This is the 2nd entry in a mini-series looking at music used in films about football. [Previous one here]

I haven’t done a list of my favourite footie movies, but if I did this would be in a UEFA Europa Cup place. Maybe even a Champions League spot.

Parminder Nagra in: BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM

Parminder Nagra in Bend It Like Beckham

Oh and I believe Kiera Knightly was in there somewhere too…

The film – apart from the usual dreams of playing in the big leagues/beats all the odds/setbacks, etc to get there – also had many other subplots thrown in.

For anyone who still hasn’t (seen it) yet, here’s a brief synopsis:

Like most everyone else in England, Jessmindar “Jess” Bahmra [Parminder Nagra] idolises David Beckham. But Jess is different from most fans; she’s a talented player in her own right. Unfortunately, her traditional Indian parents have other plans for their youngest daughter. They expect Jess to follow in the Indian tradition like her sister, Pinky.
Jesse scores !
When Jess meets Jules [Keira Knightley], who plays for a local female football team, she pursues her dream and begins to play, keeping her participation a secret from her parents and often leading to disastrous results. To complicate matters even more, both Jess and Jules are enamored with their coach, Joe [Jonathan Rhys Meyers]. Ultimately, Jess has to decide whether to live life on her terms or act in accordance with her parents’ wishes.

Via Rotten Tomatoes

Wasn’t just a footie movie, but an excellently viewed look at a multi-cultural life in Britain and was a springboard for the stars who both went to Hollywood.

As for the match sequences in the film, I think they pulled it off. They looked believable and not staged. I think they got actual football players in and not just actors. But the actors themselves pulled it off, Parminder Nagra especially with the scene when putting the washing out in the back garden and trying to curl one around the clothes hanging on the line.

The Soundtrack:

Bend It Like Beckham soundtrack

Is decent… It has a couple of ex-Spice Girls on there. Including yes, even rare outing from Posh herself.

Mel C’s “Independence Day” makes the list but another song of hers – “I Turn To You” – which was in a key scene of the film, didn’t.

There were a few other tracks on the film and didn’t make soundtrack. No idea as to why.

A particular absent one was Curtis Mayfield’s Move On Up. Why didn’t they include that ?

But what was on the CD was some funny lines from the movie…
“It’s Beckham’s corner”
“Can’t make round Chappatis”
“The offside rule is…”

…as well as a fantastic Bhangra version of familiar Soca music tune previously featured on F&M, which was used on the end titles of the film and featured the cast members dancing along to the tune:

Bina Mistry » Bina Mistry – Hot Hot Hot

– But the most outstanding track on the CD is this one which gets me up dancing (yes that’s right, even me) every time I hear it, is this one:

b21 » B21 – Darshan

Good film, great music.
Have to go and watch it again now.

3 Replies to “Football & Movie Music: Bend It Like Beckham”

  1. David Beckham is my idol and i wish that i was as good as him in the game of football.

  2. Love, love, love this film. But one other song missing from soundtrack was the gorgeous Hindi rendition of “Power of Love” that was playing as Pinky was with her bfriend in car. Tried to find that song- to no avail.

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