By: Kimberly Grant
Not many people know this about me. I’ve been a soccer fan since the beginning of this year. Go Liverpool FC and shout out to Alisson Becker! At the time, I was dealing with high levels of anxiety and I found that the calming voices of the commentators of the Premier League helped ease my anxiousness. Well, that and I loved Ted Lasso. As a newbie to the love of the sport, I can say that I know enough to know that when a team loses by 31 goals, their goalkeeper is terrible.
Enter Next Goal Wins, out in theaters on November 17. This film is an Official Selection of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.
Based on Truish Events
In Next Goal Wins, Thomas Rongen (played by Michael Fassbender) is a washed up and angry football coach. His career is just about over until the American Soccer Leagues gives him an ultimatum: coach the American Samoa National Team or leave the sport for good. Since I’m writing a movie review, you can guess which one he picked. The American Samoa National Team is considered the worst team in international football…ever. They’re number 204 (at the bottom) to be exact.
Not to be confused with the Independent Nation of Samoa, the American Samoa National Team’s most notable….achievement, is that they lost by 31 goals to Australia in 2001. If any of you readers have ever watched soccer, you’d know that scoring one goal is a big deal, which is why it’s celebrated with such passion when it happens. For the American Samoa team to lose by 31, it means that their goalkeeper, Nicky Salapu (Uli Latukefu), is really bad at his job. He literally has one job.
Considered the worst team in the league, Thomas has his work cut out for him to get the team to score at least one goal to qualify for the 2011 World Cup. The catch: he has to do it in four weeks.
The Talented Waititi
Next Goal Wins was written and directed by Taika Waititi (co-written with Iain Morris). Waititi’s name may sound familiar because he’s the brain behind the last two Thor movies. He doesn’t disappoint in Next Goal Wins, either. His brand is off-beat, yet relatable humor and his stamp on the film would be: “subtly funny moments”. And, this writer/director is one of the few people who can make fun of people of non-color on screen and get away with it.
A New Zealander at heart, Waititi taps into the culture of American Samoa. He makes the football team something more than just a bunch of men and a non-binary person from a small island. He brings humor, heart, religion, hard work, and dedication to the people who tried to keep the football team going, despite crippling loss after loss. We, the audience, get to know the culture of American Samoa while enjoying a heartfelt film.
A Cast of Many
It is a pleasure to see some of the people that I follow on social media (David Tu’itupou, Russell Satele, and John Asi), get to be in a major film. Likewise, Waititi gets to do a cameo as an American Samoan Priest. He’s as talented as an actor as he is a director.
Fassbender as Thomas is a new look for the actor who taps into his anger to be the coach with the temper. And, then there’s Jaiyah (Kaimana). Jaiyah is a pre-op transgender player who is transitioning to become a woman. To help their team qualify for the World Cup, Jaiyah puts their aspirations on hold. What’s so interesting about this character is that American Samoa is deeply religious within the Christian faith. However, they accept Jaiyah for the beauty that they are. And, that’s because they are simple yet loving people.
And, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the man who steals all of his scenes: Oscar Kightley. Kightley plays Tavita, who is the owner of the American Samoa Football Team, as well as the owner of the local restaurant, father of one of the players, and the camera man who helps interview all of the tourists who visit American Samoa; just to name a few. His pure optimism and way with words is the comic relief that keeps this film going.
Not to Ruin the Feel Good
As we all know, all movies are about the journey and not the destination. Since Next Goal Wins is based on true events, you can always look up what happened to the American Samoa National Team or you can entertain yourself by watching the film it inspired. It will have you leaving the theater feeling light and encouraged; the same way I feel whenever Liverpool wins a game. Either way, Waititi has created a film that is a beautifully humorous love letter to American Samoa and the love of football.
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