Taika Waititi, known for his ability to incorporate humor in even the most upsetting scenarios, returned to the Toronto International Film Festival this September to premiere his new feature. His latest is centered around the American Samoa national football team after their infamous 31-0 defeat in the 2002 World Cup qualifying match. That fact alone has generated some laughs across the soccer community, and Waititi has taken it one step further. According to the director, Next Goal Wins contains some embellishments, but its biggest mishap is missing the mark on jokes and limiting the character development for almost every person in the film. Sure, the movie includes the uplifting Cinderella story we’d all expect, but it fails its characters and culture in the process.
Following their 31-0 loss to Australia in a qualifying match for the 2002 World Cup, the American Samoa football team seeks out a new coach to turn their team upside-down. Simultaneously, Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), a world-renown player and coach famous for his outbursts is on the outs with his football club. They send him to American Samoa to help the team find some redemption after their embarrassing loss. But helping this seemingly hopeless team even score one goal seems like an impossible task. Will Rongen be able to whip the team into shape with a detailed discipline and training plan? Or will his anger and drinking habits ruin both their chances for redemption?
I’ll cut to the chase here: Without knowing the outcome of the story, viewers will easily come to understand how it will all end based on the tone and structure of the film. As viewers, we’ve become accustomed to the successes of underdog stories, and it’s no problem here as well. My issue with Next Goal Wins comes during the middle portion of the film, which suffers severely from Waititi’s humor. It’s incredibly forced and comes off as a mockery of the team and culture. And instead of using the time and space to bring the audience into the Samoan way of life, there’s always a joke that cuts off any insight to their beautiful, culturally rich world.
While these moments are few and far between, it’s nice to see a group of people persevere out of love of the game and each other. But this is a missed opportunity for the director (who co-wrote the script with Iain Morris) to showcase the culture. It’s also disappointing because of Waititi’s background and familiarity with Pacific cultures. But to not showcase the beauty of the islands onscreen is a misfire. Visually, the film is dull, and the cinematography is forgettable, making it difficult to believe the film was even shot in Honolulu, Hawaii. Luckily, witnessing how the teammates interact with one another makes up for the lack in visual flair, but it’s still a disappointment nonetheless.
With all the problems that exist throughout Next Goal Wins, it’s important to mention the standouts. Specifically, Kaimana as Jaiyah Saelua, the first openly trans woman to participate in a World Cup qualifying game, is the heart of the film and one of the few players to have an arc. Kaimana does a sensational job hitting those emotional moments throughout the film. Her scenes help to balance the often overused comedic ones. Michael Fassbender is also a standout as Dutch-American coach Thomas Rongen. He seems to have had a blast conveying all the emotions he is tasked with, even though his character’s growth comes off as a big drastic and abrupt. Truly, the entire cast is one of the reasons you should watch the film.
At the end of the day, there’s no doubt in my mind that people will love this film. It’s a feel-good sports dramedy, after all. If nothing else, Next Goal Wins teaches us the value of found family and that life isn’t all about winning. But these are lessons with which we are already familiar. Unfortunately, the longevity of this film feels non-existent thanks to how it’s framed. It’s goofy and relies heavily on common tropes, failing to offer insight into the players as people outside their team. If you’re looking for something to pull on the heart strings for a couple of moments, then this film works. But don’t expect a grand production with a meaningful message beyond your typical underdog story. What you see here is truly what you get.
This review was written during the 2023 Toronto Film Festival. Next Goal Wins will be released theatrically on November 17. The film is 103 minutes and rated PG-13 for crude material and some strong language.
