Movie Review and GIVEAWAY: Next Goal Wins {ends 2/6}
*Disclosure: I was provided a digital code to facilitate this review. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.
I missed Next Goal Wins in the theater, and it looked great, so I was excited to check it out.
It's currently available from all major digital retailers (Prime Video,* AppleTV, Vudu, etc.) and it will be on Blu-ray and DVD on February 27.* The Blu-ray and DVD versions will include never-before-seen bonus content including Taika Waititi’s homage to American Samoa, Polynesian culture, and sports movies.
* = Amazon affiliate links
Film synopsis:
Based on a true story, this heartfelt underdog comedy follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup qualifiers fast approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team into winners.
Rating: PG-13
Bonus features:
Featurette
- Creating The Pitch of Life - Explore filmmaker Taika Waititi’s loving homage to American Samoa, Polynesian culture, and the sports movie in this delightfully entertaining short-form documentary. See what it took to make a winning movie about the losingest soccer team in the world.
Deleted scene
My review:
This was a feel-good sports movie, and I usually really enjoy those. It also had a stellar cast: Michael Fassbender as the coach, Elisabeth Moss in a smaller role as his estranged wife, Taika Waititi as a smaller role as well (and also was the director of the movie), and the team itself, who was great.
The coach's character also had a bit of depth, and we see him grow throughout the movie as a character.
I didn't know the backstory of the American Samoa team (all true, by the way) so that was also pretty interesting. Stay tuned until the end of the movie, too, because you'll be able to see an update on how the team is doing today.
GIVEAWAY:
One of my lucky readers will win a digital code for Next Goal Wins! The code can be redeemed at MoviesAnywhere.com.
Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Tuesday, February 6th, at 11:59pm ET, and the winners will be contacted the next day via email.
U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.
Good luck!
Digital copy of Next Goal Wins