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Goal! Review

Movies.com Critics

2.0

Dave White Profile

… incredibly predictable and lifeless … Read full review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 3.0
    53

    out of 100

    Metascore®
    Mixed or average reviews
    based on a weighted average of all
    critic review scores.

  • 40

    out of 100

    The New York Times

    As the clichs mount, Danny Cannon directs as if he's the one on trial, teasing tension out of every pass and dribble. Most irritating of all is his determination to paint British soccer as a gentleman's game, a notion United's real fans would no doubt treat with the scorn it deserves.

    Read Full Review

  • 58

    out of 100

    Entertainment Weekly

    The cast, all around, is sterling. There's only one thing they don't need to bring back for the sequels, and that's the movie's appetite for every sports clich there ever was.

    Read Full Review

  • 60

    out of 100

    Variety Derek Elley

    A slickly mounted slice of can-do nonsense.

    Read Full Review

  • 63

    out of 100

    USA Today Claudia Puig

    The film is capably acted and somewhat inspiring.

    Read Full Review

  • 75

    out of 100

    Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

    The movie works because it is, above all, sincere. It's not sports by the numbers. The starring performance by Kuno Becker is convincing and dimensional and we begin to care for him.

    Read Full Review

  • See all Goal! reviews at Metacritic.com

For Families provided by Common Sense Media

OK for kids 12+

Soccer + melodrama. Older tweens and up.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that film includes some loud and body-slamming soccer action, usually leading to someone's face bruised or a limb brutally banged. Characters lie to one another (including family members) in order to achieve ambitions. British teammates make fun of Santiago at first. A decadent star soccer player appears drunk and hung over repeatedly; he also appears with multiple sex partners (sex takes place off-screen, following brief kiss or embrace). Characters smoke cigarettes and drink, a couple of characters appear to have been snorting cocaine during a party scene, as they sniff and rub their noses.

  • Families can talk about the conflict between Santiago and his father, as they clash over how best to support the family. How does the film resolve this relationship, even though they don't see one another again after Santiago leaves L.A.? How does the grandmother help to bring them together? Why do so many sports movies tend to focus on the same themes?

The good stuff
  • message true0

    Messages: Santiago and his father argue repeatedly about his dream to play soccer; Hernan complains about the wife who abandoned her family; Santiago hides his asthma from team; Gavin is a hard partier and womanizer who learns to be serious about his work (soccer).

What to watch for
  • violence false3

    Violence: Soccer action can be brutal (smashing bodies with added smash-sound-effects, falling in mud), leading to various damage: a broken leg, bruises, and joint-wrenching, bloody injuries.

  • sex false3

    Sex: Group sexual activity at party insinuated, then makes tabloid headlines; Gavin has sex with girl (we see kiss only, the scene cuts to next morning in bed, as he wakes up hung over); Santiago kisses his nurse/girlfriend Roz.

  • language false3

    Language: Language mostly expresses anger or frustration: "bull-snot," "shite" (a few times as a running joke, to show that Gavin is a disappointment to his fans), "boneheads," "hell," comment on getting the "squirts" in Mexico.

  • consumerism false3

    Consumerism: Lots of Adidas product and billboards, less Coca-Cola, mention of Blockbuster video, some name-branded cars (Mercedes).

  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3

    Drinking, drugs and smoking: Characters drink at parties and appear hung over afterwards; characters smoke cigarettes; allusion to cocaine use (character makes snorting noises).

Fan Reviews provided by

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by mcrocks112

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by em2wice

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by onica26

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