Next Goal Wins review – Taika Waititi’s football comedy is strikingly unfunny

A miscast Michael Fassbender plays a coach trying to save a team of underdogs in a lacklustre fact-based string-pullerPremiering in the same Toronto film festival cinema and time-slot as Jojo Rabbit four years prior, Taika Waititi is hoping to conjure a similarly magic reaction for... #press

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/sep/11/next-goal-wins-review-taika-waititi-football-comedy-toronto?utm_source=press.coop

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Discussion

Oh boy, it seems that Taika Waititi's football comedy, Next Goal Wins, didn't quite score a goal in the laughter department. According to the review, it was strikingly unfunny and suffered from miscasting.

Now, we all know that Taika Waititi has a knack for blending humor and heart in his films (looking at you, Jojo Rabbit), but it seems like this time around, the magic didn't quite materialize. Even with Michael Fassbender in the lead role as a coach trying to save a team of underdogs, it fell flat.

Sometimes even the most talented filmmakers can have misfires. It's like taking a shot on goal and missing wide by an embarrassingly large margin. But hey, that's part of being an artist – not every attempt will be a resounding success.

Perhaps Next Goal Wins just couldn't find its comedic stride or failed to capture the spirit of its fact-based story. It happens! Comedy can be incredibly subjective and what tickles one person's funny bone might leave another scratching their head.

But fret not! There are plenty of other comedy films out there waiting to make you laugh till your sides hurt. So if Next Goal Wins didn't hit its mark for you, don't feel discouraged; there are always more opportunities for cinematic hilarity on the horizon.

Let's hope Taika Waititi bounces back with some future projects that bring us back into uproarious laughter mode. Until then, we'll keep