Dan Gleeballs
Active member
- Nov 24, 2011
- 968
http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/nov/20/manchester-united-class-of-92-documentary
Could be worth a watch even as a non Manc
Could be worth a watch even as a non Manc
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzwho knew? It is difficult to imagine a feature-length film charting the rise of six manchester united footballers from fa youth cup to champions league winners being so laugh-out-loud funny. The class of 92 is no comedy but it expertly and easily aces the five-guffaw test by which such movies stand or fall in the world of the observer film critic, mark kermode.
Football, friendship and fame are the prevailing themes of a splendid documentary made by the film-making brothers gabe and ben turner, but there is no shortage of funny either. Reunited for just one day last summer, david beckham, ryan giggs, phil and gary neville, nicky butt and paul scholes clearly revelled in recalling their seven-year ascent through the united ranks, from put-upon first year apprentices to treble-winning kings of europe. Their 1999 camp nou coronation, recalls giggs, was "the happiest i've ever felt on a football pitch".
Of course, every silver lining has a cloud and failure is also acknowledged. While the film centres on graduates from the class of '92, some of those who did not make it also feature. Of those available for a star-studded five-a-side, robbie savage carved out a successful career elsewhere, while george switzer, andy noone and raphael burke fell by football's wayside. If they are bitter about what might have been, they hide it well. Indeed, the film's only sour note is as fleeting as it is understandable: The obvious resentment at the savage media-led public monstering of beckham and phil neville for perceived treachery – that red card and that penalty, respectively – at world cup 1998 and euro 2000.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
regards
DR