Waititi’s film contains some painful jokes.
Summary SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Taika Waititi, known for his ability to incorporate humor in even the most upsetting scenarios, returned to the Toronto International Film Festival this September to premiere his new feature. His latest is centered around the American Samoa national football team after their infamous 31-0 defeat in the 2002 World Cup qualifying match.
I’ll cut to the chase here: Without knowing the outcome of the story, viewers will easily come to understand how it will all end based on the tone and structure of the film. As viewers, we’ve become accustomed to the successes of underdog stories, and it’s no problem here as well. My issue with Next Goal Wins comes during the middle portion of the film, which suffers severely from Waititi’s humor. It’s incredibly forced and comes off as a mockery of the team and culture.
With all the problems that exist throughout Next Goal Wins, it’s important to mention the standouts. Specifically, Kaimana as Jaiyah Saelua, the first openly trans woman to participate in a World Cup qualifying game, is the heart of the film and one of the few players to have an arc. Kaimana does a sensational job hitting those emotional moments throughout the film. Her scenes help to balance the often overused comedic ones.
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