 |
|||
 |
 |
||
 | |||
 | |||||||||||
|
|
A Fox release. Directed by Gurinder Chadha; written by Gurinder Chadha, Paul Mayeda Berges and Guljit Bindra; starring Parminder K. Nagra and Keira Knightley. Released to DVD on September 30, 2003. 
It’s an interesting idea, a four star movie with no stars. Produced in the UK, this low budget film (by Hollywood standards at least) is another example of a foreign comedy that is able to run circles around big budget American films in the same genre. Bend it Like Beckham did very well at the U.S. box office, despite having no Hollywood director, studio or stars attached to it. Instead, its success came from a well-written script, solid direction and wonderful performances. Rare indeed. The film works so well because at its core the humor is believable–an element that’s missing from so many of the bloated and poorly written comedies Holly-wood spits out today. The story follows teen Jess Bhamra (Parminder K. Nagra), an English girl obsessed with playing soccer, who idolizes David Beckham, England’s top soccer player (hence the movie’s title). While pursuing her dream, Jess encounters more than a few funny obstacles, including her very traditional Indian parents (Anupam Kher and Shaheen Khan), who strongly push for a more traditionally Indian and lady-like future for Jess. Despite the temptation to over inflate the material in Bend it like Beckham, co-writer / director Gurinder Chadha delivers a message to movie goers to never give up on their dreams without including saccharine, made-for-TV moments. The outstanding cast works well together and brings this charming script just the right amount of heart. Chadha fills the screen with humor and left me in the strange position of wanting to see more entertaining interactions with Jess and her family. There aren’t too many PG-13 movies these days that appeal to both teens and their parents, but Bend It Like Beckham does just that.
jim vincent yes, it's true: It’s fairly well known that David Beckham is married to the former Posh Spice. What isn’t as well known is that his children are named Brooklyn and Romeo. |
| |||||
