Next Goal Wins movie review: Michael Fassbender & Taika Waititi's sports comedy drama is a feel good underdog tale

Star cast: Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Will Arnett, and Elisabeth Moss

Director: Taika Waititi

Well, I have seen many underdog stories through world cinema. Academy Award winner Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins is no different but the filmmaker’s signature style of humour has made it different and unique in its own way.

Next Goal Wins, which is based on the documentary of the same name, narrates the story of the world’s worst international football team American Samoa, who have never scored a goal and faced the world’s worst defeat against Australia in the history of soccer: 31-0.

Now, talking about Michael Fassbender, he plays Thomas Rongen, a troubled coach, who is recruited to help the team bounce back and make a mark in the most popular sport in the world.

With no hopes, Thomas arrives in American Samoa but soon plans to quit after being unable to adapt to their customs and culture. However, after developing a bond with his team and support staff, he trains and teaches them useful techniques. As the team enters to play World Cup qualifiers, will American Samoa score their first goal ever? Well, for that you need to watch Next Goal Wins on the big screens.

In Next Goal Wins, apart from Taika Waititi’s cameo, the filmmaker can be seen in every frame due to its humorous treatment along with some breezy and emotional moments. The film scores well due to its crisp runtime of under two hours, which keeps the film very specific to its subject and purpose.

Talking about the performances, Michael Fassbender as Thomas Rongen is bang on and plays his part to the T. But for me, the show stealer is Oscar Kightley aka Tavita, who lits up the screens with his wit and bang-on comic timing along with some emotional scenes. The rest of the cast perfectly fits the bill.

On the whole, Next Goal Wins is a heartwarming underdog tale, which shows life beyond sports.

Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars)

Next Goal Wins is playing in cinemas

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