Bend It Like Beckham
   Okay, I'll admit it, I went and saw Bend It Like Beckham. Yes, the Bend It Like Beckham. Yes, it's a movie about two eighteen-year-old girls, yes, it's a 'Girl-Power' flick, yes, Jonathon Rhys-Meyers says every line with over emphasised anger and seriousness, yes, it has Beckham's name in the title, yes, I thoroughly enjoyed it. For what it is, a light hearted comedy, it's brilliant. It's the story of Jess (Parminder K. Nagra), an 18 year old Indian girl living in London who loves Soccer. She plays down the park with her mates - all boys - and one day she is approached by a girl who plays from an actual women's soccer team (Keira Knightley) and asked if she'd like to join, or at least try out. Her parents aren't too keen on the idea of their youngest daughter playing soccer, and so Jess has to go behind their back to get to games and what not. The story that follows is just how she copes with this secrecy and the twisted love triangle that develops between Nagra, Knightley, and their coach, played by Jonathon Rhys-Meyers.

   The storyline contains about a billion twists and turns in it, but the outcome is still fairly predictable, however this does very little to detract from the movie, because the strength of it lies in the hilarious characters. From the obsessive and domineering, even paranoid mothers in the film to the culturally inept and over sensitive and the Neanderthal Taz, there are some very, very funny characters.

   I want to get this review just right. I did enjoy the movie a lot, some bits of it more than others. I put it in the same category as Spider-Man, as in, there wasn't really a profound, avant-garde message behind it or anything, but it was fun to watch, however Spider-Man is a lot more fun and if you haven't seen it yet, go and do so right now, I mean like, right now. The final scene of Bend It Like Beckham has to be one of the funniest, or most obscure and absurd things I have ever seen, and, I just loved it. I'm effeminate enough to have enjoyed a chick-flick, but we all discussed before hand that.. . it doesn't make us any less of a man for watching it. It was still good. In fact, I watched Bend It Like Beckham, and I'm proud. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it! That's right, I'm proud. I watched it and what's more, I enjoyed it. I don't care if you think I'm gay, or you think I've got bad taste in films, I liked it. I really, really liked it.

  In fact, even though I'm not by any means in touch with my Indian side, I still found some of the humour abso-fucking-lutely hilarious. I think I would've enjoyed it a lot more if I could understand Punjabi, or if I knew how to cook "full Indian dinner" but even from the perspective of a 17 year old Chinese Guy living in Sydney, Australia, this movie about an 18 year old Indian Girl living in London, England was thoroughly enjoyable. I can't put my finger on it, but it was just a great movie to watch. I don't think the characters were people I could relate to more than most, because my parents have never really held me back from doing anything I've wanted to do because of gender roles. I mean, if I did want to wear a dress, my parents might have some problems with that, but any variants on current gender roles that I have taken have been within their guide lines. I mean, traditionally, guys play sport, but in my earlier years I never did, my parent didn't care, I was a boy where it counted, or something. I can't imagine what it must be like for your parents to seriously question your sexuality. I mean, sure my brother could be gay, and my sister's could be lesbians, but my parents have never seriously said that because their children don't conform to gender roles they are homosexual, or they'll grow up to be dysfunctional and unhappy.  Which I think, is a fairly sensible way to go about it.

   Having said that, I may very well grow up to be dysfunctional and unhappy, but it won't be caused by the fact that I didn't play sport as a youngster. I mean, that could end up being the reason I die of a heart attack when I'm 30, but that's not the point, is it. What does this have to do with the movie? .. . I'm really not sure. So anyway, out of a possible 5 stars, 5 being the highest, 0 being the lowest and 2 and a half being average, I give Bend It Like Beckham 3 and a half stars.

Overall: lacking in acting skill and a good storyline, but nevertheless, a quality, light hearted piece of entertainment.. very cultural and funny..