Kicking It (2007)
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56% of critics liked it
(16 reviews) -
68% of users liked it
(362 ratings)
In 2001, a pair of South African journalists and activists who were also serious soccer fans came up with an idea to help the world's homeless. They created a Homeless World Cup, in which teams of street soccer players from across the globe were organized into national teams and given the chance to… More In 2001, a pair of South African journalists and activists who were also serious soccer fans came up with an idea to help the world's homeless. They created a Homeless World Cup, in which teams of street soccer players from across the globe were organized into national teams and given the chance to compete as a way of putting a human face on issues of economic justice, as well as giving street people a chance to show their talents to the world. The first Homeless World Cup tournament was held in 2003, and since then tens of thousands of players from 48 nations have taken part in the games, with over 70 percent of the athletes reporting they've been able to leave homelessness behind after competing in the tournament. Documentary filmmaker Susan Koch offers a close-up look at the Fifth Homeless World Cup competition in Capetown, South Africa, in the documentary Kicking It, which focuses on six footballers from Ireland, Spain, Kenya, Russia, Iraq, and the United States as they look back at their chaotic lives and how sports have given them the chance to improve their lot. Narrated by Colin Farrell, Kicking It received its North American premiere at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Rating, Runtime
- Unrated, 1 hr. 38 min.
- Directed By
- Susan Koch, Jeff Werner
- Written By
- Susan Koch
- Genres
- Documentary, Drama, Sports & Fitness, Special Interest
- In Theaters
- Jun 13, 2008 Limited
- On DVD
- Sep 9, 2008
- Studio
- Liberation Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times
Rarely has the healing power of sports been as genuinely depicted as in director Susan Koch's perception-altering documentary Kicking It.
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Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
Kicking It illustrates the transformative power of sports.
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Nathan Lee, New York Times
So earnest it hurts, Kicking It follows a half-dozen homeless men from around the globe as they ready for the fourth annual Homeless World Cup in Cape Town.
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Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News
A well-meaning look at the Homeless World Cup, Kicking It presents its topic without much sentimentality, though it could benefit from a more pared-down approach.
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Aaron Hillis, Village Voice
It's hard to imagine how Koch could have made her film any more heavy-handed: perhaps by adding U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" to the soundtrack or having the narration delivered by Colin Farrell-both of which, inevitably enough, the director does.
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