Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Next Goal Wins
Taika Waititihas done a little bit of everything. Although Waititihas dabbled in theStar Warsfranchise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe,television shows likeOur Flag Means Death, and even won an Academy Award for writingJojo Rabbit, his latest feature film is the first true story that he’s ever done.Next Goal Winsmay seem like a standard inspirational sports movie on paper, but Waititi’s humor helps turn this underdog’s sports story into another one of his signature comedies.Next Goal Winsfeatures many of the themes that Waititi has highlighted throughout his career, including teamwork, perseverance, and diversity. Although Waititi certainly proves that a “true story” can still feel “original,” he keeps the essence of the true story alive when it comes to the film’s ending.
Thomas Rongen Becomes the American Samoan Football Coach
Next Goal Winsfollows the Dutch American football coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), who is fired from coaching the United States U-20 men’s national soccer team after his team fails to qualify forthe World Cup. It’s not just Rongen’s track record that puts his leadership in question; his aggressive, dominating coaching techniques have made him intolerable to work with. Although Rongen’s rage is intimidating, he’s just as heartbroken as he is angry.Rongen is mourning the death of his stepdaughter, Nicole (Kaitlyn Dever), who was killed in a car accident. He has now separated from her mother Gail (Elisabeth Moss), and needs a new position to start the “spiritual journey” of healing.
Rongen’s boss, Alex Magnussen (Will Arnettina role originally given toArmie Hammer), gives him an ultimatum: He can choose to either accept his termination, or travel to American Samoa to coach the territory’s national football team. Rongen is skeptical about making such a drastic move, and he’s even more cagey when he learns about the team’s track record.The American Samoa football team is notoriously terrible, and has just suffered a major loss of 31-0 to the Australian national team, which became the worst defeat in the history of professional football. Rongen doesn’t have any hope of actually leading the team to victory; he simply needs to restore their reputation so that American Samoa is no longer a laughingstock.
Rongen’s discontent grows when he actually starts meeting the members of the team; he realizes that they are disorganized and lack the formal training needed to qualify for the World Cup. However, Rongen realizes that they don’t lack enthusiasm, andreluctantly agrees to step in as coach. Comparing himself to Mr. Miyagi fromThe Karate Kidand Tony D’Amato inAny Given Sunday, Rongen believes that the team needs to begin a regimented training process that will teach them basic gameplay strategies.Rongen’s coaching techniques immediately start to clash with the team’s more carefree training style; he isolates himself from the team, and begins to show the same signs of anger and alcoholism that had lost him his job in the first place.
Rongen Gets a New Perspective on Coaching
However, Rongen’s luck changes after he forms a relationship with the fa’afafine player Jaiyah Saelua (Kaimana), who will go on to become the first transgender person to ever compete in a World Cup game. Jaiyah realizes that Rongen’s knowledge of the game iswhat the team needs, but that he won’t be able to connect with the players if he continues to demean them. Rongen gradually learns to show respect to Jaiyah, which extends to the rest of the team. He begins to enjoy the culture of American Samoa and starts taking his job seriously. Rongen realizes that even though the rest of the soccer world treats the American Samoa team like a joke, that doesn’t mean that he has to. With Jaiyah’s help, he begins to rebuild the team’s confidence as they prepare for World Cup qualification.
Over the course of three weeks, Rongen begins to form personal relationships with the team as he institutes an idiosyncratic training regime and begins adding new players to the team. He realizes that the team has been hurt by the backlash that their losses have earned them. The team’s senior manager Ace (David Fane) has been lampooned for his failings, and the players Daru (Beulah Koale), Nicky (Uli Latukefu), Jonah (Chris Alosio), Pisa (Lehi Falepapalangi), Rambo (Semu Filipo), and Smiley (Ioane Goodhue) lack confidence. Although Rongen is still skeptical that the team will go very far in the championship, Tavita (Oscar Kightley), the head of the Football Federation American Samoa, asks him to simply score one goal. Perhaps,being considered underdogswill yield them an advantage.
The American Samoan Team’s Reputation Is Restored
Rongen leads the team to a match with Tonga in order to qualify for the 2014 World Cup. Although both sides are playing well, Rongen starts to get irritated when the American Samoa team begins to lose track of the fundamentals that he has taught them. Realizing that he’s falling into the same pattern that had doomed him previously, Rongen encourages the team to simply “have fun” instead of getting stressed about winning. Ironically, this is exactly the type ofuncynical messagethat the team needs to hear, and the team finally scores a point.American Samoa wins the match and rises in the national rankingsafterscoring an extra goal in overtime.Although American Samoa’s victory fails to make an impact on the football worldwhen they lose their next game, it does help restore the country’s civic pride; the story of their victory is told in a post-credit sequence featuring Waititi as an Amercian-Samoan priest.
Rongen ultimately chooses to leave American Samoa and becomes a director atTFC Academy during the 2012 season. However, it’s clear that leading the team of outsiders has helped Rongen recover from his depression; Magnussen notes to him that “we sent you there to help you,” and not the other way around. Although he doesn’t stay in American Samoa, the film ends with a joyous Rongen dancing around with the team, whom he can now count as both friends and colleagues. He lacks the haughty reputation that he had at the beginning of the film.
Next Goal Winscomes to theaters in the U.S. on November 17.Click hereto find showtimes near you.
