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Posted in: Movies, Review | Tagged: Michael Fassbender, Next Goal Wins, taika waititi
Next Goal Wins Is Sweet, But Is Missing Something {Review}
Next Goal Wins wanted to be a rousing sports story, but instead feels like it is missing something. The film is now playing in theaters.
Article Summary
- "Next Goal Wins" falls short of a classic underdog sports story.
- Michael Fassbender's performance is seen as lacking the necessary energy.
- Film mishandles its treatment of significant themes, including trans issues.
- Lacks the high energy and engagement expected of a compelling sports movie.
Next Goal Wins wants to be one of those classic sports films about a ragtag group of underdogs that has you in tears when the credits roll. Sadly, that does not happen. Though most of the cast is a highlight, star Michael Fassbender brings the wrong energy to his role, making many of his more emotional scenes feel awkward. Taika Waititi had his heart in the right place with this one, but some of the more touchy material in this story is not handled properly, to the film's detriment. Overall, many sweet moments are mixed throughout, but the film never takes off like it should.
Next Goal Wins Is Missing A Gear
Based on a documentary of the same name from 2014, Next Goal Wins tells the story of the American Samoa national football team. They are the worst-ranked team in the world. They haven't even scored a goal in competition when new coach Thomas Rongen (Fassbender) is sent there to try and rally them into shape. Even though the team doesn't trust him, he forms an unlikely bond with the team's trans player Jaiyah (played by Kaimana), and wins them over as they try to qualify for the 2014 World Cup and score their first goal.
The film is amusing and sweet and has a good heart. The screenplay, by Waititi and Iain Morris, has plenty of room for humor. That ends up hurting the film a bit, though, as the more serious aspects of the story feel glossed over so that we can get back to the jokes. The biggest and most interesting part of this story is Jaiyah Saelua, who was the first transgendered person to play in a World Cup game. Their story is the most important one to get right and should have been handled with more care and attention. The third act features a challenging moment in their story and life, and it feels brushed aside and icky.
Next Goal Wins suffers most from the uneven performance of Michael Fassbender. For a role that seems to call for intense, Bob Knight-style outbursts and tantrums, he comes off as too restrained. Sure, he raises his voice a bunch and goes just to the edge, especially with Kaimana at first, but never all the way that the story seems to call for. It is hidden a bit by the ensemble, like any good sports film, but with ten minutes left in the movie, you have to ask yourself why you should care at all about this guy, even after the reason for his temper is revealed.
There was another gear for this film, which never quite gets there. It has been on the shelf for quite some time and was not without other controversies; weirdly, they didn't go back at any point and do a few reshoots. It always feels pretty low energy, and like it is missing something, and for a rousing sports film, that is a big problem. Couple that with a pretty big fumbling of the more important themes Next Goal Wins tries to tackle, and you get an uneven film that could have been so much more.
Next Goal Wins
5/10
Next Goal Wins wanted to be a rousing sports story, but instead feels like it is missing something. Low energy and not equipped to tackle the tougher aspects of the story, it ends up a pedestrian sports film with some sweet moments.
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