Watch The Game of Their Lives

The Game of Their Lives is a sports drama film that was released in 2005, directed by David Anspaugh (known for his best-known films, Rudy and Hoosiers). The movie is based on the true story of the United States men’s soccer team's unexpected victories in the 1950 World Cup. The film centers around the team’s journey to the World Cup, which took place in Brazil and their stunning win against the heavily favored English team, resulting in one of the biggest upsets in soccer history.

The story is set in 1950 and starts with Frank Borghi (Gerard Butler), a goalkeeper who has left his successful shotting career to work as a truck driver. Frank is approached by Walter Giesler (Costas Mandylor), who was assigned to set up the U.S. soccer team for the upcoming World Cup. Though Frank is reluctant to join the team at first, he eventually agrees after some persuasion.

The movie shifts its focus on the other members of the team, including Gaetano "Tino" De Blasio (Wes Bentley), a college jock who is determined to help his team win the tournament. They are joined by players like Charlie "Gloves" Columbo (Gavin Rossdale), Walter Bahr (Richard Jenik), and Joe Gaetjens (Anthony Borrows), among others. The team’s coach is Bill Jeffrey (John Rhys-Davies), a strict disciplinarian who is obsessed with winning the World Cup.

The team was considered an underdog as they had never played in the tournament before, and most of the players had not played soccer professionally. Despite their lack of experience, they were not deterred and trained tirelessly to prepare for their games.

The American team's opening match was against the powerhouse Spanish team, who were considered favorites to win the tournament. The Americans lost the game 3-1, but their performance earned them much respect and admiration across the world. They went on to win their next two games against Chile and England, which qualified them for the next round.

The film's climax comes with the U.S. team’s quarter-final match against England, who were considered the strongest team in the tournament. The veteran English players and their fans considered the match against the U.S. team as a cakewalk, but the underdogs showed their opponents that they were not to be underestimated.

Despite the overwhelming odds against them, the Americans fought tooth and nail in the game, with Borghi making several critical saves. The Americans scored a shock victory over England with a 1-0 win, thanks to a stunning goal from Gaetjens, a Haitian striker who was playing for the United States team. The victory was hailed as one of the biggest upsets in the history of the World Cup.

The Game of Their Lives uses actual footage of the matches from the 1950 tournament which makes the experience of watching the movie even more exhilarating. The film captures the camaraderie between the members of the team and the emotions they went through during the tournament. The movie also highlights various societal issues that were prevalent in the United States during the 1950s, including racism and discrimination.

The performances of the cast were exceptional in The Game of Their Lives. Gerard Butler as Frank Borghi gives a passionate portrayal of a man who had lost his love for the game but regains his passion through the World Cup, while Wes Bentley's Tino portrays the young player's determination to win. Gavin Rossdale's portrayal of Charlie "Gloves" Columbo as the team's eccentric and flamboyant goalkeeper adds levity to the movie.

In conclusion, The Game of Their Lives is an exciting and inspiring sports drama film that depicts the underdog story of the United States's unlikely victory over England. The film is a standout among sports movies and is an emotional and compelling ride that is sure to impress soccer fans and non-sports fans alike.

The Game of Their Lives is a 2005 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 20 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.1 and a MetaScore of 47.