Soccer for Girls

The WUSA women's soccer team scored a peek at Gurinder Chadha's charming film about a London women's amateur soccer team (a British box office hit). We thought it fitting to ask U.S. captain Brandi Chastain for a preview of Bend It Like Beckham.

My national teammates and I didn't have high hopes for the soccer portion of the movie, but we were pleasantly surprised by the skill and the passion conveyed by the main character, Jess [newcomer Parminder K. Nagra, above], the daughter of conservative Indian immigrants. Couple her performance with the hilarious clashes with her ultratraditional family, and we give it a thumbs-up. The gist of the movie lies in the conflict between what Jess' mother expects of her (getting married) and what she is burning to accomplish, which is to play soccer as well as British superstar David Beckham, captain of Manchester United [''bend it'' is slang for a Beckham kick]. Not until she meets another girl with the same ambition is she driven to make her dream a reality, stand up against her parents' wishes, and knock down social stereotypes. This film will open eyes to how wonderful and necessary diversity in sports and culture is, while making your sides ache from laughter. (March 12)