REVIEW OF FILM

Points to ponder

1.      What’s the film mainly about?

2.      What did you learn from watching the film?

3.      Record your impression of Jess, Jules, Joe and their families.

4.      There are, at least, 3 main cultures identified in this film: The English (London), the English football culture and Sikh culture.

·         What aspect of each culture is highlighted in the film?

·         Which of the aspects is/are given positive/negative perspective?

5.      What does the phrase “bend it like Beckam” mean in soccer terms and why might it be considered a metaphor for the lives of Jules and Jess?

The answer:

1.      The film is mainly about the struggle of two girls who have the same interest and ambition. They also have the same problem in gaining their wish. This film shows how the culture and tradition become the problem in the modern era if anyone does not understand and tolerate every changes in the world. For the people who think locally, it becomes a problem but for the people who think globally, it does not a problem anymore.

2.      I learnt about the process of how to gain the purpose, every wish must be stepped by the process patiently. The life is always a hindrance and we have to know the way to cope with. We also have to understand every culture in the world. I learnt the sense of friendship as well. A true friend is a friend in need.

3.      Jess: she is a talented Indian girl and has a strong wish to get something. She is hard worker and really keen on the football although she has also a wish to study at university in USA by scholarship. She has a dream to become a famous football player in the world like her favourite foot ball player “David Beckam”. Despite she has many hindrances in gaining her dream and wish, she constantly strive to achieve her goal.

Jules is an active England girl and jealousy girl. She has also a dream to become a famous football player in the world. Her wish is supported by her father but not her mother. She has also a dream to go to America.

Joe is a strict coach and discipline but has smooth heart, he was a football player then he quitted because he had a problem with his leg. However, he never gives up and become a coach of the girl football team.

Jess’ Family is a conservative family from India especially the mother who keeps tightly the Sikh tradition, for her woman must behave like woman such as cooking, shopping and be a good wife. Jess’ family wants her to pursue her study at university in America by scholarship and really defies Jess’ ambition to be a football player. For them, woman is not adequate to be a tomboy but her father understands more her daughter and let her play football.

Jules’ family is a protective family especially her mother. Her mother wants her to be feminine. She does not like Jules’s attitude to be active in a woman football team, she also does not like the lesbian and homosexual. In contrast, her father supports her to be the best football player.   

Joe’s family is a football fans. His father is a coach where he joins the club. His father is very strict to him and teaches him how to become a good football player.

4.      The film highlighted the culture bump between Sikhs culture and the England culture. For the Sikhs culture, it is not good for woman to be a football player and to have a free intimate between boy and girl. Woman must behave like woman and not “doing something” with one’s partner out of door. While in England, it is okay for woman to be a football player and it is not a problem for young people to “do something” with one’s partner out of door.

This film also highlights the culture of England in football. Most of England people are very keen on the football. It can be seen fro the shops that sell many thing about football. Football is really popular in England whereas in Indian, foot ball is less popular.

The positive aspect of this film is it teaches us to work hard in achieving our goal. We have not to be desperate and never give up. We must strong and patient to be success.

The negative aspect of this film is it is not good Indonesian culture to imitate their culture. As such free intimate between boys and girls, going to the night club late at night.  

5.      The phrase “bend it like Beckam” means “the kick is like what Beckam did”. Beckam has a special talent in kicking the ball avis the kick like banana shape.

It might be considered a metaphor for the lives of Jules and Jess because they have a wish to be the famous football player like Beckam. Thus, they really praise him and he is their favourite player in the world. They want to do what Beckam did in defeating the opponent.