AllMovie

This is a docu-drama about a soccer game. Documentary filmmaker Michael Glawogger followed the achievements of the Austrian national football theme on their way to the 1998 World Cup in France. He watched the matches in the preliminary rounds against Cameroon, Chile, and Italy through the eyes of different supporters. Whether they are journalists, bank clerks, alcoholics, team coaches, retired, or blind, all supporters behave as one big soccer family. The film gives less importance to the team itself than to the scenes in front of the TV -- the rising emotions, the patriotism, the hope, and the disappointment. There is no doubt that the filmmaker is on the side of his compatriots, yet he is very aware of the team's limitations. The fact that the film does not limit itself to soccer, drawing humorous portraits of the fans to provide a striking picture of Austrian society today, increases its appeal beyond soccer fan audiences.