The Game Of Their Lives

The Game Of Their Lives

Jaffa.com

November 21,2006

Synopsis:
Based on a true story, this film tells the tale of the 1950 US soccer team who, against all odds, beat England 1 - 0 in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Although no US team has ever won a World Cup title, this story is about the family traditions and passions which shaped the lives of the players who made up this team of underdogs.

Review by Lavonne Cheah
Star Ratings:
Overall 2.5 stars
Cast 2.5 stars
Plot 3 stars
Effects

Cinematography
3 stars

Watch this if you liked: Bend It Like Beckham and Fever Pitch

Before I went to see this film, I was dreading the fact that it's going to be another movie about football. You see I'm not a football fan, and every four years I only follow the World Cup because of the players. Snigger . Only after watching this film did I realise that there was more to this movie than just soccer.

"The Game Of Our Lives" takes place in the spring of 1950 where the United States was invited to compete in the World Cup in Brazil. Facing financial restrictions and no official soccer team to call their own, the U.S. sets out to recruit players from St. Louis, Missouri, where they found a group of young friends with no professional or international playing experience, only an undying love for the game.

Leaving their wives, girlfriends and families behind for New York, Frank Borghi (Gerard Butler), Harry Keough (Zachery Ty Bryan from "Home Improvement"), Gino Pariani (Louis Mandylor), Frank 'Pee Wee' Wallace (Jay Rodan), and Charles 'Gloves' Colombo (Costas Mandylor) along with Philadelphian Walter Bahr (Wes Bentley), Haitian-born New Yorker Joe Gatjeans (Jimmy Jean-Louis) got together for a short 10-day training period in which these young men from different backgrounds, races and religions were forced to see past one another's differences and become a team.

With the odds considerably against them both abroad and at home, the U.S team arrived in Rio with little training and still no team effort as they first started. After beaten to a pulp by Spain in the World Cup opener, the Americans expected more of the same when they played England's highest-ranked team, which had all-time soccer legends Stan Mortensen (Gavin Rossdale) and Billy Wright, on June 19, 1950.

But then something remarkable happened. The Americans, who never knew real victory and true glory in their lives, clung head-strong to their patriotism and their love for the sport, scored themselves a goal and opened the door for soccer in the United States.

This is a remarkable true story about the human spirit and aspirations to achieve a dream, something they believe in. However, the actors did poorly at pulling off their characters as real-life soccer players. They were not convincing and there was very little character development to actually show the hardship and emotional strain they had to endure before their big game. And the big highlight of the movie - was the big game itself.

The comic relief of this film is provided by Jimmy Jean-Louis who played Haitian-born New Yorker Joe Gatjeans. With his incessant prancing around the field and kneeling down to pray with various hand movements, it was funny to watch as it frightened the rest of his team mates.

It is an entertaining but slow-paced movie. If you are a U.S. soccer fan then catch the movie to relive that historical day. If not, it won't hurt to wait for the dvd.



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