Movie Reflection – Bend It Like Beckham

Movie Reflection – Bend It Like Beckham

The movie, Bend It Like Beckham, is directed by Gurinder Chadha, and the main characters are Jess, who is played by Parminder Nagra, and Jules, who is played by Keira Knightley. The movie happens in the Britain, and it is a story about an Indian girl Jess, who has a dream to be a soccer player, and Jules, who also has a soccer dream, try their best to fight for the cultural difference and traditional views in order to chase their soccer dreams. In the story, Jess’s families do not agree Jess to play soccer because they think a girl should not play soccer which is defined as a boy sport by the traditional view, and they want her to behave like a girl that is defined by their culture. Jules also has the same experience. However, through their effort and persistence, their families began to support their soccer dreams, and they finally walk on the way to their dream.

From Jess’s families, I found out many details that could reflect the cultural and traditional problems. Indian cannot allow women wear revealingly, and the girls cannot have too much touch with the boys. Also, good girls should be good at doing housework, but not behave as a boy, like playing soccer. If women does not marry and have a success marriage, they do not think those women achieve success although they have a very great success in their works. Woman should not be concerned and worried about anything, but only the marriage. Indian should not marry with Whites and Muslims. Indian women should have long hair. If a woman who can complete all these requirements that are defined by traditional Indian view, then she can become a proper Indian woman. In fact, these are what Jess’s families want Jess to be. Different cultures have their own rules for their lives.

In the movie, some of the traditional views remind me that Chinese also have the same opinions as them. For example, Chinese do not like their daughters to play soccer either; instead, they also require their daughter to do the housework which is defined as a women’s task by the traditional views. Moreover, in China, the general success for a woman is that a woman should be married, should be responsible for housework, and should conceive a boy. If a woman who does not complete all these tasks, everyone will think her life is extremely failure without any reason even thought how high the achievement she has gotten. Sometimes, a successful marriage is the only one standard to value women’s success. Before Jess’s parents want to open the letter to check Jess’s grades, they need to worship. It is the same as some of the Chinese that every time when they have some important events, they will worship the Buddha. I think the thoughts of some people have been restrained by the chain of the traditional views.

In the movie, it reflects many events to show the difference of the different cultures; wearing, behaviors, religion, racism, sexism, gender, regional discrimination, and traditional customs. However, the most attractive thing for me is the sentences which are said by Jess’s father: “I don’t want her to make the same mistakes that her father made of accepting life, accepting situations. I want her to fight. And I hope her to win…I don’t think anybody has the right to stopping her”. These really touch my heart because it lets me remember the love of my parents. Sometimes, parents are just worried about their children may be hurt by the things that they think they are dangerous. They do not want to control their children they just want to protect them. Maybe, it is too protective, but this is the love of parents. As the soccer coach Joe said, “But your parents don’t always know what’s best for you, Jess.” However, her parents still wants to give the best to Jess.

    I like this movie because it expresses that no matter the religion, the skin, the country, and the culture people have, if they like soccer, they can enjoy the soccer as well as the famous soccer star David Beckham. I, as Beckham fan, I think I can understand why the movie use those plots in this movie. In the game, Jess was rudely fouled and abused by a player, and she immediately pushed that player after she woke up. Then, she gets the red card. It maps Beckham had the same experience as Jess in the game of England and Argentina in 1988 World cup. Furthermore, Jess missed a penalty in the game. This maps Beckham missed two penalties in the 2004 European cup. Finally, Jess was fouled by a player again, but this time she used a Beckham’s style free kick to score. It maps Beckham was fouled by a player again, but this time he scored by his free kick in 2002 world cup. This score is very import for England because it helped England qualify. Even though Beckham never appears in the movie, but audiences can find his trails anywhere.