What Is the Story About?
This heartwarming story follows a squad of homeless footballers from England and their resilient coach Mal who takes upon him the responsibility to train and coach the team for the global annual football tournament – the Homeless World Cup. When Mal meets Vinny – a talented striker, the future of the team changes but does the game really change tides for the players and what are the players playing the game for? Where do each player come from? The movie takes a nuanced look at all of these and more.
Performances?
One of the strongest assets of A Beautiful Game is a cast that resonates with you and wins you over eventually. Bill Nighy‘s Mal is an extremely likeable character. As a coach to Englands’s Homeless Football team, he acts as a driving force to the under-dog story in more ways than one.
Michael Ward, another strong foundation to the story churns a star-making performance once again as Vinny – a talented striker who Mal scouts to the team one afternoon. Vinny is not an easily endearing character and he takes a while to have a convincing turnaround with his character’s growth.
Analysis
Directed by Thea Sharrock (director of the popular romance drama Me Before You and The One & Only Ivan) and written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce (Sometimes Always Never), A Beautiful Game is a sports dramedy that follows England’s Soccer team’s victory at the Homeless World Cup through the eyes of their coach Mal and star player Vinny.
A Beautiful Game starts with a talented striker Vinny unintentionally interrupting football legend Mal, also the England National Team’s coach for the Homeless World Cup. As Vinny flaunts his football skills, Mal scouts him to join the team which he declines. Despite having a wife and a kid, he leads a secluded and estranged life with no regular income, thereby qualifying to be a part of the team for Homeless Football Cup.
Vinny, is not an instantly likeable hero of this underdog story. He declines the offer to join the team, however is unable to resist the offer for long considering the perks that came with it. For someone like Vinny, sleeping on a real bed and travelling all the way to Rome on a sponsored trip for an international competition matters quite a lot more. But, he doesn’t treat his team-mates as equals off-the-pitch. He has an overburdening ego and superiority complex that keeps him from bonding with his mates.
As for Mal, Vinny is the only chance for a victory because the rest of the team members just don’t have it like him. They have their own share of disheartening stories, history with substance abuse and crime. It’s football that keeps them sane and safe. A Beautiful Game follows Mal’s journey with a team of outcasts and Vinny’s redemptive journey as he battles his inner demons and befriends his mates while churning history.
One of the best things about A Beautiful Game is that it shows football as a game that means more than life to many. And how events like the Homeless Worldcup can be often life-changing to people who’ve been disgraced in life due to circumstances. A Beautiful Game takes a nuanced look at redemption and second chances with a beating heart, where every player from every country has a story to tell.
As Vinny undergoes a life-altering arc throughout the course of the Worldcup tournament with the help of his team-mates and coach Mal who never gave up on him, another player Nathan succumbs to life’s hardships despite attempts to fix his addiction and broken relationships. The movie paints a realistic picture rather than making everything seem a bed of roses. Second chances are rare, rarer are the ones who embrace second chances to become better people.
A Beautiful Game treads familiar paths that sports dramedies and underdog stories usually stick to, but also doesn’t fully furnish itself with old-school gimmicks. The film bears a genuine heart and is as well intentioned as its execution. Events like Homeless World Cup extend a ray of hope to people with terrible life experiences. The way A Beautiful Game handles themes like hope, addiction and depression with nuance makes it extra special.
In short, A Beautiful Game is a sweet and tender under-dog story that sheds light on homelessness – an alarming social phenomenon, driven by a charming cast and some really effective performances.
Music and Other Departments?
Adem Ilhan’s music aids the sweet and tender premise of A Beautiful Game adequately. Mike Eley’s cinematography is nothing ground-breaking but lends a charming feel goodness and a pumping heart to the story. Fernando Stutz’ editing is also quite on the point.
Highlights?
Inspiring Story & Premise
Cast & Performances
Drawbacks?
Predictability
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes.
Will You Recommend It?
Yes. It’s a feel good movie that would win you over.
The Beautiful Game Movie Review by Binged Bureau
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