Review Copyright Cassandra Henry, 2003

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"Anyone can make aloo gobi, but no one can bend it like Beckham." -- Jess Bhamara CASS' CLIP (WARNING: **spoilers below**) The Bhamaras are a middle-class Sikh Punjabi family who made their way to London by way of Uganda. Mr. Bhamara ((Anupam Kher) works at Heathrow airport, and he works hard to support their suburban lifestyle in Hounslow, while Mrs. Bhamara (Shaheen Khan) makes sure that her family continues to follow some of their traditional customs. The only wish Mr. and Mrs. Bhamara (Anupam Kher, Shaheen Khan) have for their daughters, Pinky (Archie Panjabi) and Jesminder "Jess" Bhamara (Paraminder K. Nagra), is that they both learn to cook traditional Indian meals and marry a nice Indian boy. Well, their grooming pays off, at least for their eldest daughter, Pinky, because she is engaged, and now the Bhamaras household is gearing up for Pinky's big day - her wedding! On the other hand, their youngest daughter, Jesminder "Jess" Bhamara (Paraminder K. Nagra) is not your average 18-year-old girl obsessed with boys, mall hopping or shopping for trendy outfits. Jess is more comfortable wearing cleats as opposed to heels. Cleats? It's because Jess' life centers around playing soccer 24/7, becoming a professional soccer player, and mimicking the moves of her idol, David Beckman. [In the States we have Michael Jordan. In England, they have soccer sensation, David Beckham, who plays for the Manchester United. Beckham's ability to curve the ball around a goalie to score is his claim to fame, along with being married to Victoria Adams, formerly "Posh Spice" from the Spice Girls]. With posters, pictures and memorabilia plastered on every wall, Jess' bedroom is a virtual shrine to David Beckham. But Jess isn't remotely interested in any of the neighborhood guys, at least not the way her mum wants her to be. It was okay for Jess to play these types of games when she was younger. Now that she's approaching womanhood, such behavior like wearing shorts and showing her legs is unbecoming. Besides, playing this unladylike sport in the sun all day is "turning her skin too dark," her mum admonishes. Instead of dating them, she's like one of the guys playing soccer with da fellas in park. Jess' father somehow manages to straddle the fence of honoring his wife's wishes and secretly supporting Jess' independent nature. On the other side of town, Jules Paxton (Keira Knightley) is dealing with the same type, "girls don't play soccer," issues with her mother Paula (Juliet Stevenson). Her mum wants her to replace her sports bra with a push-up bra. She's afraid that if Jules continues playing soccer, she'll somehow become a lesbian. "There's a reason why Sport Spice is the only one without a boyfriend," Paula so lovingly insinuates to Jules. During one of these friendly soccer games in the park with the fellas, Jules Paxton (Keira Knightley), sees Jess' skillfully move the soccer ball down the field, and she's immediately impressed. Jules approaches Jess about playing for the Hounslow Harriers, a women's soccer team. Once Jules convinces the coach, Joe (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers), to check out Jess' fancy footwork during one of the tryouts, both Jules and Joe are convinced that with Jess' help, the Hounslow Harriers have a chance to win a major soccer tournament. Being on the team can lead to bigger and better things for Jess' soccer career. Jess will do anything, [of course sneaking around and lying to her parents, comes with the territory], to be on the team because it may lead to bigger and better things for her soccer career. Their shared experiences make Jess and Jules practically inseparable. However, their cultural differences and their crush on the one boy they both like may separate these new best friends forever. Trouble is, the big game is on the same day as Pinky's wedding. Jess must somehow find a way to honor her parents' wishes and respect her culture, yet bend the rules just enough to reach her goal of becoming a professional soccer player. Will Jess score big or will the consequences of her deception block her goals? Watching Jess maneuver between both worlds is hilariously funny. DA 411 Gurinder Chadha's Bend It Like Beckham will score big with moviegoers looking for something other than a movie that pays more attention to special effects than good storytelling. What I enjoyed about Bend It Like Beckham was that its messages about culture-clashes, generational gaps, the importance of family, reaching one's goals, interracial relationships and finding love, were delivered in such a thoughtful, yet entertaining fashion. Paraminder K. Nagra is absolutely STUNNING. She perfectly portrays a young girl dealing with the inner turmoil of trying to balance her own goals and dreams with that of her parents. Miss Nagra has an infectious smile that draws you right into her character. Her acting is never over the top, nor is it sappy. She was PERFECT and I look forward to seeing her in any future films. The remaining cast members are a perfect blend of skillful acting and comic relief. The onscreen sisterly chemistry between Miss Nagra and Archie Panjabi is so natural and well portrayed it's hard to believe that they're not really sisters. You will absolutely fall in love with Bollywood superstar, Anupam Kher, because you can identify with his stern, yet compassionate fatherly performance. Mix that with Shaheen Khan's overprotective nature along with making sure her daughters appear to be perfect Indian girls, is an added plus. Although Juliet Stevenson has very little screen time, her performance is so laugh out loud funny, she absolutely steals every scene she's in. Bend It Like Beckham is a cross between Monsoon Wedding and Real Women Have Curves. Watching soccer played up close or seeing jets fly over the Bhamaras' home added to the movie's great cinematography. But what meshes all of these things together is the upbeat and slamming soundtrack. CASS' CONCLUSION Typically, I cringe at predictable endings. In this case, any other outcome would not have been a crowd pleaser and may have taken away from the plot's framework. Bend It Like Beckham scores big time with me! BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM:   back to top Copyright Cassandra Henry, 2003 EMAIL: cass@3blackchicks.com