"Goal II - Living The Dream" is a British rags to riches football movie. Real Madrid stars Beckham (soon moving to Los Angeles Galaxy), Raul and Zinedine Zidane make cameo appearances.
Fans of Arsenal would do well to avoid Goal II: Living The Dream, the second instalment of the rags to riches football trilogy.
Spanish director Jaume Collet-Serra and editor Niven Howie have manipulated footage from the Gunners' hard fought clash with Real Madrid in last year's UEFA Champions League (which Arsenal won 1-0 on aggregate) for the edge-of-seat finale.
Except here, the result is somewhat different to real life, mimicking Manchester United's last gasp comeback against Bayern Munich in the Final of the 1999 competition.
So while fact documents Thierry Henry's heroics en route to the final, fantasy gives David Beckham, Raul and Zinedine Zidane (who all cameo) the taste of victory, which eluded them that night at the Bernabeu Stadium.
The second instalment of the trilogy continues the rise to fame of talented striker Kuno Becker.
The story commences 18 months after the events of the original film, with Becker still making headlines for his goalscoring exploits with Newcastle United.
His personal life couldn't be better either: he has bought a swanky house with his fiancee Anna Friel, who is excitedly planning their wedding while continuing to work as a nurse at a local hospital.
Santiago's fancy footwork in the Premier League piques the interest of Real Madrid coach Rutger Hauer, who buys the hotshot as part of an exchange deal for Michael Owen.
Seduced by the passion and glamour of the La Liga, Becker becomes an invaluable member of Los Galacticos, overshadowing buddy Alessandro Nivola.
Pressures on and off the field begin to take their toll: Friel struggles to adapt to a long distance relationship and sexy television presenter Leonor Varela, in a move that would surely never be attempted by Richard Keys, sets out to seduce the handsome new buck in town.
Meanwhile, his mother Elizabeth Pena, who gave up her son at birth and now works in a bar in Madrid, is inexorably drawn back into her long lost boy's life, thanks to the intervention of his half-brother.
Like its predecessor, Goal II: Living The Dream is an uplifting modern day fairy-tale about a nice guy from an impoverished childhood, who dares to follow his heart and chase his dreams of glory on the football field.
Keeping in mind that the third film in the series will follow Becker to the World Cup, it's no surprise that the sequel ends on another emotional high.
Fast-paced footballing sequences enliven an otherwise pedestrian drama, which scores a couple of own goals in terms of the lacklustre performances and script.
Beckham and co thankfully don't have to tackle any scripted dialogue, demonstrating their skills with the ball in the locker room and on the field.
While Real Madrid scores in this feelgood fantasy, Collet-Serra's film continually hits the woodwork -otherwise known as the actors.
http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk
Fans of Arsenal would do well to avoid Goal II: Living The Dream, the second instalment of the rags to riches football trilogy.
Spanish director Jaume Collet-Serra and editor Niven Howie have manipulated footage from the Gunners' hard fought clash with Real Madrid in last year's UEFA Champions League (which Arsenal won 1-0 on aggregate) for the edge-of-seat finale.
Except here, the result is somewhat different to real life, mimicking Manchester United's last gasp comeback against Bayern Munich in the Final of the 1999 competition.
So while fact documents Thierry Henry's heroics en route to the final, fantasy gives David Beckham, Raul and Zinedine Zidane (who all cameo) the taste of victory, which eluded them that night at the Bernabeu Stadium.
The second instalment of the trilogy continues the rise to fame of talented striker Kuno Becker.
The story commences 18 months after the events of the original film, with Becker still making headlines for his goalscoring exploits with Newcastle United.
His personal life couldn't be better either: he has bought a swanky house with his fiancee Anna Friel, who is excitedly planning their wedding while continuing to work as a nurse at a local hospital.
Santiago's fancy footwork in the Premier League piques the interest of Real Madrid coach Rutger Hauer, who buys the hotshot as part of an exchange deal for Michael Owen.
Seduced by the passion and glamour of the La Liga, Becker becomes an invaluable member of Los Galacticos, overshadowing buddy Alessandro Nivola.
Pressures on and off the field begin to take their toll: Friel struggles to adapt to a long distance relationship and sexy television presenter Leonor Varela, in a move that would surely never be attempted by Richard Keys, sets out to seduce the handsome new buck in town.
Meanwhile, his mother Elizabeth Pena, who gave up her son at birth and now works in a bar in Madrid, is inexorably drawn back into her long lost boy's life, thanks to the intervention of his half-brother.
Like its predecessor, Goal II: Living The Dream is an uplifting modern day fairy-tale about a nice guy from an impoverished childhood, who dares to follow his heart and chase his dreams of glory on the football field.
Keeping in mind that the third film in the series will follow Becker to the World Cup, it's no surprise that the sequel ends on another emotional high.
Fast-paced footballing sequences enliven an otherwise pedestrian drama, which scores a couple of own goals in terms of the lacklustre performances and script.
Beckham and co thankfully don't have to tackle any scripted dialogue, demonstrating their skills with the ball in the locker room and on the field.
While Real Madrid scores in this feelgood fantasy, Collet-Serra's film continually hits the woodwork -otherwise known as the actors.
http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk