Bend It Like Beckham (2002)

The daughter of orthodox Sikh rebels against her parents' traditionalism and joins a football team.

Director:

Gurinder Chadha

Writers:

Gurinder Chadha, Guljit Bindra

Stars:

Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 17 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Parminder Nagra	...	Jess
Keira Knightley	...	Jules
Jonathan Rhys Meyers	...	Joe
Anupam Kher	...	Mr. Bhamra
Archie Panjabi	...	Pinky Bhamra
Shaznay Lewis	...	Mel
Frank Harper	...	Alan Paxton
Juliet Stevenson	...	Paula Paxton
Shaheen Khan	...	Mrs. Bhamra
Ameet Chana	...	Tony
Pooja Shah	...	Meena (as Poojah Shah)
Paven Virk	...	Bubbly
Preeya Kalidas	...	Monica
Trey Farley	...	Taz
Saraj Chaudhry	...	Sonny (as Saraj Chaudry)

Storyline

A comedy about bending the rules to reach your goal, Bend It Like Beckham explores the world of women's football, from kick-abouts in the park to freekicks in the Final. Set in Hounslow, West London and Hamburg, the film follows two 18 year olds with their hearts set on a future in professional soccer. Heart-stopping talent doesn't seem to be enough when your parents want you to hang up your football boots, find a nice boyfriend and learn to cook the perfect chapatti.

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Plot Keywords:

tradition | hinduism | marriage engagement | lingerie | team | 

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Taglines:

Don't call Them Chicks!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language and sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Netherlands] Official site [United States]

Country:

UK Germany USA

Language:

English Punjabi Hindi German

Release Date:

1 August 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Joue-la comme Beckham

Filming Locations:

Bara Hall Park, Hayes, Middlesex, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£3,500,159 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£2,001,795 (United Kingdom), 14 April 2002, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$161,528, 16 March 2003, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$32,543,449, 23 October 2003

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$76,583,333

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kintop Pictures, Film Council, Filmförderung Hamburg

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Though their characters are roughly the same age, in reality, there is a ten-year age gap between Parminder Nagra (born 1975) and Keira Knightley (born 1985).

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Goofs

When Jess takes the free kick at the end of the match the goalkeeper positions the wall then stands on the wrong side of the goal behind the wall making it easier for Jess to score.

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Quotes

Joe: Look, I can't let you go without knowing.
Jess: What?
Joe: That even with the distance, and it concerns your family, we might still have something. Don't you think?

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Crazy Credits

Special thanks to ... Bhamra Family ...

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Alternate Versions

The word football was been replaced by soccer in many US prints.

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Connections

Referenced in Pinky and Perky Show: Prod It Like Peckham (2008)

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Soundtracks

Independence Day
Written by Melanie C and Eliot Kennedy
Published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd./Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Performed by Melanie C (as Melanie C)
Licensed courtesy of Virgin Records Ltd.

User Reviews

Superb All Around -- An Absolute Gem of a Movie

Hands down, the best movie I've seen in years. I won't re-hash the plot. Suffice to say Parminder Nagra is a phenomenal actress. The talk about contrivance is silly. Of course there's a formula at work -- it's the execution of it that stand out. Exceptional.