Plot
Santiago's father, Hernan Munez, smuggled his penniless Mexican family over the US border to seek a better...

Release Year: 2005

Rating: 6.8/10 (24,172 voted)

Critic's Score: 53/100

Director: Danny Cannon

Stars: Kuno Becker, Alessandro Nivola, Anna Friel

Storyline
Santiago's father, Hernan Munez, smuggled his penniless Mexican family over the US border to seek a better, albeit modest future in L.A. Eldest son Santiago dreams of more, like native Angelinos, then joining Hernan's gardening firm. His change arrives when a British ex-pro spots him as an exceptional soccer natural and promises he can arrange a real British talent scout to check him out. Although that falls trough and dad forbids it, Santiago accepts grandma's savings to try out with English premier league club Newcastle. Despite his asthma, he gets in and befriends the freshly transferred, desperately undisciplined bad boy star scorer, party animal Gavin Harris, who becomes his bothersome house-mate, a recipe for trouble and yet each's salvation.

Writers: Mike Jefferies, Adrian Butchart

Cast:
Leonardo Guerra - 10-Year-Old Santiago
Tony Plana - Hernan Munez
Miriam Colon - Mercedes
Kuno Becker - Santiago Munez
Jorge Cervera - Cesar
Herman Chavas - Referee
Alfredo Rodríguez - Julio
Donald Li - Chinese Restaurant Manager
Kate Tomlinson - Val
Jake Johnson - Tom
Zachary Johnson - Rory
Stephen Dillane - Glen Foy
Sean Pertwee - Barry Rankin
Jonathan Hernandez - Armando
Alessandro Nivola - Gavin Harris

Taglines: Every Dream Has A Beginning

Official Website: BV Entertainment [United States] | BVI [France] |

Release Date: 12 May 2006

Filming Locations: Brentford F.C, Griffin Park, Brentford, Middlesex, England, UK

Box Office Details

Budget: $10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: £857,253 (UK) (2 October 2005) (366 Screens)

Gross: $4,280,577 (USA) (6 August 2006)

Runtime: 118 min

Trivia:
The role of main character Santiago was originally going to be played by Diego Luna but he left to work on other projects. Kuno Becker actually called Diego before he took the role to hear Diego's reasons for not taking the role.

Goofs:
Continuity: When Glen Foy calls Santiago for dinner, we can clearly see that his bed is sideways to the door. The next shot, which is of him getting out of bed, shows the bed at a completely different angle.

Quotes:
Newcastle fan #1: Hows it going?
Newcastle fan #2: We've made all the early running.
Newcastle fan #1: How long's it been on?
Newcastle fan #2: A minute!

A Nutshell Review: Goal!

Rating: 9/10

G-G-GOAL!!! I'm so pleased that there's finally a decent movie about soccer, a sport which for the longest time, doesn't seem to get movie producers excited to put out on screen. Having FIFA sanction this film means getting some realism injected, and lending to the authenticity of is the English Premier League club Newcastle United, together with a host of real life soccer superstars like Beckham, Zidane and Raul.

While the settings and the game results are real, we follow the fictional story of an illegal Mexican immigrant to Los Angeles, Santiago Munez, street footballer extrodinaire. He gets his lucky break when an ex-Newcastle United player turned scout, Glen Foy, chances upon his games, and invites him over to England for trials.

For a guy who's struggling to make ends meet, this presents the perfect opportunity to take a stab at his dream. But tension builds as his father disapproves and is skeptical at both the chance as well as his son's gift to make it big. So he leaves his real dad and family behind, to follow in the footsteps of Foy, his surrogate father in England.

The highlight of the movie is not the real football games that the actors get seamlessly transplanted onto, but rather the many trials and tribulations that Munez goes through to earn his rightful place in the squad. His disastrous first appearance almost made him take the first plane home, and I'd bet many in the audience thought it would be a breeze actually for him to make it to first team. Thankfully, the focus was on his sheer determination to overcome the lack of niceties towards newcomer rookies like himself, and the difficulties and temptations which fill his 30 days trial that Foy literally begged for.

What you read in the papers of the decadent lifestyle of footballers are all in here - the booze, the parties, the clubbing, the women, even video games (taking a stab at David James maybe?). Munez gets introduced to these by fellow teammate and cocky new German acquisition Gavin Harris, whose partying lifestyle takes a toll on his game, and becomes the Toon Army's boo-boy. It's fantastic how these two characters contrast each other, and help each other along the way.

For non-fans of the beautiful game, fear not, you're not gonna be alienated in this movie, as it doesn't sink into technicalities like the dreaded offside rule. You'll enjoy the movie simply because of the strong human drama weaved into the story, as well as the familiarity of easily identifiable themes of hard work, right ethics, living your dreams and fulfilling your aspirations.

Newcastle fans however, will rejoice, as the hallowed grounds of St James Park gets put on the silver screen. For fans without the opportunity of visiting their beloved club, they can gawk at the dressing room, the gym, the dugout, the pitch up close, the city neighbourhood, and "mingle" with fellow fanatical Geordies. Club captain Alan Shearer makes appearances too, as do the many other first team players. But the screen version of the club manager looks uncannily modelled after Arsenal's Arsene Wenger. Fans of Fulham, Chelsea and Liverpool can also see their heroes on screen as well.

Santiago Munez is played by a relative newcomer, Mexican actor Kuno Becker, who was put on real soccer training to improve his skills and make him look credible and natural with the ball at his feet. At certain angles with his short crop, he looks like Michael Owen, who now is playing for Newcastle (he wasn't when this movie was filmed).

I so dig the soundtrack, especially the guitar piece which opened the movie, and track from the trailer which also made its way into the movie - Kasabian's Club Foot, and various pieces by Brit-band Oasis. A pity it's only out in the stores on October 16 (based on Amazon), but I'll be there to pick it up when it hit the shelves.

The ending, even though it wrapped up all the pieces nicely, is a bit abrupt, but I guess it would lead directly into the planned sequels of a trilogy, which involve Real Madrid and the World Cup. This is one movie which can spark someone's interest in soccer, and I'd recommend it to both fans and non-fans alike. Don't let this movie dribble past you!

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