I cannot recommend highly enough a charming film called “Bend it Like Beckham.” A British import, it tells the story of a teenaged Indian girl (as in, from India) in England who is a phenom football (i.e., soccer) player and obsessed with Manchester United player David Beckham. Her parents, however, are far more old world in their beliefs of what their daughter’s future holds, and being a football player definitely ain’t it. But when opportunities arise for her that bring her head to head not only with her folks’ attitudes but also her sister’s wedding plans, hilarity ensues.
We went the other day, we being Kathleen, Ariel, myself and baby Caroline, now four months old. As with “Chicago,” I positioned myself next to the exit so if she began to fuss at all, I’d bolt the theater with her. Unlike “Chicago” where she slept through it, this time out Caroline started out napping but woke up twenty minutes in. To my surprise, she was riveted by the film for the remainder of its near two-hour running time. I bottled fed her, she watched the film. I burped her, she watched the film. Gave her the pacifier, she watched the film. She spit out the pacifier and continued to watch the film, eyes like saucers. If I tried to turn her away from the movie for some reason, she twisted around in my arms so she could go back to watching it. For about ten seconds during a big football game she cooed softly; other than that, not a peep. She was totally engrossed in the images on the screen. And that’ someone who didn’t even know what was going on.
Can’t get a higher recommendation than that.
PAD
• 
Peter,
As someone who’s had more than a few movies ruined by screaming babies, let me thank you for your consideration in being so willing to take Caroline out of the theater at the first sign of noise. I tried doing that myself with my youngest a few times, and after two or three failures to see a complete movie I gave up entirely on the idea. You are indeed lucky.
But how well will she behave during X2?
Ooo, ye spawn of the debbil, ye! Ye’ve corrupted her for all time! She’ll want to go to more and more movies now, you just wait!
Peter, you’ve just opened a whole can of worms. Pray that Caroline’s first word isn’t “Movie.” 😉
Chris
Hëll, I was thinking maybe you’ve got a budding soccer star on your hands there.
Maybe the women’s pro soccer league will still be around when she’s old enough…is there a women’s pro soccer league?
Great movie… and Kiera Knightley is so hot. Had to say that.
Hey, Peter – it sounds like you have the perfect baby for a Movie goer. Just don’t take her to any scary films it might scare her.
Yep, it’s a great movie, and best of all, KEIRA KNIGHTLEY!!!!!
She’s the best, absolutely the best.
So now I know who that guy was with the screaming baby in the last five movies I saw…it was Peter David!
Next time I check out a movie I’m going to bring a stack of Hulk comics with me. If I hear that dámņ baby one more time, I’m going to make you autograph them all. 😉
PAD – Thank you, sir, for the tip about this film.
In return, may I suggest you consider taking in BOLLYWOOD HOLLYWOOD if you get the chance? This delightful Canadian film does a marvelous job of lovingly lampooning all of the Bollywood (BOmbay/hoLLYWOOD) film cliches.
The male lead, very well-to-do Rahul, son of a deeply traditional Indian family residing in Canada, finds himself in a quandary. His girlfriend has just died in a hilarious accident during an attempt at levitation. He really doesn’t want to get involved with anyone for a while. Unfortunately, his sister HAS to get married. And, by family tradition, the daughter cannot marry until the son does. So, he gets who he thinks is a Spanish ‘escort’ to pretend to be from India (she looks the part) and pays her to be his new girlfriend/fiance figuring that this will clear the way for his sister to marry. Life is rarely so simple, however, and things start to unravel fast in the best tradition of ‘mistaken identity’ stories.
A delightful film, very ably acted. Be sure to keep your eye on the formidable Dina Pathak as the amusingly domineering clan matriarch.
Oh and, while I have never seen Kiera Knightley, rest assured that the female lead, Indo-Canadian Lisa Ray, is NOT hard to look at either. And she’s actually perfectly competent in her role, too. A rarity these days.
Let’s see, forty years from now, when Caroline David is an award-winning film critic for the “Times” (even having her own “David at the Movies” series), I’m sure this will be her “I always loved movies” story.
And we’ll know it’s not BS.
Very cute story, and another recommendation for this movie.
Excuse me, I have to go check the Tara’s time listings right now.
I guess this is where I become the “Heel” by saying I didnt enjoy the film.
Im not going to slag it off but it wasnt my cup of tea, thats all.
If you guys want to see a great soccer film check out “Shaolin Soccer”.
You’ll be amazed.
Saw “Beckham.” Kinda boring. It was pretty typical teen-drama stuff, with some boring cultural dilemmas thrown in.
It was packing in a crowd, though. I went to see a 3:30 show on a Sunday and it was sold out.
It can’t be said too often by too many people, Peter…thank you for being considerate enough to leave the theatre if Caroline starts to make noise.
I truly believe cable and video have ruined the experience of going to see a movie in a public cinema.
It would seem the number of people used to watching ‘a movie’ in the comfort of their own home, thereby de-sensitising them to the general courtesies and considerations extended to the other audience members around them, increases every year. It wouldn’t be so bad if it was just teen-agers who weren’t ‘raised’ with manners, but it’s especially disconcerting when the rudeness comes from older folks who should know better!!
Enough with the ranting.
I plan on seeing ‘…Beckham’, probably tomorrow sometime.
Ah, David Beckham….aka Mr. Posh Spice! ;^)
I’ll be here tomorrow, too, of course. I kind of dread tonight’s ‘Buffy…’ as I’ve heard a rumor that
SPOILER ALERT!
Something Terrible happens to Xander!!
Hooper
She likes football! There’s hope for her yet…..
For more Asians In Britain in film(a genre in itself), may I recommend
East Is East (probably the pinnacle – if you like Bend It Like Beckham, this is a must)
My Beautiful Launderette
My Son The Fanatic
White Teeth (TV mini-series)
Buddha Of Suburbia (TV mini-series)
East is East is a fantastic film, by far the superior to Bend it like Beckham. If you want to see a good football film watch Fever Pitch, it has little relation to the book by it was scripted by Nick Hornby and he did a fantastic job. Went to see Bend it like Beckham nearly a year ago (has it only just come out in America?) and I thought it was pretty mediocre, it reliesa too much on ‘Lesbians!’ and ‘Oh look, we’re different.’
Glad you like an export of ours. Hope you enjoy the film currently being force-fed down our throats: S CLUB SEEING DOUBLE…!