What we have here is an efficient compilation of the hoariest sporting cliches given a breath of life by some charming actors.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 31, 2024

Bill Nighy and Michael Ward elevate Netflix sports drama The Beautiful Game, an underdog story that feels reminiscent of Ted Lasso.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Oct 1, 2024

The Beautiful Game sets out to make a breezy, entertaining and uplifting film about the unifying power of team sports, while shying away from the darker recesses of its characters’ predicaments.

| Original Score: 3/5 | May 9, 2024

The plot isn’t as blindly predictable as one might expect, and as the characters warmly bicker and banter, their issues carry real weight -- that pay off in the second half.

| May 2, 2024

The Beautiful Game is an entertaining film that combines the game's adrenaline with more inspiring themes and leaves us with a satisfied expression. It's no small feat. [Full review in Spanish]

| Original Score: 3/4 | May 1, 2024

There's hardly anything in “The Beautiful Game” that audiences have not seen a thousand times before. And that's unfortunate, because the Homeless World Cup has dramatic potential that transcends the underdog story archetype.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Apr 8, 2024

The storytelling feels mechanical and rushed; very inelegant — more English Premier League than the Spanish La Liga.

| Apr 7, 2024

I love this movie. It's as ordinary as the dirt you play soccer on, but I don't care. It's fantastic.

| Apr 5, 2024

Ultimately, this is an underdog story, but a well-told one and quite inclusive.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Apr 4, 2024

The Beautiful Game is a story head and shoulders above the rest, even if the road map is particularly familiar to the usual genre film destination.

| Original Score: B- | Apr 4, 2024

Though not impervious to cliched moments, this is an uplifting sports drama with a redemptive message elevated by Bill Nighy's performance and an energetic turn by Susan Wokoma.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Apr 4, 2024

There are some loose ends, but they can be overlooked thanks to the good intentions and a marvellous Bill Nighy...

| Apr 3, 2024

While there's a sense of predictability with this British sports drama, as it follows all the familiar beats associated with the genre, there's still much to enjoy.

| Apr 3, 2024

Inspired by real events, this warm and witty British football drama is packed with engaging characters and situations, nicely directed by Thea Sharrock.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 2, 2024

The Beautiful Game banks on its undeniable warmth, Ward’s strong central performance and the handful of wrinkles in the story that prevent it from becoming fully formulaic.

| Apr 1, 2024

More than just a film about football, The Beautiful Game stands as a tribute to human resilience and the power of sport to unite people beyond their circumstances. [Full review in Spansih]

| Original Score: 6/10 | Apr 1, 2024

You can see how these might be stories borrowed from real participants. That may fit with the movie’s it’s-all-good-here ethos, but wouldn’t it make more sense for a series of episodes devoting time to each story?

| Mar 31, 2024

The film rolls along smoothly like many a British sitcom, finding its humor largely in mild embarrassment, ironic understatement and well-rehearsed comic timing.

| Mar 29, 2024

The Beautiful Game won't change the world - that stuff is left to things such as the real Homeless World Cup -- but it's a solid and entertaining film that should put a smile on your face.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 29, 2024

This is another admirable addition to a subgenre that relies heavily on the appeal of its cast. The Beautiful Game scores big time in that regard.

| Mar 29, 2024