'Next Goal Wins' Scores a Few Points, But Ultimately Takes the L

In 2001, the American Samoan national football team (and by football we mean soccer) suffered a humiliating defeat to Australia in a 31-0 blowout. More than a decade later, in an attempt to finally restore some honor to their country, the Football Federation American Samoa (which is pronounced "sow-moa" rather than "sa-moa") hired the Dutch-American soccer coach Thomas Rongen to help the national team qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This attempt was in turn documented by filmmakers Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, creating their hit 2014 documentary Next Goal Wins.

Related: The True Story Behind 'Next Goal Wins'

Sometime in the late 2010s, the Oscar-winning writer/director/actor Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarok) fell in love with the documentary and optioned the rights to make a feature film. He shot it at the end of 2019, but of course COVID caused delays in post-production. Then in 2021, Armie Hammer, the recipient of multiple sexual assault allegations, was bumped from the project in favor of Will Arnett. After reshoots and more post-production, the film finally got an April 2023 release date, but that date got pushed. Then the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes arrived and it got pushed even further to Nov. 17, 2023. All of this is to say that the road for Next Goal Wins from true story to Toronto International Film Festival, where it premiered Sept. 10, was more than two decades long. But not all roads need to be traveled.

The Big Green/Cool Runnings/Mighty Ducks-esque misfits sports-saga begins with Michael Fassbender's Rongen (and his terrible fake beard) being shipped to American Samoa as punishment for a bad temper. His ornery demeanor is immediately contrasted with the happy-go-lucky Samoans, led by the Football Federations' fatherly Tavita (Oscar Kightley), who moonlights in a Debbie Wanner-approved rotation of jobs in one of the films funnier bits. If you've seen a single solitary sports drama (and who among us hasn't?), you will be able to guess the trajectory of the film from there. Rongen and the Samoans initially struggle to communicate and find any success. A few musical montages later (one set joyfully to Dolly Parton's "9 to 5"), however, and the ragtag band has coalesced into a well oiled machine. They march on to their eventual face off against the Tongan team, and SPOILER ALERT (although is it really a spoiler if the true story has already received so much publicity?), win the match, traversing potholes with zany jokes along the way.

>>> Sign up for Parade's Daily newsletter and get the scoop on the latest TV news and celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox <<<

Perhaps the most interesting and unexpected plot line of the film, however, revolves around Jaiyah Saelua, the first openly non-binary and trans woman to compete in the FIFA World Cup qualifier, played charmingly by Kaimana. Especially at a time where trans inclusion in sports has become a heated topic of debate, watching a trans athlete thrive is exhilarating. Saelua is Fa'afafine, which in American Samoan culture is a two-spirit individual whose gender is fluid. ("It is a sacred part of their culture," Waititi explained. "It is just accepted.")

Only Rongen seems to have any issue with Saelua's gender, but after a cruel start that involves dead-naming Saelua in an attempt to humiliate her, the pair eventually become the heart of the team. While the handling of this topic is a little wobbly at points (Rongen never really apologizes as fully as he should), the celebration of two-spirit athletes in a commercial sports film is uncommon and commendable.

Unfortunately for Next Goal Wins, the Saelua story (which is certainly secondary) is not enough to justify this adaptation of an already popular documentary. The question of, "Why are you making this?" seems an obvious one, and something you can feel Waititi desperate to rid himself of for the film's entire runtime. From the opening moments (which involve Waititi narrating as an eccentric priest), the movie, like a twin dyeing their hair, is frantically trying to distinguish itself. The plot lines are exaggerated and goofier, the characters are more extreme, and every possible second is laden with Waititi's bonkers humor. And while some of the humor works well, you can't help but feel it's all shouting "HEY HEY! Look over here!" to keep from answering the looming, "Why?"

Related: The Most Anticipated Movies from the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival Lineup

Perhaps rather than cramming the fairly traditional underdog sports stories with bits, Waititi could have spent his time looking for a fresh point of view or message for the genre (as a film about Saelua could have been). Instead, Next Goal Wins doesn't attempt to say much more than the standard platitudes about working hard, finding your people and enjoying the time you have with them. Rongen's personal life is brought in at the eleventh hour as a twist, the American Samoan players are largely undistinguishable from one another and even some of the funniest bits are saved for the white actors in the film, like Arnett and Luke Hemsworth. Strong comic moments make the film an enjoyable sit, but it's empty calories that will soon be forgotten.

Related: Director, Writer, Producer, Actor Comedian—Taika Waititi's Net Worth Post-'Thor' Is No Joke

Certainly if Next Goal Wins pops up as an option to watch on your next Qantas flight to Oceania, by all means press play. It will help pass the time and produce a few chuckles. For a talented filmmaker like Waititi, however, the film feels like a waste (as did his last, Thor: Love & Thunder). Next Goal Wins does, however, serve as a reminder to filmmakers out there. Just because you enjoy watching a film, doesn't mean you need to remake it.

Grade: B-

Watch Next Goal Wins in theaters starting Nov. 17. 

Next, Get Ready to Root for the Little Guy! 19 of the Best Underdog Movies of All Time