Review of the Movie

Review of the Movie

’Bend it like Beckham’

The comedy ’Bend it like Beckham’ released in 2002 was directed by Gurinder Chadha and it tells the story of an 18-year old girl called Jess. She lives in London and loves playing football as her aim is to play football as good as David Beckham. But there is still one problem left: Jesimnder is of Indian identity. Her parents rather want her to get married soon, to learn about Indian cuisine and to fulfil their expectations. Jules Paxton spots her playing football in the park with some Indian boys and she convinces her to join her football club. First Jess admits playing in a women’s football but her parents quickly forbid her to do so and from now on, she has to keep her hobby secret. Unfortunately her sister’s wedding takes place at the same day as a very important match, a scout from the US is going to observe. With her father’s help she succeeds in participating in the match and she is even offered a football scholarship at an American university. Her father allows her to go to America, because he is reminded of his discontinued cricket career. While playing att the women’s football team, Jess has fallen in love with her trainer Joe and they decide to tell her parents after her return from the United States.
Primary to the movie, of course, is the conflict between Jess and her conservative parents. The mother is focused on decency and custom and wants her daughter to learn the traditions of a normal Indian woman; her father has his own personal history with sports.  He was a great athlete but after arriving in England, he was met with racism and he just doesn't want his daughter to have to experience that kind of disappointment.  One the one hand, one feels bad for blaming them; after all, they are relatively progressive.  They have decided to allow their daughters to choose who they will marry for themselves. Shaheen Kahn plays the mother at a level of caricature that is funny because it seems natural.  Anupam Kher is the father,...

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