Anupam Kher, Archie Panjabi, Frank Harper

An Indian family in London tries to raise their soccer-playing daughter in a traditional way. Unlike her traditional older sister, Pinky, who is preparing for a lavish Indian wedding and a lifetime of...( read more  read more... ) cooking the perfect chapati, Jess dreams of playing soccer professionally, like her hero David Beckham. Wholeheartedly against Jess' unorthodox ambition, her parents eventually reveal that their reservations have more to do with protecting her, than with holding her back. When Jess is forced to make a choice between tradition and her beloved sport, her family must decide whether to let her chase her dream--and a soccer ball--or follow a more orthodox path.

Flixster Users

69% liked it

252,218 ratings

Critics

85% liked it

146 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 52 min.

Directed by: Gurinder Chadha

Release Date: August 1, 2003

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DVD Release Date: September 30, 2003

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Stats: 20,646 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (20,646)


  • September 25, 2009
    Filmed in my manor. Shame it was shit!
  • July 8, 2009
    Great movie! I'm Irish remember haha love gym class.
  • November 14, 2008
    Very cute.
  • March 12, 2008
    03/08/08 Update: Just watched this again for the first time in, apparently, two years. This is really well done. Nagra is, with all sincerity, brilliant, and Anupam Kher as her father, Mr. Bhamra, is worthy of a supporting Oscar nomination. I rarely shed a tear when I ...( read more)watch movies, but I shed more than a few as this one was coming to an end. I'm bumping this up to five stars and adding it to my Top 100 list right now.

    03/04/06: Dreaded seeing this, but friends were insistent. What a wonderful movie! I'll never be the world's biggest soccer fan, and fortunately this had less to do with soccer and more to do with race and family issues. Parminder Nagra must do more movies. Keira Knightley is leaving her behind -- in terms of number of movies cranked out, not in terms of talented performances.

  • February 9, 2008
    One of the great Girl-power movies.
  • October 31, 2009
    Fantastic movie. I absolutely love it.
  • October 27, 2009
    I laugh every time I see it - and I have seen it way too many times
  • October 27, 2009
    Comercial! or stupid :|
  • October 25, 2009
    This movie is about an Indian girl who lives in Britain, her name is Jess. All she wants is to play soccer. Her idol is David Beckham, the British soccer all star. She plays in the park with guy friends, but never tells her parents. Jess's parents say she needs to be learning to ...( read more)cook, and becoming more like her sister Pinky. Pinky is set to marry another Indian man. One day at the park Jess meets another girl who plays for an area all girls soccer team. She try out and is accepted on the team. The coaches name is Joe. He is strick but a good coach. He played soccer but was injured so he started coaching. Jess starts lying to her family in order to play soccer. She asks for money to buy shoes for the wedding, but instead comes home with new soccer sneakers. She also takes a trip to Germany to play without permission. A scout sees both girls and wants to see the final game. Jess forms an attachment to Joe and Jess's parents forbids her to play. The girls have an argument over the same man. They both like Joe. Indian girls aren't allowed to play soccer or show off their bodies. The other girls do badly without Jess there. Jess's father watches her game and realizes times have changes since he played soccer. He allows her to go to the final game. She goes to the second half and wins. The scout gives both girls a free scholarship to play soccer in America. They head for Santa Clara. Jess tells Joe she Will be back at Christmas, and they can announce their engagement then.Jess didn't want to put to much on her parents. Joe tells Jess that he got a new coaching job for men's soccer. He turned it down to coach the women's division. The Indians in this movie prayed to the God in the picture for everything. They asked for blessings for things, and stuck to their customs. Their beliefs were arranged marriages, no showing certain parts of the body, same race marriage, and no smiling while getting married. Their religion determines how they act, what they say, how important they are in the community, and who their married to.
  • October 22, 2009
    great film about following your dreams and doing what makes you happy. ♥

    ** review to be continued **

Critic Reviews


April 22, 2003
David Edelstein, Slate

The movie isn't unwatchable. It's clumsily good-natured, the actors are appealing, and there are worse ways to spend two hours than looking at pretty young girls in shorts kicking balls. full review

April 3, 2003
Claudia Puig, USA Today

A rare amalgam of funny, sweet, action-packed and inspiring. full review

March 28, 2003
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

Chadha's created something magical; an atmosphere of happiness and hope, in which we could all bend a ball like Beckham -- or like Jess. full review

March 14, 2003
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

While Chadha presents Jess and Jules as brave and independent 21st century women, the director then mistakenly gussies things up with a steady stream of shallow (and, for most girls, unattainable) sex... full review

March 13, 2003
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Just about perfect as a teenage coming-of-age comedy. full review

March 12, 2003
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Like Nagra and Knightley, the movie is a sweetheart. full review

March 12, 2003
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Bend It Like Beckham is supposedly a movie about youth; its biggest shortcoming is that it rarely feels young. full review

March 12, 2003
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

Coming after Monsoon Wedding and My Son the Fanatic, Bend It Like Beckham seems like a step backward. full review

View more Bend It Like Beckham reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • magdanecula2008
    March 13, 2009
    jonathan you are very ssexy
  • s11024286
    June 16, 2008
    dang!i love this movie and since i'm a female also into football..watching this movie just motivates me alot into playin' this game more and more....real great!! i've watched it over and over again and i never get tired of watching it.
  • peoplezpeoplesmile
    June 22, 2007
    I loved Bend it like Beckham, it was a really awsome, all the characters where good in this movie
  • atibari
    June 20, 2007
    Not so bad.
  • soccerstarten
    May 29, 2007
    oh wow, this movie is amazing!! i shud rele watch it again soon...
  • Iamahottie0660
    November 21, 2006
    This is my favorite keira knightley movie.I've watched it that much I know it word by word
  • sarahvisscher
    October 23, 2006
    its the best movie.
  • jeankitty09
    August 17, 2006
    omg like i loved this move so much but when i stared to watch more movies with Keira Knightley in them i loved this movie even more... i love her....
  • DONTxHATExMExCUZxYAxAINTxME
    August 9, 2006
    OMG! i DiDNT KNO THAT KiERA KNiGHTLEY PLAYED iN THiS MOViE! SHE iS LiKE MY FAVORiTE ACTiNG PERSON iN HiSTORY!
  • technicalflavor
    July 17, 2006
    The story is simple, completely unpretentious and has a few lessons for both adults and teenagers alike on how to go about what you want out of life!

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Bend It Like Beckham Trivia


  • In what movie did Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley and Jonathan Meyers All act together?  Answer »
  • Which movie has the tagline.... Who wants to cook Aloo Gobi when you can bend a ball like Beckham?  Answer »
  • Kiera Knightley and Parminder Nagra are in it. Kiera is thought to be a man by Parminder Nagra's sister's husband's mother when they see Kiera from the back and thought they (Kiera and Parminder) were kissing when they were really laughing. a 2003 movie.  Answer »
  • What movie was based in England and had girls who wanted to play in the united states? It also stared Keira Knightley  Answer »

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