Goal! The Dream Begins

"Goal! The Dream Begins" is one of the few sports dramas out there that may actually inspire the viewer to seize a dream they've had all of their life. Just as the film states clearly in its slogan "every dream has a beginning", the statement has never been so clear until the final credits begin to roll.

The premise is undeniably identical to several others pertaining to films of the same sub-genre, yet instead of focusing on a team forced to overcome their differences if they're ever to win, we get to follow Santiago Munez, a hard working young man who aspires to one day play professional soccer. Having saved up a life's earning, he plans to accept an offer from a stranger that involves his taking a flight to the United Kingdom in order to participate in a trial that will determine his fate as a professional athlete. The only thing standing in his way at this point, is his father, a hard-working family man who believes there are two kinds of people in the world, those wealthy enough to pay to have their work done for them and those who are paid to do the work. His father struggles to convince him to think twice about the mistake he's about to make, however, Santiago is determined to play professional soccer, even if that means destroying what little relationship he has with him. Once he participates in the trial, he's given a taste of just how difficult the sport really is when competing against other athletes with far greater skills than his own. Through time, however, Santiago becomes willing to do everything it takes in order to conquer his dream and prove to his loved ones, especially his father, that he has what it takes to play professional soccer.

"Goal" was everything but a hit, but the box office results were most likely do to the lack of advertising and the timing of the year in which the studio decided to put it in theaters. Nevertheless, this'll surely be a huge success on DVD due to the heart-warming approach it takes toward viewers. With an extremely compelling story and a knock-out performance from our protagonist, "Goal" is certainly going to have the same impact on audiences as "Remember the Titans".

I encourage you, if you're in need of some motivation, "Goal! The Dream Begins" is definitely worth a view. But just as a forewarning for all you soft-hearted folks out there, you might be better suited with a box of tissues near by to wipe those joyful tears from your eyes.