Next Goal Wins

Directed by Taika Waititi, Next Goal Wins follows a grizzled coach (Michael Fassbender’s Thomas Rongen) as he agrees to help the notoriously terrible American Samoa soccer team lodge their very first victory. It’s an exceedingly familiar premise that is, for the most part, employed to affable and often spellbinding effect by Waititi, as the filmmaker, armed with his and Iain Morris’ screenplay, effectively draws the viewer into the far-from-surprising narrative by emphasizing a series of compelling, sympathetic protagonists – with Fassbender’s tremendously appealing turn anchoring the proceedings on a fairly consistent basis. (And it doesn’t hurt, either, that Waititi has elicited equally strong work from the various performers cast as the ragtag players, including (and especially) Kaimana’s stirring efforts as the trans Jaiyah.) There is, as such, little doubt that the well-worn nature of Next Goal Wins‘ storyline is rarely, if ever, as problematic or distracting as one might’ve anticipated, and it’s clear, too, that the movie’s progressively absorbing feel paves the way for an impressively engrossing (and satisfying) climactic stretch – with the end result a top-tier inspirational sports picture that sporadically does pack a palpable punch.

***1/2 out of ****