The heavily embellished true story of a bunch of losers on the worst football team in the world is given the cheeky big screen treatment by director Taika Waititi in “Next Goal Wins,” an sports movie that understands the true meaning of the term “underdogs.” This enjoyable, inspirational, and wholly accessible movie is one that will appeal to the masses, even though (or perhaps because) it is loaded with rubber stamp cinematic conventions.
In 2001, the American Samoa national soccer team faced Australia in a qualifying match for the FIFA World Cup. The match became infamous because Australia set a world record for the largest victory in an international soccer match, winning the game with a 31-0 score. It was a brutal loss for American Samoa, and their team never fully recovered from the embarrassment. Fast forward ten years later with the World Cup qualifiers approaching, and the U.S. territory wants a chance to make a long overdue comeback. The world’s worst soccer team hires maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) with the hope that he can finally turn things around.
The film ticks all of the inspirational sports film boxes in its quest to create the ultimate feel-good story, and Waititi finds great success. The training montages and edge-of-your-seat qualification games are what viewers will crave, and the film delivers. It’s one big cliché (and an obvious riff on the popular Apple series “Ted Lasso”), but it will leave audiences happy.
There’s been some controversy and accusations of transphobia in the film (which are valid), but there’s a silver lining here, too.
First, the film features transgender representation in a way that normalizes it for audiences who may not be the most open-minded. It’s going to take time to educate those with bigoted opinions, and this film could go a long way in doing that by making it mainstream to feature an openly transgender character and actor.
Second, the humor and jokes directed towards trans character Jaiyah (Kaimana) aren’t all mean-spirited. Yes, there’s a scene that features a frank discussion of her genitals (but only to ask about her eligibility to participate on a men’s team), and there are a few wisecracks about hormones, but she’s shown in a very positive light. Other alpha male teams mock Jaiyah, but her own team is fully supportive and welcoming. I do agree that the deadnaming scene is cringe-worthy and inexcusable, but I also want to applaud the positives here.
Indigenous stories that feature an abundance of diversity are terrific to see, especially when presented in such a universal way. Waititi makes great strides in representation here, and the film has the potential to be a runaway sleeper hit. It honors culture and tradition while also remaining easily accessible. The cast is mostly comprised of charismatic unknowns (Beulah Koale, Oscar Kightley, Rachel House, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, Lehi Makisi Falepapalangi), with Fassbender bringing the star power as the heavy drinking, short tempered coach. Even the most jaded characters, and audience members, are charmed by the end.
Don’t let a lack of knowledge of soccer or interest in sports keep you away from “Next Goal Wins,” because this heartwarming story of an imperfect coach and a terrible team will have you believing that anything is possible.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 