Bend It Like Beckham

Bend It Like Beckham, by Gurinder Chadha

Bend It Like Beckham is a 2002 sports comedy movie. This movie is chosen in this research because it shows the girl’s power as an Indian Girl, Jess against her family typical perception where she should focus in studies and marriage as well as in their culture, she is not allow to show her bare foot to people. The same goes to Jules, a tomboyish girl who is in a soccer team. She objects her mother’s disagreement toward her interest yet continues joining the men-like game, soccer. This movie is about how the both girls struggle in between interest and family’s culture and perception, it is a movie directed by famous feminist director, Miss Gurinder Chadha. 

In the beginning, the director applies sound bridge where the crowds cheer to bring viewers into the movie. It works as a welcoming speech that informs the audience on movie begins. Besides, Wipe techniques were applies at the beginning where a football just moves horizontally across the scene and changes the scene from title to stadium. There is a Mise en scene in this part where it shows a middle-aged woman sitting in crowd, she was the only female there. Everyone was happily cheering however she has a negative face expression and body language to which impress the audience that she is disagreeing with the event just like what Mrs Bhamra do. Before screening on the TV Interview with Jess’s mother, there is an obvious zooming out techniques applied on image of Jess and Beckham to signify the surrealism of the scene and relates back to the TV Interview. On the other hand, close up shots on Jess’s mother as a reaction shots which she was saying “Jessminder, you get back home now” with Indian slang focusing on her reaction that she is piss with daughter getting involve with men’s game.The dialogues of Mrs Bhamra “Your sister is getting engaged and you’re sitting here watching this skinhead boy!” this showed the background and culture of her due to the Indian accent and it directly bringing comedy to the audience. 

Jess addiction on soccer also appears while helping in the kitchen which made it one of the funny shots. The director used spinner transitional editing effects to show the action of her constantly kicking potato, tomato and cabbage to show her passionate toward soccer.

Trackling and pan shot is applied in the particular scene to demonstrate the practice of all players. Besides, trackling shot is also used at the match to follow the ball and crowd in stadium scene. In order to help audience relate to the action of players, pan shot is used to follow those players in soccer match. There is a scene where Jess used her head to hit the ball. It is an obvious shoot from low angle to create the powerful, long and tall effect. In this scene itself, the director also shoots in combination with the nature of sunlight. High angle does involve in showing and establishing the shot of overall pitch. It is used as an angle to show the view of soccer players during their game. Sounds of football being kicked are hyperbolic and exaggerate with the purpose of telling that football is the main theme in this film. 

The editing speed of fast and slow motion was most use to screen on the soccer game scene. For instance, at the final round of soccer match. Fast motion is the editing with fast cutting technique in order to create excitement when audience is watching the match. It was apply during the gaming process in order to create anxious feel from the audience. However, slow motion was applying when there is a need to motion is lower and slow down the speed. This technique is to draw the attention of audience and focus on the action on screen.

The music used in this part is also part of the mood to attract the audience. It enables the audience to feel the joy and stress at the same time by remixing the music in smooth manner. However, as a combination of both east and west, the director made a cross over on song where English made song made into an Indian pitch. Moreover, Soundtrack is a key concept in cinema studies. Hence, massive apply of musical language are situate together with scene as her narrative device. Background soundtrack of this film includes traditional Punjabi melody and American Hip Hop music. For instance, she put the soundtrack features of Bhangra during Pinky’s wedding and used expressionistic background music at the important match to draw audience to the scene and feel the nervousness and adventurous protagonists on screen.

In this film, the director revealed to audience the different type of Hollywood and Bollywood costume through portrayal of actor and actress. As for example, there is a scene showing Jess changes her sari to soccer shorts in just a minute time had transit her from traditional home-bound woman to kick-butt girl jock seems miraculous. Different race portray their special costumes in different clothes. The Indian women traditionally wear Ghagra choli, Saris and Salwar khameez in very colorful and flamboyant way  whereas the western style portray in skirts, pants and dresses in more exposing and sexy way, this had create a sensual effect to the audience.  There is difference in between the portrayal of Western and Indian women in this film where Jess wears on Jersey during the practice whereas Jules wears on with sports bra. 

Upon the completion of analyzing, it had given audience a realistic view on prejudice, difficulties and pressures of women in sport. However it success in presenting a positive side of women by portraying Jess and Jules as the role model of  young womanhood where they indicates the dynamics of control and regulation about what woman ought not to do, and more about what they can do. The director succeed in revealing the women’s power because although Jess as a young feisty Indian-Anglo London girl who born from a traditional and typical Punjabi Family, facing the oppression of matriarchal and patriarchal issue due to the traditionalistic of Mrs Bhamra, she disagree with her showing bare legs to the public and joining the unladylike sports like soccer yet she still do not give up. Jess’ family is typical Indian, dislike daughter to be exposed. They are categorized as the hidebound traditionalist nevertheless they hold a perception of sports is improper pastime Jess where she needs to focus on her university and marriage. She had been struggling in between her family and interest in soccer meanwhile facing critics from her family culture where they keep in mind that soccer is a men’s game. Though she against the norm where “soccer is not a women’s occupation” by proofing herself can be better than others and finally Jess get sponsor from oversea-California to continue her soccer interest. Moreover, this film also proved there’s an equivalent status in between male and female where female can actually get involve or even join men’s game. Lesson can be studied and gained from this film is that Women’s power is strong, Jess and Jules fight for their dream and do not give up easily although facing many obstacle yet in the end they succeed in showing “The wonderfulness of Women’s soccer” as the title of this film were hinting that bending the rules in order achieve one’s goal.