TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2016 // A REVIEW OF "PELÉ: BIRTH OF A LEGEND"
Confession: I have, and always will, love a good sports movie. The underdog scores the winning goal who is then is carried off the field/court/pitch with even the opposing fans cheering from the stands? Guaranteed I will love it. Frankly it's the perfect combination for an addicting movie, especially when the film tells the true story of an athlete who proved everybody wrong. Rudy, Remember the Titans, A League of Their Own, The Blindside... The list goes on and on. Each film a bit predictable and coated with cheese, but each is a film I'd never say ‘no’ to watching.
PELÉ: BIRTH OF A LEGEND is no different.
When the film opens, Dico is a young boy. We meet him as a shoeless hooligan running through the streets of his hometown plucking various freshly washed garments from their drying lines with a group of other shoeless and grinning boys. We stay with young Dico for a while, watching how he handles a soccer ball made from these clothes. He is smart and fast and uses the traditional Brazilian style of Futbol called ‘ginga’ to navigate the narrow and twisty dirt roads of his neighborhood.
And then, just like we all knew would happen, personal tragedy strikes. He swears off soccer and promises to focus on his studies. Will he ever share his gift and play again? (We know the answer because it's a true story)
(I'd like to take a second and just say that soccer/Fútbol is not a sport I know much about. Or anything really. I know players can't touch the ball with their hands and that the World Cup is a HUGE deal. When I first showed up for the film I actually thought his name was pronounced "peal" instead of "pay-lay". True story.)
Dico's journey through the whole film is to prove himself to his team, and in turn, the team must prove themselves to Brazil. Yes, it sounds cheesy (it is) but it's also very true. Brazil's unique style of play had made them a global Fútbol laughing stock beginning in the 50's when they were crushed at The World Cup. This devastating loss gave the Brazilian people a sort of identity crisis, causing them second guess their tactics.
One of the best things about PELÉ: BIRTH OF A LEGEND is that someone who knows nothing about sports (me), or Brazil (me) can see it and actually learn something. The film discusses the history of ‘ginga’, Brazil and Dico himself, without feeling like a history lesson. Another fantastic choice, made by directors Jeff and Michael Zimbalist, was to have the actors using very authentic Brazilian dialects. I can’t say that all of the actors’ performances were great, but the dialects were strong and unapologetically thick. Some moments still seemed stilted and forced, especially by main actor Kevin de Paula who plays Dico himself, but then de Paula’s performance would redeem itself moments later in a heartwarming speech, encouraging his team towards victory.
Unfortunately, during the highest stakes moment of this film the cheese is the thickest. The heavy use of a slow song in Portuguese paired with a slow motion segment of game time goes on for too long, losing its effective potential.
All in all, it’s a great story told in a fun and accessible way. Yes it’s as cheesy as the dollar slice place on my corner, but it’s a sports film that touches on a true story that we can all learn something from today. I’d watch it again in a heartbeat.
CHRISENA'S VERDICT: MUST SEE
SCREENPLAY AND DIRECTED BY Jeff Zimbalist, Michael Zimbalist STARRING Rodrigo Santoro, Vincent D'Onofrio, Diego Boneta, Seu Jorge, Colm Meaney.
Playing as part of the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival.
For tickets and information: https://tribecafilm.com/festival/
FINAL THOUGHTS: I'd watch it again in a heartbeat.
CHRISENA RICCI is an actor, director and writer. Her current acting adventure has taken her to Alaska to perform in THE DAYS OF '98. Her most recent acting and writing project in New York City was with Girl Be Heard's EMBODI(ED). Other past credits include the role of Elizabeth in HONESTLY ABE: THE MUSICAL, and directing for Writopia lab's IT NEVER ENDS.