Taika Waititi, the renowned director behind hits like “Jojo Rabbit” and Thor: Love and Thunder”, comes Next Goal Wins. While admitting limited knowledge about soccer Waititi goes into the world of the traditionally unimpressive 2011 American Samoa men’s squad, in their struggle to qualify for the FIFA World Cup after an infamous 31-0 drubbing against Australia.
Next goal wins, the film is scheduled for release in theatres come Friday and breaks away from the norm. It is about the struggle of the team towards atonement and securing a qualification slot in the World Cup.
But waititi’s movie is not only about winning locker-room speeches or obvious sporting success. Rather than such an approach, it has a very original de-constructivist view that comes out of the 2014 documentary.
It flourished by turning the conventional sports film story on its head and presenting an entirely new perspective on the genre. Waititi’s vision goes beyond the usual win or lose drama by highlighting the appeal and charm of his Polynesian cast.
Most importantly, Michael Fassbender plays as a coach who is in charge of turning around the struggling team. However, the core of this film dwells on the accurate depiction of various characters such as Oscar Kightly and Kaimana is seen as Jaiyah Saelua.
Waititi displays his tendency of non-conformist approach and storytelling in “Next Goal Wins.” The movie does not just dwell on the competitive dimension but honours humanity, fighting spirit and uniqueness of narrative weaved in the plot.
The director’s story continues to be unique in this surprising soccer narrative. Also, it keeps breaking down the limits for the cinema by bringing a deep understanding of an underdog story in the context of football strength.
Check out the trailer:
