Based on a true story, Next Goal Wins follows soccer coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) as he is assigned by his estranged wife Gail (Elizabeth Moss) and her new beau/soccer executive Alex Magnussen (Will Arnett) to take the head coaching job for American Samoa’s national team otherwise known as the worst soccer team in the world. As the 2014 World Cup qualifiers approaching, the volatile head coach tries to turn the sad sack team into winners…or at least have them score one goal as desired by head of the territory’s soccer federation Tavita (Oscar Kightley).
What Coach Rongen and his team of misfits have in common and what ultimately brings them together is the baggage of past failures that are weighing them down. The deterioration of Coach Rongen’s family life and its effect on his professional temperament have led him to the brink of ruin and to American Samoa as a last ditch effort to prove himself to his superiors. Similarly, former and current players such as American Samoan legend Nicky Salapu (Uli Latukefu) and Jaiyah Saelua (Kaimana) are wrestling with crises of failure and uncertainty with self-identity, Nicky having given up a record amount of goals in a previous World Cup contest and Jaiyah struggling to deal with being in transition with her gender identity while trying to put her best foot forward on the men’s team while she is still able. Their internal struggles cause all of them to erect barriers between themselves and others with Coach Rongen becoming cantankerous, Nicky leaving soccer altogether, and Jaiyah shying away from others outside of her team.
Their sadness only being conquered by their shared goal of success for American Samoa and the decision of Coach Rongen and the team to lean on each other, throw caution to the wind, and embrace the joy in playing soccer bolsters Next Goal Wins’ theme of the importance of seeking happiness and positivity within one’s life. When he first arrives, Coach Rongen cannot comprehend the islanders’ live and let live attitude, particularly in the face of losing or failure. The joy they get from just living life and playing the game is foreign to a man who has lost so much, particularly the concept of just enjoying the company of those around you. In trying to improve their play and thus getting to know them more intimately, Coach Rongen relearns how to make room for human connection. It may sound trite for a film, but the performances and chemistry of the actors, intermixed with Waititi’s trademark humor, makes the familiar ultra relatable and something audiences will easily find themselves invested. Kaimana’s Jaiyah is an easy character to root for as she struggles to find her place in the world. Much has been made of Waititi’s depiction of a transgender character, but the issue was handled with care and understanding, eschewing any overt or preachy political statements and instead portraying Jaiyah as a person who just wishes to be able to be centered in who they are.
Next Goal Wins is the type of crowd pleasing, humorous sports film that used to litter the multiplex in days gone by and has enough heart to enter the millennial cinematic pantheon alongside film’s like 1993’s Cool Runnings. The characters feel real and are easy to root for with Kaimana’s performance standing out alongside Michael Fassbender’s. The combination of laughs and emotionality make it an engaging watch that is sure to please a crowd.
Image: Searchlight Pictures
