Bend It Like Beckham

UK 2002, 108 minutes
Dir. Gurinder Chadha
Rating: [M]
Genres: Comedy / Girl-centric

Topics: Sport, Indigenous & Minority Cultures.

Feat. Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Juliet Stevenson

Aroview: Adding exotic, gender-twisting charm and two vivacious performances to the underdog-feelgood formula, this girls-just-wanna-play-footy rom-com netted breakout box office success.

Saddled with heavy cultural tradition and “just being a girl”, Jess, the teenage daughter of Indian immigrants, and her free-spirited London pal fight for their right to bend it like England’s favourite footballer, and for the attention of an eligible young soccer coach (Rhys-Meyers). Lighter than its gender opposite, BILLY ELLIOT, but fresher than similar Stateside fare, the fairer sex especially, are more likely to forgive some rather wish-fulfilment plotting that escalates before the full time whistle.

NZ International Film Festival 2002

Member Reviews

Average rating (Good Enough). Showing 1-3 of 6 member reviews.

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4 stars (Very Good) ~Sarah
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3 stars (Good Enough) Fun, although shallow, this girly comedy will provide a few laughs, but it's best moments are those involving the Indian family and cultural differences, and there are better Bolly/Hollywood comedies out there. ~Tom H
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3 stars (Good Enough) Jess, determined to play for her local football team, defies the traditional Sikh boundaries of her to follow her dreams. Light-hearted feel-good tale that probably due to it's title had wider appeal than it might have otherwise. ~GenXGirl