Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Strong and Moving!

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

It is believed that replicating the action and thrill of any sport on the big screen is a very difficult task. Over the years, many movies have tried to do just that. But, they always had quite a few shortcomings. 'A Perfect Game', 'Goon' and 'Hoosiers' are very good examples of this phenomenon. So, it was really refreshing to see a sports movie that actually delivers what people expect from it.GOAL! THE DREAM BEGINS is a sports drama about an underprivileged young man chasing his dream. Santiago is born with a love of football (Soccer, for all my North American readers). As a Mexican immigrant living in Los Angeles, Santiago was destined to follow his father's path to work at menial jobs to earn money to support his family. All this changes, when a scout gives him chance to showcase his footballing talents in England, against his father's wish. Santiago gets to England and goes through a series of ups and downs to achieve his dream of playing professional football.GOAL! is a delightful and morally uplifting movie. For a football fan this movie is a must watch. There are a couple of very famous football players who make cameo appearances in the movie. Even though this movie is a little slow at times, the positive elements by far outnumber the negative ones.To sum it up, GOAL! is very engaging. Viewers can easily identify with the plight of all the characters.

Mexican family immigrates to the US, young man is a decent footballer, Father wants him to help with business, scout sees young man play, gets trial in England, conflict.By-the-numbers football rags-to-riches film which you could have written within 10 minutes before watching.The cast aren't bad (Marcel Iures the standout) although some of the Geordie accents are a bit over the top but the cultural comparisons make for amusing viewing.The cinematography is slick, building the tension up of a match day, some amicable cameos and backed up by a great Oasis heavy soundtrack.

A classic tale of rags to riches, this film is one of the most uplifting and inspirational pieces of cinema I have seen in a long time. A breath of fresh air to a somewhat clogged genre of sport films. The basic plot outline is of a young Mexican, Santiago Munez, who, with his family, crosses the boarder into America to pursue the classic "American dream". After getting noticed by an ex football talent scout, Glen Foye, played by the superb Stephen Dillane, he makes his way to England to trail for Newcastle United. With many humps and bumps along the way, this fairytale story eventually climaxes with Santiago gaining his place on the Newcastle United senior team. This heartwarming tale has it all, happiness, sadness, romance and some terrific "one-liners". The quality of football acting is also flawless and aided by the appearance of professional footballers such as Alan Shearer who really know how to use the leg weight machines in a gym. I would definitely give this film four yes's and recommend it to all cinema lovers - "he saw me play, he saw me play!"

In 'Goal' Kuno Becker plays Santiago Munez, an illegal alien living in Los Angels. Despite his hardships, Santiago loves to play soccer. So much so, that he is really quite good. Good enough to get the notice of a former scout of Newcastle United. Santiago gets the opportunity to go to England and try out for this premier football team. But if he does not make it, he will not be able to return to Los Angels.This is a heartwarming tale of one man's struggle to become something more. Despite the obstacles and the disapproval of his father (Tony Plana), he goes for the goal. Only to find that it is not going to be that easy after all.I would say this film is 'Bend it Like Beckham' meets 'Gattaca'. Not that Santiago needs to meet any DNA tests, but he is in a world that is virtually unknown to him. He has to keep secrets about himself in order to fit in because most expect him to fail. Some will even try to make him fail.