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By
DEBORAH NICOL
What to do when you are an
amazing soccer player with the chance to finally
play on an organized team, and your family could
not think of a more horrible insult to their
traditions? Such is the conundrum for Jess (played
passionately by Parminder Nagra), in Gurinder
Chadha's ("What's Cooking?") film "Bend it Like
Beckham."
Though the theme of tradition versus modernity has
been traversed before, this lighthearted film
addresses the situation with respect and humor.
Jess, who lives in a traditional British-Indian
household, becomes frustrated when the family
refuses to allow her to play soccer, as they
believe it will hinder her chances of finding a
good Indian husband. Meanwhile, her sister is
following the respectable path and getting
married, even though she has lied in the process
of doing so. While playing soccer with the local
boys in the park, Jess gets picked out by Jules
("Pirates of the Caribbean's" Keira Knightley) to
join a local women's soccer league, and the
deceptions to Jess's family begin. Jules is also
dealing with similar family aggravations, as her
mother continually presses her into boys and
push-up bras and away from soccer cleats. The two
quickly become friends and bond over their passion
to play professional soccer.
Many follow-your-dreams movies could be dry and
cliché, but this one allows both arguments to
vent, and avoids any Disney trappings. The DVD
includes many extras, including a making-of
featurette, a humorous segment of the director
making Aloo Gobi with her mother commenting in the
background, deleted scenes, a music video of the
cast, and trailers. |
