After just two days on the platform, “The Beautiful Game” has become one of the trending movies on Netflix worldwide. The sports drama, which stars Bill Nighy and Micheal Ward, is currently the seventh most watched film on the platform, according to FlixPatrol.
Directed by Thea Sharrock and written by Frank Cottrell Boyce, the film centers around the England football team in the Homeless World Cup. The story follows Vinny, played by Ward, who, after almost becoming a professional player, finds himself without a home. However, he will find his spot in the team.
The rest of the cast includes Valeria Golino, Susan Wokoma, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Cristina Rodlo, Kit Young, Sian Reese-Williams, Callum Scott Howells, Sheyi Cole, Jessye Romeo, Aoi Okuyama, Layo-Christina Akinlude, Cindy Humphrey, and Anna Maria Everett.
‘The Beautiful Game’ is an inspiring dramedy
While the film tells a fictional story, it’s inspired by the real Homeless World Cup. The tournament has been held since 1999, and it supports social programs all over the world. In the movie, some real players are featured, such as Lisa Wrightsman, who appears as an extra.
Talking with Time magazine, Wrightsman, who currently works as a personal trainer in Sacramento, says that she hopes the movie helps people be more compassionate to those experiencing homelessness. “You never know the magic inside someone who’s sleeping on the street,” she says.
The film has received positive reviews from critics, saying that it follows the “feel good” formula but not necessarily follows clichés. Glenn Kenny from The New York Times describes it as an “upbeat, amiable picture” that is “peppered with funny and inspiring moments.”
Apart from following Vinny, the story focuses on other players with different backgrounds. One of them is Nathan (Callum Scott Howells), a heroin addict who is estranged from his family. As well as Cal (Kit Young), who also left his childhood home after partying too hard.
