1. Matt Wood
Similar Products – Film Beginning Analysis
Bend ItLike Beckham(2002):
Studio: British Sky Broadcasting
Written by: Gurinder Chadha,Guljit Bindra,Paul Mayeda Berges
While the opening credits are on the screen, John Motson (A football commentator) can be
heard commentating over a Manchester United football match. Then the match appears
while the commentator describes Manchester United’s need for a goal. Then a cross goes in
to the box and is headed in by the protagonist, Jesminder "Jess" Bhamra. Everyone in the
stadium starts celebrating the goal. Then it cuts to a scene in a TV studio where Gary
Lineker, Alan Hansen and John Barnes discuss her as the “answer to England’s prayers”.
Then Jess’ Mum is in the studio saying about how she shouldn’t be playing football. It then
transitions to her Mum bursting into her room and turning off the football on her TV saying
how she should be with her sister who is getting engaged. When she is forced to go
downstairs, she turns to a poster of David Beckham and says “I’msick of this wedding and it
hasn’t even started”.
This opening scene foreshadows the story for the entire movie. Jess wants to follow her
dream and become a footballer however her family are completely against it and try to stop
her in order to make her be a typical Hindu girl. She dreams of being a footballing icon but
her family restricts her.
It is clear that she is unlike her family and how they want
her to be when we first see her. She is wearing an
Addidas tracksuit whereas her mother is wearing a sari.
The fact that she is wearing a tracksuit shows that she is
sporty and active. Her mother is very much the opposite.
Her mother is wearing dark colours and Jess is wearing
light colours which depict Jess as a good character and
her mother as the antagonist. Also her mother is standing
up whereas Jess is sat down which shows that her Mum is
of a higher status and holds more power.
