Starring: Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Taika Waititi, Will Arnett, Rhys Darby, Luke Hemsworth, Angus Sampson
Runtime: 104 mins. Reviewed in Jan 2024
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc
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The story of the infamously terrible American Samoa soccer team, known for a brutal 2001 FIFA match they lost 31-0.
It’s true. Decades ago, in an international football match (soccer to many) Australia played American Samoa and won, 31-0. This has become part of football folklore and was the subject of a documentary also called Goal Wins.
So, what if writer-director Waititi, with his wry sense of humour (his rock character in Thor, vampires living in Wellington, What We Do in the Shadows) decided to write a movie treatment? He did, and here it is. And he filmed it on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
There is love of football codes in the Pacific Islands as well as in New Zealand and Australia, more rugby than soccer. The American Samoans, saddened by their loss to Australia, still want to field a team. So, there is a lot of comedy potential in showing the ragtag team, their inept play, the great desire to score in an International match just one goal.
In the meantime, this film also becomes a story of Tom Rongen, an easily irascible coach who is fired and reluctantly takes the option of coaching American Samoa. He is played by Fassbender with intensity.
There have been a number of complaints about the film – that it is a step down for the director, especially after his big-time Marvel movies with Thor. But, we remember Boy and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and he has always had that enjoyably low-key humour, turn of phrase, the touch of the sly that generally tickles an audience sense of humour and keeps them smiling if not laughing out loud. And, this is what happens here. Throughout the film there are enjoyable dialogue touches, such as the scene with a Samoan police officer chasing a speeding car (well, the speed limit is 30mph) and warning him to drive carefully with the comment, “Heaven’s full!”. (Waititi was successful with this kind of screenwriting with the Oscar-winning JoJo Rabbit and its clever send-up of Hitler.)
Another funny sequence is the football board’s firing of the coach and predicting that he will go through Swiss American psychiatrist Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance) – and he does.
Lots of characters, all kinds of training and exercises (pauses for prayer, never on Sunday). The standout character is Tavita (Kightley) – president of the football club, also press photographer, and restaurant owner. He is a fine counterbalance to the coach, and has an engaging screen presence. And there is Jaiyah (Kaimana) as the champion transgender player, who challenges the coach and succeeds in the end.
There are enjoyable cameo appearances from Rhys Darby, Rachel House, Elisabeth Moss, an obnoxious Will Arnett and loud-mouth talkers, Luke Hemsworth and Angus Sampson.
So, this is a modest feel-good movie, and there is no law against enjoying the obvious.
As with so many films, the final credits show the real Thomas Rongen, coach and sports commentator, and the actual Jaiyah, coach and FIFA official.
- Please sit through the rather long final credits, listening to the music if you don’t read them fully, because who should turn up right at the end but Waititi himself as the Samoan priest from the beginning of the film and a funny joke so that we leave the cinema laughing.
Disney/Searchlight
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