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The Game of Their Lives

Play trailer Poster for The Game of Their Lives PG Released Apr 22, 2005 1h 36m History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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26% Tomatometer 35 Reviews 55% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
The U.S. soccer team (Gerard Butler, Wes Bentley, Jay Rodan) are heavy underdogs as they prepare to play the British squad in a 1950 World Cup preliminary game.
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The Game of Their Lives

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Critics Consensus

An enthusiastic but ultimately uninspired soccer film.

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Critics Reviews

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Nell Minow Movie Mom Rated: B Feb 18, 2012 Full Review Richard Roeper Ebert & Roeper Director David Anspaugh has a skilled touch, but there's just not that much drama to film. This is a very competent, very predictable sports film. Apr 25, 2005 Full Review Peter Hartlaub San Francisco Chronicle ...disappointingly mediocre... Apr 22, 2005 Full Review Heather Boerner Common Sense Media Great game, bad storytelling. Soccer buffs only. Rated: 2/5 Dec 18, 2010 Full Review Bruce Feld Film Journal International the narrative and dialogue club us over the head in an effort to make 21st-century viewers understand why the victory of America's team over England was of such monumental importance. Mar 1, 2007 Full Review Eric D. Snider EricDSnider.com Rated: C Oct 11, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jeff S A true underdog story. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Wonderful true story about a soccer team from the US facing insurmountable odds on the world stage. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/01/20 Full Review steve d The story is great, though the script struggles to capture it, good thing the acting helped the writers out. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review hardy c I preface this review with a fact: I love soccer. I play it, I watch it, I read about it. But here's an unfortunate fact also; I have never seen a decent movie about the game I adore. Starting with the dreadful "Victory" , a film mangled by Sly Stallone, there has been nothing but a string of poor cinema typified by bad directing, shoddy screenwriting, abysmal scene shooting and indifferent acting. Alas, "The Game of Their LIves" is just another sad addition to that Hall of Shame. Arguably one of the greatest upsets in the history of any sport (up there with the ballyhooed "Miracle on Ice"), this epic event in the 1950 World Cup deserves better than this. The story was weak, the direction plodding, the dialogue an homage to sports cliches and even the soccer scenes looked unnatural and staged. Even soccer fans need to stay away from this dog. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member It's okay but the real question is...why the fuck did they make a movie about this one game? Why didn't they even hint at the US's 3-1 defeat against Spain a few days before, and why is their mediocre performance in 1950 such a big deal, when the US squad got to the SEMI-FINALS in 1930!! Now that's a story! Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review Audience Member como documento historico no mas... Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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David Anspaugh

Director

Gerard Butler

Frank Borghi

Wes Bentley

Walter Bahr

Jay Rodan

Frank 'Pee Wee' Wallace

Gavin Rossdale

Stanley Mortensen

Costas Mandylor

Charlie 'Gloves' Columbo

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Movie Info

Synopsis The U.S. soccer team (Gerard Butler, Wes Bentley, Jay Rodan) are heavy underdogs as they prepare to play the British squad in a 1950 World Cup preliminary game.
Director
David Anspaugh
Producer
Howard Baldwin, Karen Elise Baldwin, Greg Johnson, Peter Newman, Ginger T. Perkins
Screenwriter
Angelo Pizzo
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Crusader Entertainment LLC
Rating
PG (Some Mild Language|Thematic Elements)
Genre
History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 22, 2005, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
May 7, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA)
$375.5K
Runtime
1h 36m
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