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.
Comment
03/01/07
Rate this Movie 
The Game of Their Lives (2005)
25 %
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work
Reviews Counted: 32
Fresh: 8
Rotten:24
Average Rating: 4.5/10
Consensus: An enthusiastic but ultimately uninspired soccer film.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating]
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Apr 22, 2005 Limited
Box Office: $369,168
Synopsis: From the creators of Rudy and Hoosiers, based on a true story, "The Game of Their Lives" follows the US National Soccer Team, which shows that with passion and commitment, anything is possible –... [More]
Starring: Gerard Butler, Wes Bentley, Jay Rodan, Gavin Rossdale
Director: David Anspaugh
Get This Movie
Reviews for The Game of Their Lives
Click to read the article
10/11/06
A treat for soccer fans who have yet to see their favorite game given its due on the big screen. This won't be a classic soccer movie, but it's a start.
09/28/06
Click to read the article
07/05/05
A sentimental, creaky, underwritten, overloaded picture that fails as character study, period film, sports movie and heart-stirrer.
06/03/05
Enough enthusiasm, authenticity, and spirited soccer play to offset the missing ingredients.
05/11/05
The Game of Their Lives takes a standard inspirational sports movie structure.
05/09/05
Snooze.
04/28/05
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.
04/25/05
Top Critic...disappointingly mediocre...
04/22/05
Top Critic...lacks even a penalty kick's worth of tension and is paradoxically inert for a movie about guys running up and down the pitch for the glory of the U.S.
04/22/05
Top CriticAngelo Pizzo's screenplay is rife with the expected sports and gamesmanship cliches, and he and Anspaugh take forever just to get to the game action, which is the only really worthwhile material.
04/22/05
These guys give a sport that is virtually nameless in the movies a good name in this one.
04/22/05
Top Critic...this soccer tale is about as exciting to watch as a scoreless match between opponents so defense-minded the ball never gets beyond midfield.
04/22/05
Top CriticIt's difficult to muster dislike for The Game of Their Lives, which is reasonably interesting, but it needed more grit and inspiration than this straightforward account can provide.
04/22/05
Top CriticThe Game of Their Lives has little to recommend unless you're jonesing for a generic period piece boasting lots of slow-motion sports montages set to swelling music.
04/22/05
Pure, unadulterated sentiment served up with a straight face, The Game of Their Lives is a middling depiction of one of the all-time great underdog stories in sports history.
04/22/05
Too many references to the inevitable popularity of soccer in America make [the film] less about the players' lives and more about selling soccer as a spectator sport.
04/22/05
Succeeds only occasionally in drumming up drama and inspiration.
04/22/05
The Game of Their Lives has a great sports story to tell, yet the filmmakers fumble it away.
04/22/05
Top CriticRelated Forums for The Game of Their Lives
RT On Current TV
What’s Hot On RT
Fresh Links
Featured
Point-Counterpoint: Bruno 
MSN's David Fear and Frank Paiva go head to head discussing the pros and cons of Bruno star Sacha Baron Cohen.
The New Cult Canon
The AV Club's Scott Tobias takes a second look at David Lynch's cult classic, Lost Highway.
Tom Cruise's 10 Best Roles
TIME takes us on a 25-year long journey into the superstar's career, giving us a look at his 10 best roles.
A Baywatch Comedy?
BuzzSugar reports on Paramount's plans to rebirth the iconic TV show as a comedy film.
IGN RSS Feeds