Next Goal Wins is a fascinating case study on what happens when misguided direction turns a projected oscar contender into a film no one saw or enjoyed. Its incredible to see just how much of a downturn the film had after it’s initial reception at film festivals before it’s release. Even I, a lifelong fan of soccer, thought to myself “ehhh thanks but no thanks” when I had the opprtunity to see it in theaters. That truly speaks for itself in terms of the quality of this so-called comedy.
The film follows the story of the now infamous American Samoa international men’s soccer team. The team is widely regarded as the worst in the world, and are most famous for their 31-0 loss in world cup qualifiers back in 2001. In 2014, they hired Dutch-American coach Thomas Rongen to turn their team around and try to win a game.
This is all a true story, by the way. You can look it up. It’s an incredible story of a small nation rallying and proving that anything is possible through work and determination. No matter how small you may seem.
You’d never know it though by watching Next Goal Wins. The film treats the entire situation as more farce than fact. There are so many outlandish situations that reek of the type of “Taika Waititi comedy goodness” that tainted Thor: Love and Thunder. Billed as a comedy, I was shocked at how unfunny the film was. I believe I only laughed one time. Most of the jokes felt incredibly juvenile and didn’t fit the narrative they were trying to sell.
The acting, especially that of Michael Fassbender as Rongen, felt believable and I had no issues with his performance. I also really appreciated how Waititi used actors of Samoan descent in the film. It added a natural touch that was sorely needed. I also felt that they treated Jaiyah the topic of Faʻafafine people in Samoan culture with the respect they deserve.
Final Thoughts
I just really wish this had been made into a drama instead of a straight comedy. The story being told is fascinating and deserves better treatment than this. If you truly want to see the story of this team and it’s players and coach told in a better format, then watch the 2014 Documentary, also title Next Goal Wins, instead of this film.
