationship with his coach as they compete in the Homeless World Cup in Rome.

The Beautiful game is inspired by the real-life Homeless World Cup, an annual tournament that has been running since 2003. I didn’t know about this event until I watched this film and the story was informative as well as very moving. The Homeless World Cup helps more than 1.2 million people worldwide to find a way to escape the streets by helping them find purpose and meaning in their lives. Through football they can build self-esteem and learn to forge better relationships with people and heal psychological wounds that many of them carry.

Mal, played by Billy Nighy stars as the homeless England Team Manager. He was a former scout for West Ham and the film skilfully shows how he accommodates and navigates each player’s weaknesses and insecurities. This includes star striker Vinnie who was scouted to West Ham by Mal as a child but never quite made the grade. This disappointment added to Vinny’s problems, leaving him eventually homeless.

Can Vinny find redemption in Rome?  

I don’t normally like football films because they rarely recreate the drama and excitement of the real event, leaving them looking contrived. However, this is an exception. With its sporting drama and social commentary, The Beautiful Game can be added to the list of classic underdog sports movies. 

The script by Frank Boyd is warm hearted, heartfelt and most importantly when dealing with the complicated subject of homelessness, understanding and kind. It puts football first but doesn’t forget to delve into the characters.

It is the characters, who appear fully formed with warts and all that raises the movie above its rivals in the genre.  

It is full of funny and inspiring moments, while not forgetting to balance this with the dark themes of the film. Moreover, it brings awareness to the problem of homelessness and never judges the personal stories of the characters. 

The interesting aspect of this film is that it highlights the stresses that athletes endure when they don’t make it in their particular industry. The implications of this failure can be devasting to them and the people around them. To them their lives lose meaning, but The Beautiful Game shows that this does not have to be the case, and that while sport is important it does not have to define you.

Highly recommended. 

4 Comments

  1. Bassim said:

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    April 21, 2024
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    October 27, 2024
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