Next Goal Wins (2023)
Dir: Taikia Waititi
Writers: Taikia Waititi; Iain Morris
Starring: Michael Fassbender; Oscar Kightley; Kaimana
By Paul Bernardo @paulieb2003@gmail.com
American Samoa, had the worst soccer team on the planet. There was a historic FIFA match where American Samoa lost 31-0. From then on, this team tries to set a lofty goal of scoring a goal sometime, somewhere in a FIFA match.
So that’s the premise. No live or die, nothing pressuring them, no backs against the wall. They just want to score a goal. Pretty simple. So like countless other underdog movies, they hire a coach nobody wants. The coach, though, is not an alcoholic, not a drug addict, no prison record, no loan sharks after him, nothing. This coach, has a bad temper from time to time. Yikes. Please no! Right?
So the team is under no pressure, the coach is under no pressure, and so it goes. The most interesting and enjoyable thing about this film is that it takes place in American Samoa, where everybody talks, sounds and acts like Taikia Waititi. Who doesn’t enjoy that? The accents are heartwarming, the culture is heartwarming and charming, it’s a small town, lots of charisma. So that’s the film. You get to enjoy American Samoa for 2 hours. The team is not important, you don’t even get to know all their names. The coach played by Michael Fassbender is not exactly a star attraction, so you overlook him. Especially since it makes no difference if he is there or not. He has no goals, nothing to achieve, he’s there because he needs a job, just to pay bills. So nothing out of the ordinary or pressing for him.
I watched the movie all the way through, because it’s charming. I love their way of life and how they talk. So I watched. It’s more of a tourist guide movie, then a drama or anything else. You just spend a day in American Samoa. Which is nice. Something you don’t see at all, every day, so it’s interesting. Other than that – don’t watch. The story is beyond bad and non-existent. It’s not an underdog story as much as it is a PBS special about American Samoa and it’s history.
So if you love to travel and you like travel films – this one if for you! Enjoy!
