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Once in a blue moon, some really crafted filmmaker manages to land a good sports drama that appeases both fans and critics alike. In 2024, this sports film came in the name ofThe Beautiful Game– a critically acclaimed Thea Sharrock project that proved to be a worthy addition to the streaming giant Netflix, its distributing company.
Released earlier this year in March, this piece turned out to be more or less of a massive success for Netflix – and for everyone involved in the making of it – as the story touched the hearts of many with its emotionally complex plotline. But while many viewers were greatly taken by the immersive aspects of this fictional tale, they don’t seem to know its roots.
That raises a question that perhaps many soccer fans must have had while watching this masterpiece: IsThe Beautiful Gamebased on a true story? As it turns out, the answer is actually a yes, for this work of fiction has actually been inspired by and based on real-life events. That said, here’s everything you need to know about the realistic element of this film, from its plot line details to its fact vs fiction breakdown. Dig in!
Yes,The Beautiful Gameis Based on a True Story
Released in March 2024 on Netflix,The Beautiful Gameis a fictional tale based on the very real Homeless World Cup Tournament – one that has been organized every year since 2003 by the Homeless World Cup Foundation, a social organization that advocates the end of homelessness by bringing people together through its street soccer tournaments.
As per what writer Frank Cottrell Boyce shared withThe Guardian, the production of this film worked closely with the Homeless World Cup Foundation, with the writer himself meeting many participants of the tournaments to develop characters based on their stories.
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Produced by Blueprint Pictures’ Graham Broadbent and Peter Czernin with Anita Overland, with Ben Knight and Diarmuid McKeown serving as EPs alongside Ollie Madden and Daniel Battsek of Film4, this Netflix piece even used people who had actually participated in those tournaments in the movie as extras and are now no longer homeless – something described by actor Bill Nighy as“a very sweet bit of symmetry”toBBC.
The Beautiful GamePlot Line Details
The Beautiful Gamefeatures a squad of homeless English footballers who have to compete in Rome at the annual Homeless World Cup tournament. This team, led by the longtime English footballers’ coach Mal Bradley, isn’t what one might expect to be a “normal” team, as the players see this tournament as a step toward redemption.
This is because all the players have disappointing pasts of their own. While some of them have been homeless, some others are in recovery, and some others are asylum seekers, among others. Just like the film’s lead, Vinny – a talented but troubled striker and a homeless father to a young Evie, who lives in his car before being convinced by Mal to join his squad for the tournament.
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An emotionally complex and heartwarmingly moving drama, the sports film featured a lot of twists and turns as the characters were given second chances, found compassion and empathy at their chance at redemption, and learned to find themselves and take pride in what they achieved instead of dwelling on what they could have done instead.
As Mal says in the film:“Every player has a story to tell. Heartbreaking, unexpected, thrilling stories. And they tell those stories in one great universal language. And that’s football.”
The Beautiful Game: Fact vs Fiction Breakdown
As mentioned before,The Beautiful Gameis inspired by the real-life Homeless World Cup, with its depiction of the tournament structure, group stages, and playoffs aligning with the actual Homeless World Cup format. To put it simply, the film loosely aligns with the real-life events that take place in this annual tournament.
Talking about the characters and their respective storylines: Vinny, Mal, and the other characters are fictional, though they may have been potentially inspired by real-life individuals. Nonetheless, just like the real-life tournament, it aims to raise awareness about homelessness and the transformative power of sports, though with its own creative liberties.
Additionally, real-time alums of the Homeless World Cup were also cast in the film. One of them includes Lisa Wrightsman, the coach for the first U.S. Homeless World Cup in Sacramento in 2023 and a player in the Homeless World Cup in Rio de Janeiro in 2010, who was cast as an extra in the film for the U.S. team. According toTime, considering how she related to Vinny’s storyline, Vinny just may have earned some of his character traits from her.
Who Plays What inThe Beautiful Game: Cast Details
Directed by Thea Sharrock, the film stars the two lead protagonists Micheal Ward fromTop Boyin the lead role as Vinny and Oscar nomineeBill Nighyas Mal. Adding to this cast are Cristina Rodlo (Rosita), Valeria Golino (Gabriella), Kit Young (Cal), Callum Scott Howells (Nathan), Robin Nazari (Aldar), Sheyi Cole (Jason), Tom Vaughan-Lawlor (Kevin), Susan Wokoma (Protasia), and Aoi Okuyama (Mika) in significant roles.
The film was met with a tremendous critical and general reception asRotten Tomatoesapproved it with an 85% rating based on 39 reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The critics’ consensus further adds to its stars as it says:“The Beautiful Gamehas an undeniable warmth that further elevates an already irresistible true story, helping this inspirational drama score despite a reliance on well-worn clichés.”
To say the least, the film was a very well-received project among many, even if some still may have found cracks in the depiction of the stories. Nonetheless, its message was conveyed as perfectly as ever, and that’s exactly what makes a movie truly great.
The Beautiful Game is currently available to be watched on Netflix.
Mahin Sultan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2478
Mahin Sultan is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, where she brings a fresh perspective to entertainment news. Having been in the field for over 3 years now, she has already written more than 2,000 articles across a variety of niches, from entertainment to health and fashion. This diverse experience has allowed her to quickly build a solid foundation and a deep understanding of the industry.
