Barnes & Noble

The first in a planned soccer film trilogy, the richly satisfying Goal! The Dream Begins is from the inspirational “follow your dreams” sub-genre of the underdog sports movie. Santiago (Kuno Becker), a Mexican immigrant living with his family in Los Angeles, is a soccer prodigy. He is encouraged by a former player and talent scout (Stephen Dillane) to go to England and try out for the elite Newcastle United team, which has fallen on hard times. Among the obstacles that stand in his way are his father (Tony Plana), who thinks his son’s soccer dreams are “rubbish”; Santiago’s asthma, which he tries to keep secret, and hostile teammates. But Santiago perseveres with the help of a beautiful nurse (Anna Friel), paternalistic coach (Gary Lewis), and Gavin, the team’s flashy, but underachieving, star player (Alessandro Nivola) whose “playboy” lifestyle runs counter to Santiago’s own work ethic. Goal! follows the sports movie playbook, but manages some tricky moves that keep viewers from getting too far ahead of the story. Santiago’s assimilation to British-style soccer is rough and tumbling. His estrangement from his father likewise does not play out predictably. The dialogue at times is as hokey as the genre demands, but the soccer action comes off as authentic and there is obvious rooting interest in role-model Santiago. Gavin’s off-the-field antics (he wakes up one morning in bed between two women) earn the film its PG rating and otherwise mar what would have been a more family friendly film. There is no shortage of sports films, but as the talent scout says of Santiago, “every once in awhile, one comes along to lift your heart.” The Dream Begins achieves that goal. Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

One young man's dream takes him on a remarkable journey in this sports-themed drama. Santiago Munez (Kuno Becker) was born in Mexico, and came to California with his family when he was just a boy. One of the few things Santiago brought with him was a love for soccer, and while he holds down two jobs -- working landscaping during the days with his father, Hernan (Tony Plana), and as a busboy at night -- he still dreams of playing the game professionally, and spends his precious spare time with an amateur team in Los Angeles. One day, Santiago is approached by Glen Foy (Stephen Dillane), a part-time scout for powerhouse British team Newcastle United; Glen has seen Santiago play and thinks he has talent, and can get him a tryout with Newcastle if he can make his way to England. While Hernan refuses to help Santiago pay for the trip, his grandmother (Miriam Colon) empties her savings to help him follow his dream. Santiago's first reserve game with the team happens during a typically British rainstorm, with Santiago suffering a mild asthma attack to boot; he doesn't play at his best and is turned away from the team, but he refuses to go home, determined to make good. After striking up a friendship with star kicker Gavin Harris (Alessandro Nivola) and demonstrating his mettle to coach Mal Braithwaite (Gary Lewis), Santiago earns a second chance to show Newcastle United what he can do and make his father proud of him. Goal! was a major international hit, and a sequel was already in production before the film opened in the United States in the spring of 2006. Mark Deming

Product Details

• UPC: 786936700275
• Source: TOUCHSTONE / DISNEY
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English, Français, Español
• Subtitles: Español
• Time: 1:58:00
• Sales Rank: 13,967

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