REVIEWED
Found and watched this movie hoping to be inspired like the sports true story movie I watched before this; "My All American". Its an Irish(?) production and on tight budget. And "old" one too from 2014.
The actors are unknown to me except for the main character as the coach. He appeared in many British movies.
This film is about the Northern Ireland team which made it to World Cup 86 Finals. Only the 2nd time in its history and at that time it was the smallest country playing in the World Cup. Worst, the country was at a civil war between the North and South something to do with religious beliefs.
Socrates is the name of the Brazilan Captain who himself was a poet and a politician. After watching this movie found out in the closing credits that he had died in 2011 at the young age of 57. Thou he was a doctor (medical practioner) and a sportsman, he smoked right before entering the football field for a match to the shock of the Irish players.He died due to health complicated reasons.
The movie used actual live footage of the world cup only from the distant shots. So you know that Ireland is playing but they are not the team you saw in the movie (played by the actors). Socrates played by some Brazilian actor who was tall (like him), well built (he was skinny) and handsome guy(he was not so much). Not much scenes for his part but just to carry the movie, I guessed.
Theres nothing much to shout about for the movie nor do the achievement of the Northen Ireland football team in the world cup that year. It did not qualify to the next round as it drew 1-1 with Algeria and lost 2-1 with Spain. Their final game (which i hoped to be a historic one which did not) lost to Brazil (you cant change history).
But the morale of the story of how they can advanced into the world cup even if their country is in a turmoil. How the team managed to unite the country North and South to forget about their conflicts and war and be proud for the country in a world game. That to me I forever hope to be for this country. Got all the things in the world but still having a shitty football team.
There is one local film about Malaysia in football currently showing in the cinema "Ole Bola" its more or less about the yesterday team that qualify to the Olympics in Moscow. Looks pretty good and hopefully can find its source and review it here in the near future.
An OK movie this one. See this if you are a fan of the game.
