Redundant and unnecessary.

Let's be realistic.

Good concept, poorly executed.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

THE MATCH is in the same category of "little UK films" as CALENDAR GIRLS, THE ENGLISHMAN WHO..., LOCAL HERO, etc. which depend on a likable and quirky set of characters to drive a plot that you KNOW will "all turn out right" from the first frame. As many have pointed out, there's not much you couldn't guess about the plot as it proceeds, but I enjoyed being along for the ride. Watching Bill Paterson, Ian Holm, Richard E. Grant and the others obviously enjoying their roles was a pleasure. The slightly odd Celtic soundtrack by Harry Gregson-Williams, plus the interesting choices of source music, added an extra layer of enjoyment. Just ignore the plot holes (would there really have been a bar called L'BISTRO in 1899?) and have yourself a jolly good evening of light fun.

Although this is clearly low budget, and full of sports clichés (also a goofy plot idea), the music is wonderful, and I thoroughly enjoyed the show. The opening scene to "Hot Love" by T Rex hooked me, and the scene of the underdog team taking the field is also a delight. "FBI" by The Shadows is a musical treasure! I rarely notice music in movies, but this show had me checking all the musical credits at the end. The love story is more than a bit juvenile, but again it is well-intended, and it did not detract from the story. Sometimes coarse language will put off some viewers, but this is still a good-hearted movie. "Fever Pitch" is of course a better soccer show, and this will never be remade as a baseball show, but you do not need to be a soccer fan to enjoy it.

Wullie Smith (Max Beesley) is a handicapped young man with a serious trauma: his brother Johnny died when they were young while climbing a mountain because of his fault. He works as a milkman in a tiny city in Scotland and has a crush on Rosemary Bailey (Laura Fraser). However, he is too shy to declare his love to her. Every night, Wullie meets his friends in a pub called `Bennys'. This place is the fruit of a bet made one hundred years ago, against another pub, `Le Bistro'. In that time, their owners firmed a stake: Bennys would never win Le Bistro in one hundred soccer games along one hundred years. The winner of the bet would take possession of both pubs. In the present, Bennys has lost the previous ninety-nine games, and needs desperately to win the last game. I bought this DVD maybe two years ago in a sale offer, and I have not paid attention to it until today. I have just seen it, and it is a delightful and exciting movie. The story is indeed a comedy, but has also drama and romance. The cast has a great performance and makes the viewer cheers in many situations. I am Brazilian, land of the soccer (The British invented this game, and we improved it), and five times world champion, and I love soccer. This movie has absurd, such as the couch, who is handicap, decides the game shooting a penalty in the end of the match, but who is caring to that? The important thing is `the good guys' win `the bad guys', and this is achieved. It is a very funny situation, because in Brazil, we soccer fans have a saying, which is: `Penalty is so important that the president of the club should be responsible for shooting it'. Therefore, for us Brazilians, it is very funny the foregoing mentioned situation. Pierce Brosnan has a surprisingly participation in the end of the story. This film is highly recommended for fans of soccer. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): `A Aposta' (`The Bet')

The Match is a comedy in the same vein as The Full Monty. It falls short of the latter in terms of sustained laugh-aloud comedy but has a naive sweetness and a fairly exciting footballing climax.The calibre of the cast is excellent - perhaps to the film's ultimate detriment - and the plot both light and fantastic. The comedy remains constant but never belly-wrenching; the romance sweet but never Romeo & Juliet-threatening; and the football match climax enjoyable but never over-whelming.Having said all that, the film feels like it might have worked more successfully as an out and out kids' movie. The comedy is fairly accessible (if a little UK-specific) and the sporting battle widely appealing to children. Add to this cameos from England's most famous footballer and one of the world's biggest stars (I'm not spoiling the surprise) and there is much to be said in favour of this small, enjoyable film.