A Netflix original currently streaming starring Oscar nominee Bill Nighy & Top Boy's Micheal Ward. During a chance encounter Nighy, a volunteer soccer coach, runs into Ward at a park where he's snatched a ball from some soccerball kicking kids to strut his stuff. What Ward doesn't know is that Nighy coaches a British team filled w/homeless men which are competing in a world tournament (taking place in Italy) & Nighy feels Ward desperately fits the bill. At first reticent to be included w/the downfallen men, Ward soon steps up to the plate & becomes a captain of sorts bringing his fellow players game (& lives to be honest) up to snuff which culminates when the favored South African team comes to play (a team where he already volunteered his time to assist) & they're down a man, causing him to step in as a substitute. Based on a real yearly contest (who knew?) the film has an 'easy going, you know where this is going to end up' vibe about it which will pluck the apropos heartstrings to great affect w/only the most miserly of curmudgeons dismissing the familiar tract out of hand. Also starring Valeria Golino as the Italian host rep who engages Nighy.
Review of The Beautiful Game
