'Next Goal Wins' review: A hilarious and herky-jerky sports movie from Taika Waititi

Nov. 14—Taika Waititi certainly is good for a laugh — and sometimes even a few too many.

The New Zealand filmmaker of Māori descent brought an overly jokey tone to 2017's "Thor: Ragnarok" and 2022's "Thor: Love and Thunder." In between those Marvel Cinematic Universe efforts, on the other hand, came "Jojo Rabbit," a nearly perfect film that used humor to balance the more serious and unpleasant issues Waititi explored.

Thus, we know what to expect going into "Next Goal Wins," and, yes, Waititi's take on a sports movie is both chock full of chuckles and intermittently frustrating.

It's also a very sweet love letter to the people and culture of American Samoa, this quirky dramatization, er, comedy-zation of the U.S. territory's national soccer team's 2011 attempt to qualify for the World Cup. The film is an adaptation of the 2014 documentary of the same name,

As any good sports movie is, Waititi's "Next Goal Wins" is an underdog story, the team a decade earlier having experienced the worst defeat in international football history: 31-0 to Australia. The squad isn't much better in 2011, we are informed by Waititi, breaking the fourth wall as he portrays an American-Samoan priest. (He further promises a tale not of woe but of "whoa!" and admits a few embellishments have been made for its telling.)

Having sacked, er, fired the team's coach, Tavita (Oscar Kightley), the head of the American Samoa Football Federation, is in the market for a new one. Into his lap falls Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), a Dutch-born player-turned-coach who's had a very rough couple of years and suddenly is in need of a gig.

Thomas gets a culture shock to the system upon his arrival, and not simply because Tavita also works as a cameraman for a local TV show that interviews important folks as soon as they depart the plane that brought them to the island. (Light being shined repeatedly on the fact many folks in American Samoa work more than one job works both as comedy and compliment.)

Thomas finds a sloppy team waiting for him, a group of players who play more for fun and the chance to be together than because they are driven to be the best and to succeed. He doesn't relate to this at all and struggles to connect with the players.

To make matters worse, he has trouble finding a cell signal as he is desperate to hear voicemails left by his daughter, who chides him about not answering the phone when she calls.

Thomas begins to make some headway with the team thanks in part to transgender player Jaiyah (Kaimana, in her acting debut), who works to help Thomas understand how people there look at life and, perhaps as importantly, points him in the direction of some folks who may improve the team's chances if they join as players.

The narrative, crafted by Waititi and co-writer Iain Morris, is fairly clunky and herky-jerky as Thomas repeatedly throws fits and quits — even during the all-important qualifying match — only to be talked back down by someone and find a way to care again. The dependable Fassbender — who stars in another recent release, director David Fincher's "The Killer" — holds your attention as always, but the character is a little thin.

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Similarly, it's disappointing that "Next Goal Wins" doesn't flesh out Jaiyah's story a bit more, as the character — a "Fa'afafine," which, as the movie's production notes put it, "in American Samoan culture are people who have fluid genders that move between male and female worlds" — is so compelling. Jaiyah goes through a very believable struggle as the film progresses, but the plotline isn't given the time it deserves and is more or less resolved in seconds after a pep talk from Thomas.

Despite these flaws, though, "Next Goal Wins" is consistently entertaining. Yes, that's mostly thanks to all of that distinctly Waititi-an humor peppered throughout the affair. It is delivered well by a large ensemble that also includes David Fane, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, Hio Pelesasa and Rachel House — a Māori actor who has worked with Waititi in "Ragnarok" and 2016's "Hunt for The Wilderpeople," who here portrays Tavita's wife, Ruth.

It is, however, Kightley, as Tavita, who is the MVP of this acting team. While giving a hilariously deadpan performance, he manages to turn Tavita into the heart and soul of the film. On more than one occasion Tavita tries to impart some life advice on Thomas — or to explain why things are as they are in American Samoa — and it's strangely enthralling every time.

While the movie was primarily shot in Oahu, Hawaii, all the way back in 2019, it's taken all this time to come out in part due to Will Arnett being brought in to replace Armie Hammer after the latter's well-publicized controversy. Unfortunately, the typically terrific Arnett adds little to the mix, but Elisabeth Moss brings a little something to the table as Thomas' ex-wife.

Lastly, know that Waititi finds a way to chronicle the all-important second half of the big match with Tonga that feels uniquely him, just as so much of the rest of the film does.

When you tally up the scores, it's not 31-1, but "Next Goal Wins" lands on the right side of the ledger.

'Next Goal Wins'

Where: Theaters.

When: Nov. 17.

Rated: PG-13 for some strong language and crude material.

Runtime: 1 hour, 43 minutes.

Stars (of four): 2.5.