My Saturday night video pick Bend it Like Beckham

by Laura Greenwood,—Surrey, England

Bend it Like Beckham is a British film about two high-school girls in London who have a passion for football [soccer] and ambitions of becoming professional footballers. But to reach their goals, they have to struggle with the expectations of their families and stereotypical attitudes about women.

Jesminder, in particular, has a tough battle. Jess is from a traditional Indian family that expects her to marry a suitable Indian boy. Her parents want her to be something she is not. Rather than dream of weddings, Jess dreams of playing professional football, like her hero, Beckham, who wallpapers her bedroom on posters. This conflict with her family makes Jess feel she has to carry out a secret life, running off to play on a girls’ football team with her friend Jules whenever her parents’ backs are turned.

Jules, on the other hand, has the support of her father, who is keen to practice with his daughter in the back garden; it is her mother who has hangups about having a sporty daughter. She wants Jules to have a boyfriend and be more feminine. Her worry is that “no boy will go out with someone with muscles bigger than his.” Jess's mother has similar worries. “What family will want a daughter-in-law who can run around kicking football all day but can't make round chapattis?” she asks. She, too, wants what she thinks is best for her daughter. However, Jess and Jules are up against strong beliefs that, for one reason or another, girls should not be playing football.

Relationships are also a big issue for Jess. She worries that the person she falls in love with might not be Indian, and, therefore, she might have to sacrifice love for the sake of pleasing her family. She is in a trap; she feels she can't do what she wants because it would be going against the wishes and culture of her family; yet if she does what they want, she'll be unhappy.

When she confides in Jo, her football coach, he asks her, “Whose life are you living, Jess?” This is an important turning point in the film. Jess begins to realise she has to face her parents’ fears and expectations, and yet be true to herself. You sense that Jess instinctively knows she has a unique place or purpose in life, and that she has to find the courage to fulfill it.

Jess's determination and sincerity eventually break through the resistance and opposition of her parents. And, in the end, we see that her parents care more about the happiness of their daughter than their cultural traditions or societal pressures.

As practicing Sikhs, her family prays to one God, whom they recognise is the supreme, guiding influence in their lives. Jess's father shows his humility and faith when he says, “Whatever God has written will happen.” Her mother also finally realises she has to let Jess go and trust her to a higher power. “At least I've taught her [how to cook a] full Indian dinner,” she exclaims, “The rest is up to God!”

I really enjoyed Bend it Like Beckham because it shows, in a humorous and believable way, how two strong girls follow their dreams whilst respecting, but not giving in to, the well-meaning wishes of their parents. Some of the themes in the story — unconditional love, and appreciating the individuality of each one in a family — are themes that I think all young people can easily relate to.

About the author

Laura is a third-year student of sociology at Bristol University in England.

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