We went to see Bend It Like Beckham last Friday night (in case you’ve been waiting with bated breath since my Friday posting to hear what we went to see). We disagreed on the title—Darin didn’t like it, I think it’s pretty good, because it’s offbeat and intriguing for Americans—but we agreed on everything else. BILB is a good movie: enjoyable, nice characters, likeable main character overcoming strong odds to achieve her goals. The entire thing’s predictable, of course, but you don’t care.
Jess, the main character, is an Indian-British girl who loves playing soccer. Jess’s parents, orthodox Sikhs, want her to be a proper Indian girl, learn to make the proper Indian dinners for her future husband, and stop all this soccer nonsense. Jess meets Juliette, who gets her to play on her club team, which is managed by Joe. (It only strikes me right now that all these characters have names that begin with “J,” which is usually a no-no. Anyhow.) Jess plays soccer on the sly, without her parents’ permission. WHAT WILL HAPPEN? Oh yes, and Jess and Joe are attracted to one another, but Jess knows Juliette has a crush on Joe. WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
Don’t worry too much, ‘kay? It’s fun stuff, from scenes from Jess’s home life to the interactions with Juliette and Joe. One too many “Oops! Accidentally caught at something!” plot twists, but whatever: just enjoy it.
One aspect I really enjoyed was the final shot, which tells you so much about how things have turned out. So many movies hit you over the head explaining things: I was happy that the filmmakers trusted us with a visual.
One annoying aspect: the plethora of unfunny gay/lesbian jokes. I mean, you know, enough’s enough already. Shouldn’t the Brits be ahead of us on that score?
Okay, another annoying aspect: at no point is Jess ever shown “bending it like Beckham,” so if you’re not up on European soccer (or Spice Girls), you don’t really have a clue what the hell it means. The filmmakers could have thrown us a bone on that one.
Anyhow: two thumbs up.
She (Jess) totally bent it like Beckham when she won the penalty shot.
Insert stupid pedantic nitpick here.
Well, I knew that Jess bent it like Beckham on that final shot — but if a member of the audience didn’t know what the term meant beforehand, the movie didn’t help at all. And we never *see* Jess do it (maybe the filmmakers couldn’t make it happen) — we see what’s happening from the POV of the ball.
Diane, this is just a question that I think I know the answer, but maybe I’m wrong. Is it “baited” breath? Or shouldn’t it be “bated” breath? Your breath is on hold, not acting as bait for something. Just a clarification needed, but as an English lit. person something I find interesting…….
Webster says bated.
ALL RIGHT ALREADY. I’ve changed it!
I will NEVER use that expression again. Ever.
I went with a big group of gays to see Beckham. They thought the gay/lesbian jokes were hilarious. Britain may be “ahead of us on that score”, but it’s not to say it’s completely tolerated everywhere. Making light cracks about it (that eventually turn out to be very Disney happy in the end) makes it easier on everyone, both the people that get offended by gay jokes and are the offenders.
i loved this movie, some of the stuff they say in it makes a lot more sense if you actually know the language, and since i do, i was cracking up at some of the parts that noone else in the theatre understood, so yeah it was embarrassing, but i liked it a lot, definitly recommended for the humor movie lovers :0)
She *did* bend it during the film – the scene where she is hanging up laundry, then places the ball and kicks it; it goes to the right of the laundry and curves around the back. Parminder Nagra did actually learn to bend balls for the film – in one of her interviews she talks about the technique (something to do with catching it with the part of your foot between toes and instep and putting a spin on it so it curves. I agree though they could have explained it better for US audiences.
Ya know, I got what “bend it” means from the context, though I’d never heard it before. I think most other people can get it too and am glad, for once, that marketers assumed intelligence on the part of Americans instead of complete stoopidity.
I agree that they should have ecplained the “Bend” a little more. Ima American, but i follow the british soccer, so i had to sit there a explan to my friends what it ment.
Glad I read the entry. Now when i go see the movie, i’ll get the “bend”!
***wow****
you can never forget ,Bend It Like Beckham is an insightful and incredibly funny look at how one girl bends the rules of gender, culture and family tradition to achieve her goal of playing soccer. While it’s not groundbreaking material, it’s both sincere and engaging,you will always remmber this movie no matter what`s happen to you! I am soooooooooooooo happy I saw this movie. I must admit that although I went into the theater in a mad mood, by the end, I had an emotional stake in the conclusion. I was not disappointed. I was actually crying (happy tears of course).
and also did you know that?
Really! Don’t believe me?
Go here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2002/03/29/parminder_nagra_bend_it_like_beckham_inter view.shtml
and read the interview that she did.
and also joe,is,..
Jonny was born with a heart condition, and was baptized rather quickly for fear he would not live long.
He was kicked out of school permanently at the age of 16.
He sang some of the songs that appear in Velvet Goldmine.
Dated Velvet Goldmine co-star Toni Collette.
Has a horse named Bel
He was choosen by Cosmopolitan Magazine at #34 of the 100 Most Sexy Men In The World 1998.
Uncle of his brother’s child, Dylan.
and if you like to remmber bent it like beckham more lisen to this song ” i turn to you” , by Melanie C * if you remmber you heard it in The song in the club scene…
hope you enjoy it
best gift you can every gave to your friend
awesum movie review guys- Jess really DID bend it like Beckham- in fact, she could almost replace him in England’s side joke lol… well, um yeah kool movie and i loved every minute of it