Goal! - The Dream Begins DVD: Review By jimmykeown

Rarely do you ever see movies that succeed on all levels but that of writing. Beautifully directed and acted, Goal! obtains a candy shell coating to what many would consider a rotten, clich&#233d interior. From a surface perspective, the movie shines with originality, but I can't get past the fact that I've seen this movie a hundred times before.

Goal! is about a young immigrant, Santiago Munez, played by Kuno Becker, and his journey towards the American Dream. Santiago and his family arrive in the U.S., searching for a better life and an attempt at endless opportunities that this great country provides. Stuck in a life of labor and working multiple jobs, Santiago releases his frustrations on the soccer field. Santiago is discovered by an ex-soccer player and is told he should pursue soccer as a career, rather than a hobby. This gradual exploration of Santiago's dreams and explorations makes him question his current role in life. Should he leave his family to pursue his dream, or stay in Los Angeles and help his father run a lawn care business? The conflict between father and son begins to open up Santiago's eyes to his passion in life, soccer. After much struggle, Santiago decides to risk it all and travel to Europe to pursue a career at New Castle. Aided by new found friends, and hindered by personal health and family issues, Santiago is pursing a dream that will define himself as a person, a player, and a leader.

The movie brushes upon every "hero" story created, proving that hard work and determination will someday pay off. Even at a lengthy 118 minutes, the movie seems to skip over necessary character development issues and only touch upon crucial topics of morality and failure. Santiago is the success story that every sports oriented child grows up with, but I don't feel anymore emotion for his situation than I did for Rudy or the Little Giants, who represent dreams on the American football field. Goal! still obtains a passionate side that is only hurt by lack of depth and development on the writer's side. The movie feels as if the producers were trying to cash in on the recent World Cup and didn't truly allow for bumps to be smoothed out with the story. But for some, the movie is worth a viewing, especially if you're one of those emotionally involved individuals, who can relate to the roller coaster ride that life throws at us. Soccer fans will truly love the topic of choice, but others will cringe at the clich&#233s that seem to ruin what could have been a groundbreaking effort by director Danny Cannon.

The DVD contains three featurettes, audio commentary, a Happy Mondays music video. "The Beautiful Game" is a feature on the worldwide soccer phenomenon and the passion of a universally loved sport. The best feature on the DVD is titled "Behind the Pitch," and shows the behind the scenes creation of the gameplay in the movie. "Behind the Pitch" offers soccer fans a look into the creative aspects of simulated gameplay. The last feature is a FIFA World Cup video that displays pivotal moments in World Cup history. For any soccer buff who knows his or her history, this video is an excellent compilation of crucial goals produced in World Cup play. The audio commentary by the filmmakers isn't anything special, but offers more of a guide to the viewer during times of question. When I listened to the commentary I felt as if the filmmakers were trying to create depth the movie was lacking. Happy Mondays music video, "Playground Superstar," is a nice addition to the extra features. The DVD offers a solid amount of extras, which give the movie an extra sense of purpose, but maybe that purpose should have been protrayed in the actual film itself.

The picture quality and lighting of the movie is very pleasing. The shots of the stadiums and night life are well done, and truly capture the european soccer atmosphere. The film is shown in widescreen(2.40:1), which is enhanced for 16x9 televisions.

The film really captures the sounds and excitements of the soccer atmosphere. Running on Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, the roars of the crowd will create a lifelike experience. The soundtrack of the movie isn't bad at all, and shows some effort with the addition of Happy Mondays "Playground Superstar."

The box the DVD comes in is nothing special, and only offers the basics. Actor Kuno Becker is shown on the front with a ball in his hands. The packaging could have contained some more passionate images, but it gets the job done.

Goal! is a movie that strives to cash in on the recent success of the World Cup, but fails to achieve a sense of originality, through lack of development and obvious clich&#233s.