Next Goal Wins: TIFF 2023: A Serotonin-Filled Romp That Scores With Humor, Wit and Heart
Four years following its initial announcement, three-and-a-half post its filming’s commence, Taika Waititi’s latest has finally emerged from the depths of delays, dubiosity and scandal. Throughout that time, a pandemic has raved the landscape, a panned Thor outing has mitigated the hype... and, of course, a thematically-similar, yet wholly-separate soccer series—critically-acclaimed, feel-good, an underdog tale—has swept the globe, accruing both critical and commercial acclaim. Faced with these obstacles, how could Next Goal Wins possibly score any sort of gold-medal favour? The answer is simple: by using the same techniques mirrored by the players in the film: a touch of heart, a dash of humour, and an unending display of perseverance, hope. It’s a winning combination for any underdog’s success—and, much like the team at its centre, Next Goal Wins has somehow defied the odds, scoring another successful shot in the net for Waititi.
According to Waititi, Next Goal Wins tells a true tale—mostly. The pivotal plot beats, the primary characters: they all centre around elements of reality. The American Samoan national team did hold the FIFA-recognized record of ‘worst in the world’ for decades; their 31-0 loss remains historic, and was followed by a slew of 38 consecutive defeats. To remedy their reputation, the team did hire an American coach, Thomas Rongen, who countered culture shock and corporate ostracization in his quest to re-shape the team’s trajectory. The embellishments by Waititi—oft recognizable due to their auteur-steeped comedic roots—have little effect on the overarching story, instead providing bursts of wit that are seldom recognized as truth, yet blend seamlessly with it nonetheless.
The underdog story progresses much like one might expect. The team’s immediate distrust of Rongen hampers their rapport, and the lack of compassion appears mutual. It’s only when the team—and Rongen—let each other in, learning to meld their styles, embrace their respective backgrounds, in which the team truly begins to thrive. This is the prototypical pattern for such a tale—and yet, it makes the eventual successes no less satisfying. Part of the reason lies in the inherent appeal of the archetype; still, it’s certainly accentuated by the depth of character in which Waititi has built, through his writing, directing, and the actors' performances. By imparting depth, and thus audience empathy, upon each central player, Waititi ensures a cultivation of care, which escalates each failure to the point of a personal blow, while enhancing the anticipatory—and eventually celebratory—nature of each success. Fassbender’s Rongen, the irrefutable lead of the film, certainly develops enough of an occupational, familial, and emotional arc to demonstrate this effect, though the true standout is centerback player Jaiyah Saelua, whose journey of self-acceptance anchors the film in incandescent humanity. Kaimana’s performance captures Jaiyah’s transcendence in an effervescent manner, and the exploration of her identity as a fa’afafine—a Samoan third gender, encompassing those born as men, who adapt feminine attributes and identify as women—provides a singularity, an emotionality, and a crucial educational aspect to the character. Saelua herself has commented on the importance of transgender and fa’afafine representation, both in this film and the greater international landscape, and has celebrated the honesty and educational power of media; Next Goal Wins can certainly be commended for its spotlight on her story—and its role in contributing to such positive, and essential, representation.
The most glaring predicament that hampers Next Goal Wins, unfortunately, does not lie in the film itself, but in the events that have occurred in the years since its completion of production. When the American Samoan team underwent their 2011 transformation, their story was miraculous. Singular. An underdog sports tale that, if not never-seen-before, then at least unique enough to bring joy, make headlines. Around Next Goal Wins’ 2019 inception, the tale, too, seemed propitious for adaptation. Yet nearly half a decade since its arduous production, the world has seen the introduction—and conclusion—of a shockingly-similar effort: a television series that quickly captured the hearts of viewers around the world, accruing countless critical awards, and thus remains rife for comparison when examining Next Goal Wins’ thematic and narrative similarity. Next Goal Wins may not share the peppy coach, the rivalling clubs, or the quip-borne iconography, yet the feel-good comedic tone and football focus can’t help but raise reminders of its cinematic sibling. Had Next Goal Wins come out before Ted Lasso, perhaps it would be the effort receiving such acclaim—yet at this point in time, it is near-impossible to view it through any lens that lacks comparativity. It is a shame, for Next Goal Wins tells a genuinely unique—and rooted-in-reality—tale: one which should be seen, spread, commercially lauded, entirely of its own regard. Be the draw Fassbender or Jaiyah, Waititi’s signature comedic tone or the hopeful, upbeat atmosphere, there’s much to love about the film, and it certainly should not be devalued on the basis of poor timing alone.
That said, Next Goal Wins has enough charm, heart, and quirky joy that it’s impossible to not leave the theatre smiling. Never before have I experienced an audience sent into such stitches, nor such rapturous applause; Waititi’s 'comedic-royal' reputation is well-earned, and this latest effort is certainly another notch in his ever-impressive belt. The runtime flies by, made more noticeable by the allure of such a world in which one could forever remain; there’s truly no shortage of serotonin, and in the moments that matter, the film easily makes its mark. This is precisely the kind of movie the world needs right now: light, fun, optimistic, with equal parts wit, hope, and heart. It may not be winning any cinematic World Cups, but it’s certainly a title that should not be missed—for when it comes to ‘feel-good,’ Waititi has, once again, inexplicably scored.
Score: 7.6/10
★★★★☆