WHO WANTS TO COOK ALOO GOBI WHEN YOU CAN BEND A BALL LIKE BECKHAM?
Anglo-Indian Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) loves to play soccer and is so good at it that she gets a chance to play professionally in America… but her parents are less than thrilled. Nagra is a lot older than her character but still delivers a convincing performance as the teenager who idolizes David Beckham; Keira Knightley also got her breakthrough here and the girls are ably supported by a game cast of Anglo-Indians. Director Gurinder Chadha skillfully conveys the passion of soccer and Indian culture. It’s a story that lies close to her heart… but there isn’t a moment in the film that isn’t predictable.
2002-U.S.-Britain-Germany. 115 min. Color. Directed by Gurinder Chadha. Cast: Parminder Nagra (Jess Bhamra), Keira Knightley (Jules Paxton), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Joe), Juliet Stevenson, Anupam Kher, Archie Panjabi.
Trivia: Later a stage musical.
