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Review

Even for American audiences unacquainted with soccer or the absurdly popular player David Beckham (who is idolized by our heroine, along with about a billion others worldwide), this delightful coming-of-age comedy will be impossible to resist. Jess (Nagra) is a teenage girl in turmoil. She lives for soccer, but is growing up in a traditional Indian household, where her place is in the ktichen and in school preparing to meet the perfect Indian husband. She sneaks out each weekend for her soccer game and concocts lies for her loving, over-protective parents. One day in the park she meets Juliette (Knightley) who convinces her to try out for a women's league, which she easily gets a spot on. The coach is the dreamy Joe (Rhys-Meyers - well known to queer movie lovers from Velvet Goldmine) with whom both young women end up falling in love with. Both girls are totally butch and when they are overheard fighting by Juliette's mom (a hysterical Juliette Stevenson) over Joe, she mistakenly feels that they are having a lovers' quarrel and that her daughter is a lesbian. While Jess may be straight, her best friend Tony is decidely not as he confesses to Jess that he too is in love with Beckham.

There is high drama when Jess' sister announces her impending marriage and the date coincides with a crucial soccer match. It seems like just another cinematic excuse to sneak a glorious wedding sequence in, but this one's gorgeously choreographed, has some amazing slapstick moments and a even a queer incident or two. With terrific music, a smiling attitude, delightful gender-smashing and a queer character, Bend it Like Beckham is fun for the whole family.

 -- Scott Cranin