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Cast:
Story:
For a movie that is basically about family values and motherly anxieties, the film manages to explode into action towards the end as Jess' father (Anupam Kher) permits Jess to participate in the second half of the final game. Review:
'Bend it Like Beckham' is a delightful movie, that manages to get you involved with the characters so much that even halfway through you are hoping Jess succeeds in fulfilling her ambitions. The movie juxtaposes the incongruence in the attitudes of Indian families in Britain very cleverly. The desperation to cling on to the "Indianness" in the face of the western onslaught is very well brought out. In the end, of course, reality must prevail as must honesty in dealing with your own people.
The performances are first rate and it is difficult to single out anyone as outstanding. Parminder Nagra shrugs off her dark skin and acts with aplomb. If I were pressed to find out the best however, I would single out Juliet Stevenson, Jules' mum. But that would be unfair to others, specially Anupam Kher who is acting in his first English movie. His calm acceptance of the reality in the end as he realizes that Jess deserves to make her own choices, be it in choosing football as a career or a "gora" (white man) as a husband comes across very naturally.
All in all, a delightful ninety minutes, a must see. Final Score: Three out of Four Stars Sam Walker (from Detroit) published on 7th August 2002
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Eighteen-year-old Jess (Parminder Nagra) is crazy about football (Beckham being her hero), not merely as a fan, but also as a player. Being of Indian lineage, however, is a major disadvantage, since her parents, particularly her sharp-tongued mother disapprove of it. One day she is spotted by Jules (Keira Knightely) and is invited to join an all-girls' football team that is coached by Joe (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). Jess sneaks off to the coaching sessions by lying. Inevitably though, she is found out and is reprimanded sharply and forbidden to play football. Meanwhile, Jules' mother Paula (Juliet Stevenson) is trying to get Jules to go out with the boys and get more feminine. Jules is in love with Joe, who in turn falls in love with Jess.
Yet another hit for Indian directors in English films. Following the immensely successful Manoj Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense), Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding being her latest), Shekhar Kapoor (Elizabeth) and Jay Chandrasekhar (Super Troopers), Gurinder Chadha makes his mark with this movie. These directors have managed to bring the typical rustic Indian humourous touch to themes that do not otherwise seem to support it. And have brought colour and, of course, the typical Indian noise too!
The final scene where the football match and the wedding of Pinky are shown in alternative frames is very well thought-out and brilliantly
picturised. The music, typically Indian, loud and noisy, does not jar however and is actually pretty good.
This is also a movie where you get involved with football as a sport, whether you have liked it earlier or not. This has been done very subtly and full marks to the director for that. 
