Bend it Like Beckham

director: Gurinder Chadha
year: 2002
with: Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Anupam Kher, etc.

plot: A comedy about bending the rules to reach your goal, Bend It Like Beckham explores the world of women's football, from kick-abouts in the park to freekicks in the Final. Set in Hounslow, West London the film follows two 18 year olds with their hearts set on a future in professional football. Heart-stopping talent doesn't seem to be enough when your parents want you to hang up your football boots, find a nice boyfriend and learn to cook the perfect chapatti. 

what I liked: Even though I couldn't care less about football in general and women's football in particular this film still hasn't lost any of it's original charme and finds a balance between culture clash comedy and more serious coming-of-age story.

what I didn't like: I sympathise a bit with Jules mom, her tacky hats, love of everything pink and girly and her fascination for pump up bras...worrying.

verdict: Even though it is not the most modern of films anymore and soon not many people will know who that famous Mr. Beckham's claim to fame is, it was well worth re-watching.

2002 I was sitting in cinema in Germany with my best friend, watching this film set in Hounslow, seeing Heathrow airport but never had flown myself, adoring the certain Englishness in everything and hating Keira Knightley in a (probably dreadful) German translation.
2013 I'm sitting on the sofa with my Heathrow working husband in a typical English semi-detatched house, near Hounslow ...and still hating Keira Knightley.
Who would have thought 11 years ago that one day I will pretty much live within the world of "Bend it like Beckham"...minus the sari and the football.
A trip down memory lane.