Bend It Like Beckham (2003)

Those silly brits.

Bend It Like Backham is a cute and harmless family film. Keira Knightley proudly shows off her rock-hard abs while Jonathan Rhys Meyers is a nice piece of eye candy, hubba hubba! Good sports film but some of the dialogue is pretty laughable, a mixed bag for me so decide for yourself. October 12, 2008

Good and bad

I can understand the good and bad reviews for this movie. It's high-energy fun, a teen flick without too much stupid silliness or any of those contrived "misunderstandings" that are so common in comedies. The teen characters are irresistibly cute, the culture clashes are funny and not overdone, and the soccer scenes are exciting (I wish there were more of them).

But if the messages in this movie about "girl power" and following your dreams are going to be taken half seriously, then there's much to criticize. Most of the Indian girls and boys seem obsessed with sex, shopping, and early marriage. The girls lie to their parents time and time again. And what does it really say about girl power when the main character, Jess, as a beautiful, extremely talented soccer player, can win a sport scholarship to an American university? Are beautiful, extremely talented girls the only ones then who can hope to exercise "girl power"? Jess doesn't have to work hard to acquire her soccer skills. She didn't even play on her high school team! And yet she is better than all the other talented girls who have worked hard for years, been coached, and played on teams. Everything comes so easy for Jess that it's easier to attribute her success to pure luck than to hard work or girl power.

On the other hand, besides being blessed and lucky Jess is sweet and level-headed. The movie is fun; the lessons are questionable. September 15, 2008

Great Movie!!!

I love cross cultural movies and books and this is one of the finest I've seen. The book "Veil of Roses" is also a great example of how two cultures can blend very nicely into one. July 8, 2008

A jewel of a comedy, don't miss it!

This is a rare film because it is funny, filled with action, revealing the struggle of cultures attempting to evolve within a foreign country and yet, fighting to keep the set of values that make them unique.

Bend it Like Beckham is a superb comedy that evolves around the lives of an Indian family raising two daughters, one following the values of her culture, considering that marriage and family are the keys to happiness, while the other is open and hungers to change the status quo.

Jess, masterfully played by Parminder Nagra, is an Indian girl born in England who, like her father, has great athletic aptitude and dreams of becoming a soccer player. She is fighting against prejudice because her own people do not want to see a girl showing her legs all over the television, a country where girls do not have the opportunities to shine if they excel in her sport, and her own demons because she fears rejection.

Enter a new English friend Juliet, superbly played by Keira Knightley, who scouts for her soccer team and is impressed about the ability of Jess when she sees her play at the park, competing and winning while surrounded by boys. Juliet approaches Jess and encourages her to join the girls team, and Jess accepts but secretly joins because she fears her family finding out and not permitting her to follow her dreams.

The male coach, played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, becomes the agent of change that opens Jess to no longer fear rejection, to overcome her personal fear of showing disfigurement in public, and the trigger for Jess to open her heart to welcome real change and that is becoming part of another cultural set of values.

This story is much like "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" a genuine story of the struggle individuals go through as they open their hearts to understanding others with different and sometimes, clashing values, morals, and religious beliefs. This movie is a jewel and if you have teenagers around questioning their lives, this film provides a fun way to realize that we need to understand who we are, work hard at what we want, and follow our dreams, regardless of the barriers we encounter.

Don't miss it!!!
May 5, 2008

"Bend it Like Beckham" Movie DVD

Hooray For Bollywood! THis is a very sweet and funny movie about a young girl, trying to swim upstream against the traditions of her Immigrant family. She is always respectful of them, but sometimes has to go against their wishes to fulfill her own role as a female soccer player.
I love this movie, there is no "bathroom" humor such as that found in most movies today...just a very heart warming story with a inside look at family life, It's great! April 13, 2008

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