Goal!

Many people would quite rightly approach a solely football related film with a certain degree of scepticism, for which Vinnie Jones may be held entirely responsible. Previous forays into the ‘field’, have disappointed in the realism of the football involved, and the calibre of acting on show has not gone unnoticed either.

Thankfully Goal! improves on the genre somewhat. Kuno Becker stars as Santiago, an incredibly gifted Mexican in L.A. who juggles his life between surviving on the breadline and shining on the touchline. After impressing ex-Newcastle Utd agent Glen Foy (Stephen Dillane), Santiago arrives in England all set for his inevitable rise to glory and eager to win the heart of Roz (the lovely Anna Friel in a nurses outfit!). Essentially that is the sum of the story, and it’s predictable nature means that the ending is never far out of the audiences sight, however Goal! never pretends to be a complicated piece of cinema; expect it to be so and you will be disappointed.
Where Goal! scores highly is in the quality of the action on the pitch. Footage involving genuine premiership players from actual Newcastle, Liverpool and Chelsea games is seamlessly interlinked with fast paced football from the actors themselves. Any closet (or otherwise) Neighbours fans may fondly remember scenes involving Jack and, even more amusingly, Summer on the football pitch. But fear not, Goal! delivers, and leaves Sky’s ‘Dream Team’ looking distinctly amateur.

Acting-wise Kuno produces an endearing performance, although Alessandro Nivola steals the show as Newcastle’s flashy and egotistical signing Gavin Harris. Certain elements of the story are somewhat superficial but it’s more of a ‘feel good’ film than an in-depth critique of the modern temptations that footballers face. ‘At the end of the day’ Goal! will coax a chuckle here and there and leave you feeling satisfied. It never threatens to be a thrilling Tyne-side derby as such, but it delivers an enjoyable watch.

Goal!
Dir. Danny Cannon
Starring. Kuno Becker, Anna Friel, Stephen Dillane, Alessandro Nivola
3 1/2 stars

This article was posted on Monday, October 3rd, 2005.
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