Excellent, smart action film.

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

It's one of the most original films you'll likely see all year, which, depending on your threshold for certifiably crazy storylines, could be a rewarding experience or one that frustrates you.

Historically, few movies have been made about football (or soccer, for those in the United States). I believe this is due for two reasons: 1) Hollywood wasn't familiar and care little for the sport for many years, and 2) European directors, who one would have expected to be more disposed to made such a film, have generally been dismissive of football. You see, in their mind, I think they see it as the opiate of the people (the working class in Western Europe would rather go and see a match on Sunday than start a revolution to overthrow capitalism). Only recently there have been a number of movies that deal with the world's most popular sport. This is in my opinion the best of them, dealing with the surprise victory of Germany in the 1954 World Cup over the highly favored team of Hungary. This victory was of historical significance for the Germans, according to some people, since it was the first victory of any kind Germany have 9 years after the end of the war, and it meant the start of a new era of increased self-confidence for the country. OK, maybe this is an exaggeration, but this movie, which mixes real characters (the players, coach Herberger) with invented ones (the journalist and his newly married wife, the kid from the Ruhr region who has a bad relationship with his former POW father and wants to go to Switzerland to see the final match) is thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end.

I have seen this movie on November 2005 in an European Cinema Festival in Lima. It was really excellent, and I'm purchasing it on Amazon.de. The digital making of Wankdorf Stadion in Bern was awesome, and the story was touching. The performing of the final was a surprise, because before it, no football scene had been seen in the movie. Only one mistake: the boy went with his father from Germany to Bern by car (borrowed from a priest), but they returned by train. What happened to the car of the infortunate priest? Nevertheless, if you are a football fan, don't miss it and PURCHASE IT FROM AMAZON.DE!!! The DVD does have Spanish subtitles.

It's easy to appreciate how much of a morale boost to a country sporting victories are in international competition, particularly when that sport is almost the national religion as soccer is throughout Europe. But you don't need to be a soccer fan or a German to appreciate this wonderful film, where the pathos of a bittersweet family reunion when the father comes home from a Soviet work camp after 11 years is as much the centerpiece as the quiet optimism leading to the football win and the joy following it. Obviously Germany in 1954 was a country still rebuilding from its recently shattered past and that feeling is conveyed superbly. The end is charming, in fact the nicest closing scene I can remember.

The film managed to avoid cliches about this period of history, which a few of us can still remember. The interweaving of several stories, which sometimes seems miraculous, is well directed by Soenke Wortmann.