Next Goal Wins (12A)

Dir: Taika Waititi

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Taika Waititi, Will Arnett, Elisabeth Moss

Taika Waititi’s crowd-pleasing and occasionally hilarious sports comedy has its heart in the right place but it is incredibly dated and formulaic

The latest film by New Zealand writer-director, Taika Waititi, is a big screen adaptation based on the inspirational story of the American Samoa national football team, who won their first ever competitive football match in 2011. The film had previously been adapted into a critically acclaimed documentary in 2014, and Waititi saw his opportunity to implement his unique style of humour into this true underdog story.

Waititi first became well known for his absurdist and niche humour following the release and success of his films: Eagle vs. Shark (2007); Boy (2010); What We Do in the Shadows (2014); and Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016), all of which were filmed and produced in his native New Zealand. Waititi would then go on to gain worldwide recognition for his work on the comic book movie, Thor: Ragnarök (2017) and World War II comedy-drama Jojo Rabbit (2019), the latter of which winning him an Academy Award for Adapted Screenplay.

After reaching a career high, Waititi’s stock began to plumet following the release of Thor: Love and Thunder in 2022. The film was panned by critics and audiences, as they believed Waititi had lost the charm and humour that made him a household name. The filmmaker would later go on to admit that he did not care for the two Thor movies he directed, and he simply did it for the money, infuriating fans and producers at Disney in the process.

Waititi will be looking to bounce back with his football comedy ‘Next Goal Wins‘, which sees him return to his Pacific roots. The film focuses more on comedy and feel-good factor rather than historical accuracy, something that is addressed in the movie’s opening frames by a scene-chewing Waititi himself. He then goes on to narrate over a expository montage depicting American Samoa’s complete humiliation in 2001 at the hands of Australia, when they lost 31-0 in a World Cup qualifying match – the biggest ever defeat in international football history.

We are then introduced to Dutch-American “soccer” coach, Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), as he is fired from his managerial job with the United States under 20 side. Across the table from Thomas is MLS representative Gail (Elisabeth Moss), who is also his wife, with whom he is separated. Also present is Gail’s new partner and fellow MLS official, Alex (Will Arnett), who informs Thomas that his only career option is to manage to American Samoa national team.

When Thomas arrives on the small South Pacific island, he is greeted by the chairman of FFAS (Football Federation of American Samoa), Tavita (Michael Kightley). Tavita is confident that Thomas will answer all of his prayers and will get the team good enough to score their first ever goal. Thomas becomes isolated and lonely, and soon becomes an alcoholic mess as he constantly listens to voicemails from Gail and their teenage daughter. Despite a bad reputation for his negativity and hostility towards players, Tavita and the team are optimistic that Thomas can use his experience to improve the team enough so they can score that elusive first goal.

Despite recent backlash against him by the public, there is never any questioning Waititi when it comes to his humour. The filmmaker is a natural comedian, whether he is behind the camera or in front of it. That is further proven here as he and co-writer Iain Morris (The Inbetweeners) take all the typical tropes of the genre and add their own comedic elements to it. For the most part the film is hilarious, with an abundance of one-liners and slapstick to keep you laughing throughout the film’s breezy runtime. Like any sports comedy, the film is light-hearted and well spirited and I doubt even the most cynical viewer cannot help but root for the American Samoan players that we have come to know, as they face of against Tonga in the historical match.

That being said, it is these tropes that make the film dated and uninspired. It may work on a surface level and you will no doubt come out of the film with a smile on your face, but the events of the film will soon become a distant memory due to a real lack of substance. The most engaging and topical moments revolve around Thomas’ interactions with fa’afafine player, Jaiyah (Kaimana), who was the first ever transgender player to play a World Cup qualifying match. Waititi manages to use the film’s 2011 setting to show the strides taken for equality in the sport and society as a whole, as the much maligned Jaiyah is now a key figure of the LGTBQ+ community in the sport. These scenes aside, any set piece or character arc can be seen in countless other sports-comedies of the 2000s, making the film feel incredibly dated and generic. I do feel if this film did come out in the mid 2000s, it may have built up a cult following due to the nature of the world and cinema at the time. Being a 2023 release however, I cannot see Waititi reaching the levels he managed with Jojo Rabbit four years ago.

This may not be the return to form Waititi was hopeful for but it definitely has the charm and humour for which he is best known. It will be interesting to see what Waititi’s next project is as the New Zealander has been linked with some high profile projects, including live action remakes of Akira and Flash Gordon, as well as a new Star Wars movie and an adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro‘s Klara and the Sun.

‘Next Goal Wins‘ is undoubtedly a feel good film and will have you laughing and smiling throughout despite its familiar story beats and dated setup. The story itself truly is an inspiration and it is worth seeking out the 2014 documentary of the same name also for a more fact-based retelling of such a heart-warming story.

Next Goal Wins will be showing in UK Cinemas from Tuesday 26th December