In what seems a fairly cynical attempt to win American sport-lovers over to the world game, the FIFA-sanctioned and script-approved film Goal! fails in almost all aspects of filmmaking, but in spite of that is moderately enjoyable for those interested in the gods of the round ball.
Santiago Munez (Kuno Becker) gets more chances at the big time than is conceivable, (and continues to blow them), and this is perhaps the weakest element of Goal! For while one or two mis-steps might be let go, there is no way a professional sporting club like Newcastle United would have tolerated the antics of this young man. The writers seem to have wanted to include more and more trouble for their hero to face, when the film would certainly have been stronger for having one or two less crises. This may also have reduced the running time of 118 minutes, which is really quite excessive for an extremely simple tale of triumph over adversity.
The fact that Munez is even given the opportunity is one of the more laughable aspects of Goal!, and speaks to the filmmakers’ (or FIFA’s?) desire to say that anything is possible if you believe – a worthy sentiment, but one so out of keeping with the realities of modern sport that it is a tough one to sell. The fantasy-like atmosphere utterly betrays the film; when it is shooting for inspirational, it scores only laughable.
Laughable is also a good word to describe the input of real-life superstars David Beckham, Zinédine Zidane and Raul Gonzalez, who share a nightclub scene of intense embarassment. At least the performance of Alan Shearer isn’t completely abysmal, but as his only line is a grunt, most would have succeeded.
Forming the first part of a trilogy – three films were planned prior to the release of this first, suggesting either over-confidence on behalf of the backers, or that they don’t actually care how the films are received as long as they are getting the brand to the forefront – one can hardly wait for this ridiculous story to develop even further. Perhaps Munez can play in the World Cup for his native Mexico and win them their first ever title with a score in the final seconds? Trite, clichéd and full of overly manipulative sentiment, Goal! is really only for football fans.