The actors of the movie
Synopsis:
It may be called Pelé: Birth of a Legend, but Jeff and Michael Zimbalist‘s film is really about Ginga soccer and Brazil at risk of losing its soul. The climax depicts the 1958 World Cup with the country’s unexpected run to the final on the back of a seventeen year-old hobbled by a sprained knee, but it’s not his goal scoring that inspires confidence. His ability to run around the pitch in complete ignorance of the Europeans’ formation game lights a fire that burns deeper than technique. Vicente Feola (Vincent D’Onofrio trying a Portuguese accent) was hired to rebrand the team after a debilitating loss in 1950 and poor sportsmanship in 1954 by invoking that European way, but Pelé (Kevin de Paula) refused to forget his identity.
Ginga goes back to the African slave heritage of Brazil’s black community — explained as a fighting style and spirituality all but outlawed outside the soccer field. Players adapted the martial arts-like movements and created what many today call “the beautiful game” by advancing the ball through the air rather than on the ground. It’s really a miraculous sight to behold and a far cry from the style of play many believe is synonymous with a sport labeled “boring.” Thanks to Matthew Libatique‘s cinematography and a cast of skilled futboleros we’re able to witness the majesty ourselves either amongst hanging sheets and steel roofs of Pelé’s hometown, the aristocratic décor of Sweden’s palatial World Cup hotel, or the field opposite an opponent unable to stop the gamesmanship.
The visuals are this film’s greatest asset because it’s hard to ignore the plot’s pitch-perfect underdog striving for victory against dissention from outside and within clichés — whether what’s depicted is fact or not (Edson “Pelé” Arantes do Nascimento does produce and cameo, so I’m assuming it’s close). Between the slum shoe-shiner to soccer hero trajectory, tragic death propelling change in work ethic, and villainous rival turning inspirational friend, Birth of a Legend feels like a made-for-TV special. But whenever the tone turns saccharine or the action becomes prototypically motivational, Libatique finds a way to deliver the imagery with intrigue and beauty. Sunflares while juggling fruit, dried dirt exploding on impact in slo-motion, or precise close-ups of on-the-field dribbling all add up to some rousing sports-fueled excitement.
If the archival footage of Pelé during the end credits is any indication, the Zimbalists’ soccer choreographers took pains to render these jaw-dropping maneuvers as true-to-life as possible. Watching de Paula effortlessly sweep the ball 360-degrees past three defenders for a no-look backheel pass is magical. There were probably more cuts than I’d like for a smooth sequence, but everything fires in impeccable tandem to force my memory into believing I saw it in real time. That’s a credit to my investment in the story because sometimes it only takes being drawn into the action for it to appear live and without fabrication. I knew who’d win the championship and whom the star was, but I stayed on the edge of my seat to watch how nonetheless.
As far as Pelé’s evolution and the lengthy stretches of time spent back home with Mom (Mariana Nunes‘ Celeste) and Dad (Seu Jorge‘s Dondinho): it can get overly sentimental. The latter wants Pelé to go to school and find a way out of the city, the former stays quiet because he knows what soccer did to him after a successful career ended in a bad knee and a job cleaning toilets. The boy (played by Leonardo Lima Carvalho circa 1950) simply wants to have fun. A scout sees him and offers an opportunity; his parents let him squander that chance until they’re finally ready to let him go and build upon his potential. It’s all rallying cries afterward as a nation awaits his greatness. Trials and tribulations commence.
The family stuff is heartwarming; the team comradery by-the-numbers with obstacles (D’Onofrio’s coach, Diego Boneta‘s smug striker José Altafini) and encouragement (Milton Gonçalves as Brazilian ex-player Waldemar de Brito and the Ginga-proficient teammates). Pelé has a lot of fear about losing his spot on the team if he doesn’t try to play like his coaches want, but bottling up that natural talent becomes a crutch risking a catastrophic loss like the one suffered by his father. The mirroring can be heavy-handed and the turnabouts on Ginga versus European strategy too swift, but the plot does have to advance somehow. Luckily for us de Paula proves a charismatic lead to empathize with during the tough times and embrace with an infectious smile during the good.
Birth of a Legend exists on the same level as Miracle‘s portrayal of 1980’s gold medal-winning US Olympic hockey team (there’s even a match against the Soviet Union to boot). This type of story targets a specific audience and those averse to it won’t find anything here to change their minds. The Ginga/spiritual culture aspects are a welcome addition to the usual biography tropes and Pelé being so ubiquitous a name for soccer fans and detractors alike does lend a mystique beyond the sport itself. But while all that is handled business-as-usual, the aesthetic propels it above mediocrity. Libatique isn’t messing around and his involvement is proof that the movie shouldn’t be dismissed. The cinematography got my attention and Pelé’s artistry (re-enacted or not) earned my emotional investment.
LESSON LEARNT FORM THE MOVIE
- Embrace who you areYou are who you are. Unique in every way. What makes you special is not your name, status, age, race, sex or skin colour but deep down who you are as a person. The greatest gift you can give yourself is to let go off the pretense and staying true to the person in the mirror.
- Turn anger into a positive emotionThere are a lot of things that make us angry, resentful and bitter. We cannot change external factors that make us angry but we can change how we react to the things that make us lose our cool. Great players know that anger is a powerful emotion, an abundant source of energy. They channelize their anger inwards and turn it into a positive emotion. If done right, anger could be your limitless reservoir of energy.
- All greats were once underdogsWhether it is your background, your circumstances or your form, remember one thing: nothing is permanent. Your underdog status is not a curse but a sure sign that better days are coming if only you remained persistent. Keep doing your best, put your chin up and soon the tide will turn.
- Great performances are a result of great preparationNothing can replace good old preparation. You might be the most gifted player in the team but if you have a lousy training routine then you are destined to fail. Great players like Pelé are a result of relentless physical and mental preparation. They were not lucky, they simply made their luck by sweating it out.
- Throw the rule book out of the windowRules are nothing but a set of guidelines that tell us the do's and don'ts, the if's and but's. On the playing field, the first players to get steamrolled are the ones who follow the rules as if their life depended on them. The more logical approach is to first learn the rules, then break them all. There is no shame in being unorthodox and playing your natural game.
- Stick to the choices you made no matter whatNothing comes easy. There will be hurdles. Infinite and insurmountable at that. Whatever happens, don't give up. Take life head on. Learn from your mistakes. Learn from others' mistakes. Keep learning, stay curious, stay hungry and keep growing as a sportsman, as an individual.
- Age is just a numberYou are never too old or too young to find your true calling. Some people know it all along since their childhood while others wander for decades to find their purpose. Whichever group you belong to, be grateful that you have found your calling and just have fun. If you haven't then keep looking but don't settle.
- Stay true to your rootsWould Pelé be Pelé, had he given up on Ginga? Absolutely not. Your culture, your traditions and your heritage is a gift. You don't have to emulate others. Be proud of your roots. Embrace your culture and shine.
- Your goals are not yours aloneYou may begin a journey of a thousand miles by taking that first step but along the way you will find fellow-travellers who will celebrate your journey as if it was theirs. Your friends, teammates and loved ones will not only cherish your goals but will also act as stepping stones to get you closer to your goals.
- Dreams do come trueYour dreams might look ludicrous today but believe us when we say that dreams do come true. They did for us as we followed our instinct and began making the Sportify Me App. There were hurdles, there were bad days, days we have put behind us. But, now we are closer than ever before to make this momentous dream a reality. Through our own journey, we know for a fact that your dreams will come true if you just believed in yourself and persevered. Keep persisting, do your Gingaand most importantly, enjoy the game.
Production[edit]
The film was shot entirely on location in Brazil, with Leonardo Carvalho and Kevin de Paula playing the rising star at the age of 9 and 17, respectively. Pele stated: "The two young actors who play my younger self will be true stars, as their skills both on screen and on the football pitch proved." [5] Zimbalist stated that they wanted to concentrate on Pele’s early life for dramatic reasons, giving the reason as: "It was the birth of the legend that parallels the birth of the Brazilian national identity, coming off the 1950 (World Cup) loss (to Uruguay) in Maracana stadium". [6] The film is centered on the relationship between Pele and his father. [6]
The Ginga Style[edit]
"Transpired from the Capoeira martial art style, ginga is what Brazilians are born with - a one-word collective of the way they move, walk, talk, feel and most importantly - play. It is the soul of Brazil, and one which had (and has) seemingly vanished from their football." [7]
Pelé's football style derives from Ginga. As explained by the character De Brito: "It is primitive, but it has a long and rich history... It all started at the beginning of the 16th century... The Portuguese arrived in Brazil with African slaves. But the African's will was strong, and many escaped to the jungle. To protect themselves, the run away slaves called upon the ginga, the foundation of Capoeira, the martial art of war. When slavery was finally abolished, the capoeiraistas came out of the jungle, only to find that capoeira was outlawed throughout the land. They saw football to be the perfect way to practice ginga without being arrested. It was the ultimate form of ginga. And before long the ginga evolved, adapted, until it was no longer just ours, but all Brazilians. But at the 1950 world cup, most believed our ginga style was to blame for the loss, and turned against anything associated with our African heritage. And just like your coach has been trying to remove ginga from your play, we have been trying to remove it from ourselves as a people ever since."
Reception[edit]
The film received mostly negative reviews. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a rating of 25%, based on 17 reviews, with a rating average of 4.6/10. [8] On Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean score, the film has a score of 38 out of 100, based on 10 critics. [9] Despite poor reviews, on IMDB the film currently has a 7.4/10 rating. [10]
Critic Josh Terry of Deseret News said: "Overall, “ Pelé: Birth of a Legend” is a solid sports film and a pleasant introduction to an international icon." However, he went on to add: "While “ Birth of a Legend” touches on weighty subjects such as national identity and class tension, its tone often employs a frenetic highlight-reel style that gives its content more flash than depth." [11] In his review for The Salt Lake Tribune, Sean P. Means awarded the film 2 out of 5 stars saying: "...the script plods along from event to event, and the young actors portraying Pelé are bland and uninvolving." [12] Chief critic Alan Zilberman of The Washington Post concluded: "“The film is too earnest and single-minded to be hagiographic, and the final moments are moving in spite of their predictable trajectories. [...] the film would have benefitted if the Zimbalists had found a way to add a bit of depth — or even doubt — to the legend." [13] Scott Marks of San Diego Reader called biopic "painfully routine". [14] Robert Abele of TheWrap stated the biopic "scores zero goals" calling the treatment to the script as "burnishing". [15] In his review for The Village Voice, Michael Nordine expressed: "The new Pelé movie has great footwork but iffy, cheesy drama." [16]Michael Rechtshaffen of The Los Angeles Times stated: " [....] script fails to satisfy the dramatic requirements of a narrative feature." [17] Andrew Barker of Variety commented: "The film is continually hamstrung by an uninspiring, ultra-traditionalist narrative.
Production[edit]
The film was shot entirely on location in Brazil, with Leonardo Carvalho and Kevin de Paula playing the rising star at the age of 9 and 17, respectively. Pele stated: "The two young actors who play my younger self will be true stars, as their skills both on screen and on the football pitch proved." [5] Zimbalist stated that they wanted to concentrate on Pele’s early life for dramatic reasons, giving the reason as: "It was the birth of the legend that parallels the birth of the Brazilian national identity, coming off the 1950 (World Cup) loss (to Uruguay) in Maracana stadium". [6] The film is centered on the relationship between Pele and his father. [6]
The Ginga Style[edit]
"Transpired from the Capoeira martial art style, ginga is what Brazilians are born with - a one-word collective of the way they move, walk, talk, feel and most importantly - play. It is the soul of Brazil, and one which had (and has) seemingly vanished from their football." [7]
Pelé's football style derives from Ginga. As explained by the character De Brito: "It is primitive, but it has a long and rich history... It all started at the beginning of the 16th century... The Portuguese arrived in Brazil with African slaves. But the African's will was strong, and many escaped to the jungle. To protect themselves, the run away slaves called upon the ginga, the foundation of Capoeira, the martial art of war. When slavery was finally abolished, the capoeiraistas came out of the jungle, only to find that capoeira was outlawed throughout the land. They saw football to be the perfect way to practice ginga without being arrested. It was the ultimate form of ginga. And before long the ginga evolved, adapted, until it was no longer just ours, but all Brazilians. But at the 1950 world cup, most believed our ginga style was to blame for the loss, and turned against anything associated with our African heritage. And just like your coach has been trying to remove ginga from your play, we have been trying to remove it from ourselves as a people ever since."
Reception[edit]
The film received mostly negative reviews. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a rating of 25%, based on 17 reviews, with a rating average of 4.6/10. [8] On Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean score, the film has a score of 38 out of 100, based on 10 critics. [9] Despite poor reviews, on IMDB the film currently has a 7.4/10 rating. [10]
Critic Josh Terry of Deseret News said: "Overall, “ Pelé: Birth of a Legend” is a solid sports film and a pleasant introduction to an international icon." However, he went on to add: "While “ Birth of a Legend” touches on weighty subjects such as national identity and class tension, its tone often employs a frenetic highlight-reel style that gives its content more flash than depth." [11] In his review for The Salt Lake Tribune, Sean P. Means awarded the film 2 out of 5 stars saying: "...the script plods along from event to event, and the young actors portraying Pelé are bland and uninvolving." [12] Chief critic Alan Zilberman of The Washington Post concluded: "“The film is too earnest and single-minded to be hagiographic, and the final moments are moving in spite of their predictable trajectories. [...] the film would have benefitted if the Zimbalists had found a way to add a bit of depth — or even doubt — to the legend." [13] Scott Marks of San Diego Reader called biopic "painfully routine". [14] Robert Abele of TheWrap stated the biopic "scores zero goals" calling the treatment to the script as "burnishing". [15] In his review for The Village Voice, Michael Nordine expressed: "The new Pelé movie has great footwork but iffy, cheesy drama." [16]Michael Rechtshaffen of The Los Angeles Times stated: " [....] script fails to satisfy the dramatic requirements of a narrative feature." [17] Andrew Barker of Variety commented: "The film is continually hamstrung by an uninspiring, ultra-traditionalist narrative.
Production[edit]
The film was shot entirely on location in Brazil, with Leonardo Carvalho and Kevin de Paula playing the rising star at the age of 9 and 17, respectively. Pele stated: "The two young actors who play my younger self will be true stars, as their skills both on screen and on the football pitch proved." [5] Zimbalist stated that they wanted to concentrate on Pele’s early life for dramatic reasons, giving the reason as: "It was the birth of the legend that parallels the birth of the Brazilian national identity, coming off the 1950 (World Cup) loss (to Uruguay) in Maracana stadium". [6] The film is centered on the relationship between Pele and his father. [6]
The Ginga Style[edit]
"Transpired from the Capoeira martial art style, ginga is what Brazilians are born with - a one-word collective of the way they move, walk, talk, feel and most importantly - play. It is the soul of Brazil, and one which had (and has) seemingly vanished from their football." [7]
Pelé's football style derives from Ginga. As explained by the character De Brito: "It is primitive, but it has a long and rich history... It all started at the beginning of the 16th century... The Portuguese arrived in Brazil with African slaves. But the African's will was strong, and many escaped to the jungle. To protect themselves, the run away slaves called upon the ginga, the foundation of Capoeira, the martial art of war. When slavery was finally abolished, the capoeiraistas came out of the jungle, only to find that capoeira was outlawed throughout the land. They saw football to be the perfect way to practice ginga without being arrested. It was the ultimate form of ginga. And before long the ginga evolved, adapted, until it was no longer just ours, but all Brazilians. But at the 1950 world cup, most believed our ginga style was to blame for the loss, and turned against anything associated with our African heritage. And just like your coach has been trying to remove ginga from your play, we have been trying to remove it from ourselves as a people ever since."
Reception[edit]
The film received mostly negative reviews. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a rating of 25%, based on 17 reviews, with a rating average of 4.6/10. [8] On Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean score, the film has a score of 38 out of 100, based on 10 critics. [9] Despite poor reviews, on IMDB the film currently has a 7.4/10 rating. [10]
Critic Josh Terry of Deseret News said: "Overall, “ Pelé: Birth of a Legend” is a solid sports film and a pleasant introduction to an international icon." However, he went on to add: "While “ Birth of a Legend” touches on weighty subjects such as national identity and class tension, its tone often employs a frenetic highlight-reel style that gives its content more flash than depth." [11] In his review for The Salt Lake Tribune, Sean P. Means awarded the film 2 out of 5 stars saying: "...the script plods along from event to event, and the young actors portraying Pelé are bland and uninvolving." [12] Chief critic Alan Zilberman of The Washington Post concluded: "“The film is too earnest and single-minded to be hagiographic, and the final moments are moving in spite of their predictable trajectories. [...] the film would have benefitted if the Zimbalists had found a way to add a bit of depth — or even doubt — to the legend." [13] Scott Marks of San Diego Reader called biopic "painfully routine". [14] Robert Abele of TheWrap stated the biopic "scores zero goals" calling the treatment to the script as "burnishing". [15] In his review for The Village Voice, Michael Nordine expressed: "The new Pelé movie has great footwork but iffy, cheesy drama." [16]Michael Rechtshaffen of The Los Angeles Times stated: " [....] script fails to satisfy the dramatic requirements of a narrative feature." [17] Andrew Barker of Variety commented: "The film is continually hamstrung by an uninspiring, ultra-traditionalist narrative.
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