Goal! (2005)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Danny Cannon

Writers:

Mike Jefferies (story) and
Adrian Butchart (story) ...

Release Date:

12 May 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Tagline:

Every Dream Has A Beginning

Plot:

Like millions of kids around the world, Santiago harbors the dream of being a professional footballer...

Plot Keywords:

Newcastle United | Pub | Athletic Scout | Grandmother | Catholic

Awards:

1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Leonardo Guerra	...	10-Year-Old Santiago
Tony Plana	...	Hernan Munez
Miriam Colon	...	Mercedes
Kuno Becker	...	Santiago Munez
Jorge Cervera	...	Cesar
Herman Chavas	...	Referee
Alfredo Rodríguez	...	Julio
Donald Li	...	Chinese Restaurant Manager
Kate Tomlinson	...	Val
Jake Johnson	...	Tom
Zachary Johnson	...	Rory
Stephen Dillane	...	Glen Foy
Sean Pertwee	...	Barry Rankin
Jonathan Hernandez	...	Armando
Alessandro Nivola	...	Gavin Harris

Also Known As:

Goal! The Dream Begins (USA)
Goal!: The Impossible Dream (Europe: English title) (DVD box title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content, language and a brief drug reference; Rated PG for language, sexual situations, and some thematic material including partying. (edited from PG-13 version)

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

UK:12A | Norway:A | Ireland:PG | Finland:S | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Sweden:Btl | Netherlands:AL | Hong Kong:IIA | Australia:PG | Germany:o.Al. | Argentina:Atp | Switzerland:10 (canton of Zurich) | Brazil:Livre | USA:PG-13 | Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | USA:PG (edited version) | South Korea:12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Milkshake Films

Trivia:

The role of main character Santiago was originally going to be played by Diego Luna but he left to work on other projects. Kuno Becker actually called Diego before he took the role to hear Diego's reasons for not taking the role.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: As Newcastle United have three matches left to qualify for a place in a European competition, this would set the time of the story towards the end of April (mid spring). However the climatic conditions depicted show what North East England is like in winter.

Quotes:

Santiago Munez: The only one who can tell me I'm not good enough is you. And even then I may not agree with you.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Goal II: Living the Dream (2007)

Soundtrack:

Playground Superstar

A Film with a Heart

Yes, this is another sports biography that offers a stage on which to play out the drama of the possibilities of dreams of the disenfranchised to become a reality. There are many, many films like this one and will doubtless be more: something there is about the 'team spirit' in the identity crisis of whether or not the poor (financially) new guy will be able to make the physical grade that draws large audiences. It is a formula and it often works despite weak structure and production values.

In the case of GOAL! THE DREAM BEGINS the viewer can put aside the doubts as to whether the film can make it on its own: this little low profile movie is well written (Mike Jefferies's story adapted for the screen by Adrian Butchart), well directed by Danny Cannon who knows well how to integrate live sports scenes into the drama, and consistently well acted by a troop of excellent actors, beginning with the very vibrant, handsome, and charismatic Kuno Becker ('Lucia, Lucia', 'Imagining Argentina', 'Once Upon a Wedding', 'English as a Second Language'), a 28 year old Mexican actor with an assured future in the lead role of Santiago. The supporting roles are classy contributions by the gifted Alessandro Nivola ('The Sisters', 'Junebug', 'The Clearing', 'Laurel Canyon', 'Love's Labour's Lost', 'Mansfield Park' etc), the very beautiful Anna Friel, Stephen Dillane, Marcel Iures, Tony Plana, Miriam Colon to mention only a few.

The story is secondary: as a child devotee of soccer Santiago immigrates illegally into the US with his family, grows up in Los Angeles working as a gardener, a dishwasher and other menial tasks while he consumes his spare time with developing his unique talents for soccer. Despite his father's insistence that he remain with the family business of gardening, Santiago is discovered by a scout on vacation from England, a bond develops and soon Santiago is off to Newcastle to pursue his dream of being a professional soccer player. The rest is pretty obvious - the ups and downs of an asthmatic kid competing in the wild world of sports. The star of the moment is Alessandro Nivola and despite the differences in their goals and social life they become friends who help each other in tender ways. There is of course a love interest, telephone calls and encouragement form Santiago's grandmother, adjustments to life in the UK -all altering the road toward Santiago's eventually attained goal.

The film is a bit lengthy (two hours) for the content, but then we understand this is the first of a trilogy, so get used to the story and the characters as they all remain constant for the next two installments. Whatever reservations you may have about sitting through another predictable sports movie just relax them: Kuno Becker alone is worth the time invested in this very fine little film. Grady Harp