Visible crew/equipment: At the beginning of the movie after Jess and Pinky have finished shopping, there's a shot of the guys playing football in the park. If you look closely, the end of a microphone is shown leaning into the top left of the screen. The microphone moves a little, and then is moved back. (00:06:40)
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Plot summary
Directed by: Gurinder Chadha
Starring: Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anupam Kher, Parminder Nagra
Bend it like Beckham is set in London and is a dramatic comedy that explores the traditions of Indian culture.
Jess is the main character in the film. She tries to respect her culture but is obsessed with football. Her parents disapprove of that. Mrs Bhamra, Jess' mother, wants Jess to learn how to cook an Indian dinner, to get a job as a lawyer and marry an Indian boy.
The film begins when Jules, an English girl, sees Jess playing in the park and asks Jess to come try out for a proper women's football team. Jess says yes. The next day the coach, Joe, is very impressed by Jess' talent.
Jess tells her parents about the football team but they ban it, so she decides to lie.
Jess develops a crush on Joe, and Jules also has a crush on him.
After a disco dance in Germany, Jess and Joe go out and kiss. Jules sees them and gets angry with Jess.
Jules and Jess are quite alike, because they both want to play football, and their mothers disapprove of that. But they are both in support of their father.
The final championship match is on the same day as Pinky's wedding, so Jess has to stay at home. She is very sad, so her father decides to let Jess play at the finals as long as she comes back smiling. Du ring the game, an American scout watches her talent and offers them an opportunity to play in the United States.
When Jess returns at home she admits that they played in the final and won. After, she says that she has an opportunity to become a professional footballer if she goes to play in the US.
She really wants to go, but her mother is horrified, but for the first time Mr Bhamra speaks out. He talks about a prejudice he faced when he played cricket and how much he suffered.
He doesn't want Jessie to suffer and to make the same mistakes as her father. So Mr Bhamra accepts that is all that Jess is going to do.
At the airport, Jess and Jules' families are saying goodbye. Joe comes running to also say goodbye and to continues to have a relationship with Jess. After that, they kiss.
In the last scene there is Mr Bhamra playing cricket with Joe.
More mistakes in Bend It Like Beckham
Mrs. Bhamra: What family would want a daughter-in-law who can run around kicking football all day but can't make round chapatis?
Trivia: The director's family stars as extras in the movie. For example, when Pinky and Teets are getting engaged, just before the cell phone rings, a person is shown in a close up. That is the director's aunt. Even the director is shown at the party after the engagement.
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Answer: They are orthodox Sikhs.
David Mercier