Football and cinema have had something of a rocky relationship over the years. While American sports have provided the backdrop to some great films, it appears that soccer is the hardest of all to get right, with most football-related films falling prey to hackneyed storytelling, unconvincing action, footballers who can’t act and actors who can’t play football. The latest attempt to bring the sport to the screen “Goal!” is an ambitious production that is the first part of a planned trilogy following the young man’s rise from a nobody to a global superstar. The team behind “Goal!” have made every effort to make this the most realistic football film possible, securing the support of FIFA, the Premier League and Newcastle United to ensure authenticity. The soccer action is sometimes well handled by director Danny Cannon and his crew, and the production uses actual Newcastle Union games to give the play a realistic look and feel. The games, shot by Michael Barrett with seven cameras capturing the action, are fast-paced and varied. Use of the Newcastle’s stadium, and weight and training rooms helps make the film look real.

Non-fans of the game will enjoy the movie simply because of the strong human drama woven into the story, as well as the familiarity of easily identifiable themes of hard work, good ethics, living your dreams and fulfilling ...