Recently added to Netflix is the British sports drama, The Beautiful Game. The film – directed by Thea Sharrock – stars Bill Nighy and Michael Ward and tells a story about a squad of homeless football players and their attempts to play in the Homeless World Cup.
In the movie, Vinny Walker is a young homeless man who spends his days in the park, cheering on kids playing football. One day, Vinny is approached by retired youth football trainer, Mal Bradley, who suggests he come and play a game with his team.
After they’ve finished, Mal explains that every player is homeless. Mal is training them to take part in a tournament in Rome, and he believes Vinny would be a perfect addition to the team.
At first Vinny is reluctant to get involved, going so far as to deny he is even homeless. However, he soon accepts the opportunity being presented, joins the team, and sets off on a new journey.
Emotionally charged and expertly handled, The Beautiful Game is a delightful and insightful picture about compassion, determination, and hope. It’s a story about overcoming prejudices and personal battles, with a specific focus on one man’s struggles with his own situation.
In the film, Vinny is a young man who has been homeless for a short while, but he hasn’t quite come to terms with it. He has a daily routine, which involves freshening up in a public bathroom, but he also has a job and a car, so as far as he is concerned he isn’t truly homeless.
Vinny’s reluctance to accept his circumstances puts obstacles and barriers in his way. It also fills him with prejudices about his teammates, who he views differently to himself.
By presenting Vinny in this way, and making him a somewhat stand-offish character to begin with, the film is able to tackle preconceptions about homelessness head on. Through Vinnie’s journey the movie explores various different facets about being homeless, and different viewpoints, and this makes for an interesting and informative film.
Moving beyond Vinnie’s story, The Beautiful Game also looks at his team mates, and offers up an insight into their stories. The film presents them as individuals who either made mistakes or fell on hard times, and shows the difficulties of trying to get a life back on track.
Taking part in a football tournament isn’t the solution to their problems, but it is a step forward. Playing football creates a common goal, which briefly gives them some respite from the daily grind, and offers them a chance to find a sense of achievement, which is something often denied to them on the streets.
The purpose of The Beautiful Game is to show the importance of taking part, of self-belief, and pulling together. Life can be overwhelming at times, and often it can be more than one person can handle, but there is strength in numbers and pathways to start again if you can believe in your own self worth.
Leading the film is an excellent cast of actors, spearheaded by Michael Ward as Vinnie and the ever brilliant Bill Nighy as Mal. Both actors are on fine form and put this movie on a firm footing.
The Beautiful Game then benefits from a supporting cast which includes Callum Scott Howells, Robin Nazari, Sheyi Cole, and Kit Young, as well as an excellent script by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, and smart direction from Thea Sharrock. You may be familiar with Sharrock’s name, as she previously directed the excellent Wicked Little Letters, and The Beautiful Game is another cracking film in her portfolio.
Whether you’re interested in football or not, The Beautiful Game is a superb movie. It finds a way to highlight issues surrounding homelessness, and tells a captivating tale.
The Beautiful Game isn’t a comedy, but it has occasional moments of humour, alongside plenty of heart. It’s quite simply a thoroughly good film, with an important story to tell, so don’t overlook it on Netflix.
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