Michael Uzoma Michael 
Next Goal Wins is a 2023 American sports comedy-drama film directed by Taika Waititi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Iain Morris. It is based on the 2014 documentary of the same name by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison about Dutch-American coach Thomas Rongen’s efforts to lead the American Samoa national football team, considered one of the weakest football teams in the world, to qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The film stars Michael Fassbender as Rongen, alongside Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Will Arnett, and Elisabeth Moss.
Next Goal Wins premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2023, and was released in the United States on November 17, 2023, by Searchlight Pictures.
Plot
Dutch American football coach Thomas Rongen faces the option of being fired or accepting an almost impossible task: to convert the American Samoa national team, considered one of the weakest football teams in the world, into an elite squad. The storyline also includes fa’afafine player Jaiyah Saelua, who was the first transgender player ever to compete in a World Cup qualifier game.
Cast
- Michael Fassbender as Thomas Rongen
- Oscar Kightley as Tavita
- Kaimana as Jaiyah Saelua
- David Fane as Ace
- Rachel House as Ruth
- Beulah Koale as Daru Taumua
- Will Arnett as Alex Magnussen
- Elisabeth Moss as Gail
- Uli Latukefu as Nicky Salapu
- Chris Alosio as Jonah
- Lehi Makisi Falepapalangi as Pisa
- Semu Filipo as Rambo
- Ioane Goodhue as Smiley
- Rhys Darby as Rhys Marlin
- Angus Sampson as Angus Bendleton
- Luke Hemsworth as Keith
- Kaitlyn Dever as Nicole
- Hio Pelesasa as Samson
- David Tu’itupou as Tall David
- Levy Tuiala as Chief Sila
- Loretta Ables Sayre as Rambo’s mother
- Frankie Adams as Frangipani
- Taika Waititi as an American-Samoan priest
Production
It was announced in August 2019, that Fox Searchlight Pictures had set up an initially unspecified project that would see Taika Waititi write and direct prior to his obligations to Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). It was later revealed as being a feature film adaptation of the 2014 documentary Next Goal Wins. Waititi, Garrett Basch and Jonathan Cavendish serve as producers, with Andy Serkis, Will Tennant and Kathryn Dean as executive producers.
In September of 2019, Michael Fassbender entered final negotiations to star in the film. He would be confirmed the next month, alongside Elisabeth Moss entering negotiations to join. In November 2019, it was announced Kaimana, Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo, Uli Latukefu, Rachel House, Rhys Darby, Angus Sampson, Chris Alosio and Sisa Grey had joined the cast of the film, with Moss being confirmed. In December 2019, Armie Hammer joined the cast of the film, playing an executive with Football Federation American Samoa.
Principal photography began in November 2019 in Honolulu, Hawaii, and wrapped by January 2020. In December 2021, it was announced that Will Arnett would be stepping in for Hammer, because Hammer was accused of sexual assault by multiple women. The part, initially intended as a cameo, was expanded when Arnett joined. In May 2023, Kaitlyn Dever was announced as part of the cast.
Release
The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2023, prior to its commercial release on November 17, 2023. The film was originally set to be released on April 21, 2023, before being postponed to September 22, 2023, and then to its current date. The film’s cast, however, was unable to attend the premiere due to the restrictions imposed by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.
Review
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 42% of 114 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.2/10. The website’s consensus reads: “Next Goal Wins finds director/co-writer Taika Waititi with his heart in the right place, even if his crowd-pleasing aim has noticeably strayed from its target.” Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 44 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating “mixed or average” reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of “B+” on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by PostTrak gave it an 86% overall positive score, with 65% saying they would definitely recommend the film.
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