Goal! The Dream Begins

Newcomer to American films, actor Kuno Becker makes a splash as Santiago Munez an underprivileged Mexican-American immigrant with a knack for playing soccer. Santiago gets the opportunity of a lifetime when a British soccer scout (Stephen Dillane) arranges a tryout with England’s prestigious soccer club Newcastle United. Alessandro Nivola ("Junebug") adds essential dramatic ballast and texture to the story as Newcastle United’s most reviled player because of his irresponsible lifestyle that threatens to derail his formidable soccer skills. Director Danny Cannon ("I Still Know What You Did Last Summer") captures every bit of Kuno Becker’s star quality although the committee-written script remains slack.
Rated PG-13. 117 mins. (B-) (Three Stars)