MovieFreak.com - "Bend It Like Beckham" DVD Review by Dennis Landmann

"Just remember there's a reason why Sporty Spice is the only one without a fellow!" - Paula

Jesminder, an 18-year old girl living in Hounslow, West London, just wants to play soccer, but her orthodox parents disapprove. While playing soccer with friends in the park she meets Jules (Keira Knightley), a girl her age, who encourages her to join a women's soccer club. Jesminder keeps this from her parents, but sooner or later she will have to tell the truth and stand up to what she believes her future holds; a soccer career.

Bend it Like Beckham is one of those rare films that splendidly blend together a sport, comedy and a fun set of characters. Soccer is perhaps the most popular sport in Europe, but it's not exactly popular among girls. The film follows a teenager who finds soccer to be the coolest sport of all. Yet there are a few problems. She is a girl and her town doesn't have a women's soccer club, plus her parents disapprove of her playing. Well, she manages to conquer those problems, but in the process creates new ones.

Bend it Like Beckham benefits from a smart and funny script. The appeal of the story lies in its universal nature. The characters are likeable and viewers are able to relate to their situations. The script also includes enough subplots, comedy and conflict to sustain a pretty good pace. At 112 minutes the film is not too long and not too short. In terms of filmmaking, director Gurinder Chadha and director of photography Jong Lin create some exciting soccer matches and training scenes by moving the camera in all sorts of directions. Also, it seems Chadha knows the story and characters quite well, because there is a lot of genuine atmosphere in the film. I personally very much like the European flair and style of it.

Also among the film's strong points are the performances of the actors. Parminder Nagra plays Jesminder very convincingly. She gives the character just the right amount of depth and care. Joining her really good performance is Keira Knightley as Jules. Knightley is very charismatic in the film and has since moved on to Pirates of the Caribbean and the upcoming King Arthur. The casting of Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the girls' soccer coach pays off as he shares some pretty good scenes with Nagra and Knightley. Supporting performances by Anupam Kher, Archie Panjabi and Frank Harper, among others, give additional talent to the film. All in all, Bend it Like Beckham is a fun film. There is some really genuine stuff here. It's worth checking out.

Fox presents Bend it Like Beckham in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a pretty nice presentation. Colors are pretty bright and well-saturated. Color detail is good, too. There really aren't any print flaws, except for very minor ones. All things considered, the film looks quite lively.

Fox presents Bend it Like Beckham in English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound. Much of the soundtrack is located between the two front channels. Dialog is always clear and easy to understand. Sound effects and many of the film's songs pop up through the rear speakers. There is some pretty decent range and bass. As with the video, this is also a lively presentation.

Alternate audio options include a French 5.1 Dolby Surround dub and a Spanish Dolby Surround dub.

It all starts off with a commentary by director Gurinder Chadha and co-writer Paul Mayeda Berges. They chat passionately about the film and give away some interesting anecdotes, but the track also drags in quite a few spots.

Next are 10 deleted/extended scenes. They're kind of enjoyable, especially if you like the film, yet they're not in the film for a reason. Not a lot goes on in them and therefore they wouldn't have added anything to the film.

Following that is a Making of Bend it Like Beckham featurette. It's not your typical EPK production as interviews are conducted on a more natural fashion, such as the one with the director on a park bench. The cast is given considerable time here, too. Some of the behind-the-scenes footage is quite enjoyable. Overall, this featurette gets the job done.

For a little bit of fun check out the "Hot! Hot! Hot" music video and outtakes. The outtakes are somewhat amusing. The video also plays during the film's end credits but here it is presented in its entirety. As great as David Beckham is at soccer, he really doesn't have much music in him. In fact, watching him sing "hot hot hot" is so pathetic it's funny. Sorry, lad. I do feel bad for ya.

Then there is a 15-minute cooking lesson called "Who Wants to Cook Aloo Gobi?" which is hosted by director Gurinder Chadha and "The Aunties". Anyone who likes the Food network will most likely enjoy this segment. The food looks delicious. If you happen to be near the kitchen you can check out the Aloo Gobi recipe, although I probably won't prepare a dish since I'm not a good cook.

Rounding out the extras are international theatrical trailers. Inside the snap case is a 2-page paper insert listing scene selections and notes from the director.

You can select to view the film with optional English and Spanish subtitles. The 112-minute feature is organized into thirty-two chapters.

Bend it Like Beckham is fun. The comedy works very well and the soccer elements blend in perfectly. Also, characters are very likeable. Video/audio quality is very nice. The quantity and quality of the extras are good. Recommended.

THE MOVIE	7
THE VIDEO	8
THE AUDIO	8
THE EXTRAS	6
OVERALL (not an average)	7