Teenage Kicks

warrenco

Often alluded to as ' The Beautiful Game', that famous night in May 1989 exemplifies exactly why football is worthy of such an endearing nickname. And I'm not only talking on the level of how, against all odds, the resilient Arsenal snatched the title from the mighty Liverpool with practically the last kick of the season; Nor only on the level of the soaring emotional significance of that night for the losing team and their fans, who hoped to dedicate their almost-certain-victory to the 90 Liverpool fans crushed to death just a month earlier in football's most horrific tragedy; and neither on the level that the game's ball-for-ball account was delivered by one of the greatest commentators in living memory , Mr Football himself Brian Moore (R.I.P.) in which he produced one of the most famous lines in sporting history 'It's up for grabs now!'. In the light of the movie being discussed I'm going to speak on level that will further emphasise Hornby's point on fanatism and how ridiculously far some of us will take it. Yes, the championship decider between Liverpool and Arsenal had all of the above and more, but the very first thing that springs to my mind with its every mention is its aesthetics. In my opinion that night showcased 2 of the most (for lack of a better word) stunning kits to ever grace a football pitch. Both adorned with the famous 3 Adidas stripes down the sides and the old-school leaf; Liverpool in flaming all red sporting the cursive 'Candy' logo across the front in white, Arsenal in banana yellow with dark navy almost black sleeves and shorts with the neat 'JVC' logo printed on the front. I'm not sure which one I preferred but if I was to take this even further and look at the game on a metaphorical level as the 'Battle of the Shirts', I think Arsenal shaded it …just!

Forget Football Factory and Greenstreet Hooligans. For all you non-football fans who wish to learn more about REAL supporters and their so-called idiosyncratic passion for their team, watch this movie. But bear in mind, as good as it is, it barely combs the fringes of Nick Hornby's more elaborate hilariously witty novel .I also recommend that you watch the last 5 minutes of the Liverpool-Arsenal championship decider of 1989. Trust me, it surpasses any Hollywood script on all levels; audio, visual, dramatic, emotional.… Fever Pitch!

score 8/10

warrenco 8 February 2008

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1815942/