The Beautiful Game

Directed by Thea Sharrock. A runtime of two hours and five minutes. Streaming on Netflix with a PG-13 rating. Based on actual events. "Vinny" played by Michael Ward is at your local park in London watching kids play soccer. After a bit of confusion, between a parent, "Mal," played by Bill Nighy, comes to aid "Vinny". "Mal," while he has his attention, tells "Vinny" about a league for homeless people. The Homeless World Cup. We're a group of people, no matter age or gender, who will represent their country in a World Cup-style soccer tournament. The only stipulation is that you have to be homeless. Even with the homeless World Cup being in Rome this year, "Vinny" is a proud full man. He has a complicated past and once wasn't always in hard times. He rejects the notion of being homeless and attending this tournament. You watch how "Vinny" and "Mal" have more in common than either realized at the time. You'll see "Vinny" mature before your eyes. Not only accepting his circumstances. But working with teammates he can't stand at first, like "Nathan," played by Callum Scott Howells, "Jason," played by Sheyi Cole, and "Cal," played by Kit Young, to name a few. This is a learning curve for everyone. Find out how "Vinny" handles all the adversity and watch how he grows as a human from it all. "The Beautiful Game" was a beautiful film. Pun intended. Michael Ward is an amazing actor with a promising career. I became a fan of his after watching his acclaimed series "Top Boy" on Netflix. On top of being in several riveting films and TV shows, he's also Jamaican. Bill Nighy is a seasoned actor and brings his talents to this film. I never knew about the Homeless World Cup. Toward the end of the film, they show real photos from the tournament. A lot of the actors and players in the tournament are past players. This is an amazing cause, and I'm thankful for films like this to be made with talented actors. I said this recently, and I'll say it again: you don't have to have a massive budget to make a good film. You just have to care. It seemed like everyone involved in this project cared. A fun film that might teach you something and share a great cause. I give this film four mor fires 🔥🔥🔥🔥. #CosmoandtheMovieWithin #CosmoMovieBlog #CosmoLanier #TheBeautifulGame.

Who wrote this rubbish. Yes it honors a great legacy. But give me a break, the film ultimately honors a lack of loyalty. Was that honestly the message being put forward here, because it certainly seems that way. Nighy is an Academy award winner, what on earth was he doing in this film, was it a sense of needing to do something for homeless people. To highlight their plight. Most of the actors looked about as close to the homeless we all know as a duck to a swan. Clean cut, healthy and fit humans, not the homeless I see - Ridiculous film done for the right reasons. That is the best way of describing it. I love Nighy films, but his enduring personality cannot not rescue a flop. Give the homeless whatever profits were made from this and make a real difference.

Mal (Bill Nighy) run a football team of homeless men and persuades impressive footballer Vinny (Michael Ward) to join. They are heading to Rome for the Homeless World Cup but each one of the team has personal demons that they need to manage/ overcome, particularly the somewhat sociopathic Vinny. Whilst this feel good film features lots of troubled individuals coming to terms with their issues through the glories of football, it never really reaches the heights of feel good that it had the potential to achieve. Ward is strong though and largely at the centre of things and does pretty well, whilst Nighy, as ever, the best thing in the film. Unremarkable, but pleasant enough.