In The Hands of The Gods
This true story of five young British freestyle footballers is a million miles away from the glory of the Bernabeu of the hype of the NASL. Sharing a common dream of meeting their hero Diego Maradona the group busk their way across the Atlantic and down into South America by showing off their impressive keepy-uppy skills as they hit the road with no funding or sponsorship.
Charting the quintets’ highs and lows, where they are often sleeping rough or going hungry, the under-stated style of the film succeeds in getting past their blokey-banter and false-bravado as the group are refreshingly honest with each other, leaving you as the viewer routing for them to make it down to Buenos Aries and shake that famous hand.
The group is extremely diverse, with a typical cheeky scouser, evangelical Christian and refugee from Somalia who has lead of life of crime since being rejected by his mother among their number. They’ve all got a story to tell and a different reason for being there. And there’s a couple of very daft contemporary haircuts in there too for added comic value.
The lads bond together through their shared ambition, but at it’s core this film is less about football and more a road movie about personal sacrifice and what it means to follow your dream. At times it gets a bit too reality TV for it’s own good, as tantrums, egos, tears and group hugs take centre stage, but it would take someone with a heart of steel not to be moved by the final scenes. As far as British football films go though, it certainly beats the likes of There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble and When Saturday Comes.
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February 17 - Arsenal hit the Silver Screen | On This Football Day on February 17th, 2009
[...] but until then have a look at our reviews of a few recent football movies staring the likes of Maradona, Zizou and Pele that might have escaped under your radar [...]