Bend It Like Beckham (2002) | How Woke Is It?

Our VerdictWoke

55%

Bend It Like Beckham2002

In a free society the right to critique art is essential and protected speech. These reviews reflect personal opinions and not statements of fact.

What We Think

Bend It Like Beckham leans into themes of identity and challenging tradition, but does so with relative nuance for its time. It's not egregiously woke by today's standards, but solidly middle of the road: progressive for its era, yet not an ideological sledgehammer.

Score Breakdown

Compromised:Narrative Integrity

Woke

What is this?

The film features a British-Indian female protagonist defying family and cultural expectations to play soccer, but her journey is built around genuine character growth and credible challenges. While identity is front and center, it's mostly integrated with the sports narrative rather than shoehorned in.

Compromised:Cultural Foundations

Woke

What is this?

Traditional family values, religion, and gender roles are often portrayed as restrictive obstacles to personal fulfillment, with the film celebrating the lead's break from convention. Still, the narrative offers some sympathy to tradition, not painting it as outright villainous.

Compromised:Ideological Monoculture

Woke

What is this?

Alternative cultural viewpoints are present but largely serve as hurdles to overcome, with limited genuine debate between modern and traditional perspectives. However, the story does not entirely mock tradition, allowing for nuance in some family dynamics.

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Disclaimer: In a free society the right to critique art is essential and protected as a form of free speech and freedom of expression. The reviews and commentary on this site represent personal opinions and interpretations. They are not statements of fact and should not be taken as factual claims about any individual, company, or creative work.