Bend It Like Beckham (2002)

‘Bend It Like Beckham’ is a 2002 sports-comedy film starring Parminder Nagra (Jess) and Keira Knightley (Jules). The film follows Jess, an 18-year-old girl living in Hounslow with her parents. She is obsessed with football, especially David Beckham. She often plays in the park with a group of guys, until one day another young woman (Jules) spots her playing, and is impressed. After being offered to join a women’s team by Jules, Jess’ excitement grows. However, due to their Indian heritage, her parents band her from playing.

‘Bend It Like Beckham’ highlights the struggles that young girls face daily from parents, teachers, and other peers, especially if they want to pursue a career that isn’t considered ‘feminine’. It also shows that girls can be just as good as boys at anything, including sports.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the film. It appealed to my interest in football, and also helped promote the fact that all genders are equal which I fully support, and therefore I would definitely recommend this film. It was interesting, funny, fast-paced and overall entertaining. The film earned over $76 million on only a $6 million budget and was highly regarded by critics, being nominated for several awards.