Goal! The Dream Begins

Director: Danny Cannon Danny Cannon

Overview

One young man's dream takes him on a remarkable journey in this sports-themed drama. Santiago Munez (Kuno Becker) was born in Mexico, and came to California with his family when he was just a boy. One of the few things Santiago brought with him was a love for soccer, and while he holds down two jobs -- working landscaping during the days with his father, Hernan (Tony Plana), and as a busboy at night -- he still dreams of playing the game professionally, and spends his precious spare time with an amateur team in Los Angeles. One day, Santiago is approached by Glen Foy (Stephen Dillane), a part-time scout for powerhouse British team Newcastle United; Glen has seen Santiago play and thinks he has talent, and can get him a tryout with Newcastle if he can make his way to England. While Hernan refuses to help Santiago pay for the trip, his grandmother (Miriam Colon) empties her savings to help him follow his dream. Santiago's first reserve game with the team happens during a typically British rainstorm, with Santiago suffering a mild asthma attack to boot; he doesn't play at his best and is turned away from the team, but he refuses to go home, determined to make good. After striking up a friendship with star kicker Gavin Harris (Alessandro Nivola) and demonstrating his mettle to coach Mal Braithwaite (Gary Lewis), Santiago earns a second chance to show Newcastle United what he can do and make his father proud of him. Goal! was a major international hit, and a sequel was already in production before the film opened in the United States in the spring of 2006.

Product Details

Release Date:	09/12/2006
UPC:	0786936700275
Original Release:	2005
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Touchstone / Disney
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:58:00
Sales rank:	29,527

Special Features

The Beautiful Game" - featurette on the worldwide soccer phenomenon; "Behind the Pitch" - how the films intense soccer action came together using real Premiership matches and the actors; Audio commentary with filmmakers; Happy Mondays music video "Playground Superstar"; Golden Moments of the FIFA World Cup featurette

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Kuno Becker	Santiago Munez
Alessandro Nivola	Gavin Harris
Anna Friel	Roz Harmison
Stephen Dillane	Glen Foy
Gary Lewis	Mal Braithwaite
Sean Pertwee	Barry Rankin
Marcel Iures	Erik Dornhelm
Tony Plana	Hernan Munez
Miriam Colon	Mercedes
Kate Tomlinson	Val,Val
Emma Field-Rayner	Lorraine
Zachary Johnson	Rory,Tom,Himself,Rory,Geordie Fan
Kevin Knapman	Jamie Drew
Alfredo Rodríguez	Julio
Kieran O'Brien	Hughie McGowen
Jorge Cervera	Cesar
Cassandra Bell	Christina
Lee Ross	Bluto
Christopher Connel	Reporter 1
Peter Michael McGowen	Reporter 2
Alan Shearer	Himself
David Beckham	Himself
Zinedine Zidane	Himself
Raul Gonzalez	Himself
Leonardo Guerra	Santiago aged 10
Christopher Fairbank	Foghorn
Jonathan Hernandez	Armando
Craig Heaney	Phil
Jack McBride	Walter
Robert Dixon	Bobby Redfern,Bobby Redfern
Ashley Walters	Carl Francis
Stephen Graham	Des
Herman Chavez	Referee
Donald Li	Chinese Restaurant Manager
Rhydian Jones	Sales Person
Andy Hawthorne	Immigration Official 1
Michael Gunn	Immigration Official 2
Ashlea Sanderson	Girl
Alex Parkin-Goodchild	Kid 1
Callum Aynsley	Kid 2
Andy Kidd	Bouncer
Martin Tyler	Martin Tyler
Brian Lonsdale	Fan
Glynis Brooks	Cleaner 1
Maxine Evans	Cleaner 2
Blondell Taylor	Sister
Daniel Maier	Patient
Frances Barber	Carol
Madeline Moffat	Woman in Tower Block
Louis Lennie	Teenager
Baden Burns	Teenager
Nicholas Lumley	Taxi Dispatcher
Mike Elliot	Gordon
Louise Franklin	Drunk Girl
Leslie Randall	Mr. Ives
Greg Ellis	Fan 2
Sven-Göran Eriksson	Sven-Göran Eriksson
Shivani Ghai	Ground Attendant
Nick Ingman	Conductor
Marcel Lures	Actor
Graeme Revell	Composer

Technical Credits

Dick Clement

Ian La Frenais

Mike Jefferies

Adrian Butchart

Danny Cannon	Director
Dick Clement	Screenwriter
Ian La Frenais	Screenwriter
Matt Barrelle	Producer
Mike Jefferies	Producer,Screenwriter
Larry Aube	Key Grip
Elaine Grainger	Casting
Peter Hargitay	Executive Producer
Michael Coo	Key Grip
Adrian Butchart	Screenwriter
Lucinda Syson	Casting
Lawrence Bender	Executive Producer
Belinda Gardea	Casting
Mark Huffam	Producer
Tom Sayers	Sound/Sound Designer
Jo Burn	Producer

Editorial Reviews

The first in a planned soccer film trilogy, the richly satisfying Goal! The Dream Begins is from the inspirational “follow your dreams” sub-genre of the underdog sports movie. Santiago (Kuno Becker), a Mexican immigrant living with his family in Los Angeles, is a soccer prodigy. He is encouraged by a former player and talent scout (Stephen Dillane) to go to England and try out for the elite Newcastle United team, which has fallen on hard times. Among the obstacles that stand in his way are his father (Tony Plana), who thinks his son’s soccer dreams are “rubbish”; Santiago’s asthma, which he tries to keep secret, and hostile teammates. But Santiago perseveres with the help of a beautiful nurse (Anna Friel), paternalistic coach (Gary Lewis), and Gavin, the team’s flashy, but underachieving, star player (Alessandro Nivola) whose “playboy” lifestyle runs counter to Santiago’s own work ethic. Goal! follows the sports movie playbook, but manages some tricky moves that keep viewers from getting too far ahead of the story. Santiago’s assimilation to British-style soccer is rough and tumbling. His estrangement from his father likewise does not play out predictably. The dialogue at times is as hokey as the genre demands, but the soccer action comes off as authentic and there is obvious rooting interest in role-model Santiago. Gavin’s off-the-field antics (he wakes up one morning in bed between two women) earn the film its PG rating and otherwise mar what would have been a more family friendly film. There is no shortage of sports films, but as the talent scout says of Santiago, “every once in awhile, one comes along to lift your heart.” The Dream Begins achieves that goal.