The Beautiful Game (2024)

If there is a sub-genre that is sure to put smiles on faces and often fit for family viewing, it’s a sporting underdog story. This one focuses on the Homeless Football World Cup, which has been held every year since 2001 and involves seventy countries--which is the ultimate underdog story, people who have no permanent housing getting together to play soccer. Bill Nighy is the star of the show--he plays Mal, an experienced Football Coach and talent scout who now oversees the England homeless football squad. The movie opens in a park in London, where Vinny catches his eye with some deft moves (albeit against a group of kids). Mal invites Vinny to join the squad with Vinny living out of the back of his car and struggling to find shift work. The bulk of the action revolves around the World Cup itself taking place in Rome with a ragtag mix of players, who do not seem to be able to work especially well together. This blend of hopeless players, inspired by their coach, feels reminiscent of other feel good movies in the genre. This tackles some deeper themes like addiction, with comments on belonging and cultural differences highlighted by some players from the competing teams being refugees. While, for the most part, there is plenty to admire in The Beautiful Game, it gets bogged down in some of its subplots, which can at times meander. Streaming on Netflix.