WILL

UK, 2011, 102 minutes, Colour.
Perry Eggleton, Damian Lewis, Kristian Kiehling, Bob Hoskins, Alice Krige, Kenny Dalglish, Jane March.
Directed by Ellen Perry.

Will was directed by documentary writer and director, Ellen Perry. It is the story of a young boy who lost his mother at a young age and experienced his father unable to cope with grief and leaving. He spends time in an orphanage, cared for by nuns. He has a great love of football, of Liverpool, and the knowledge of the game and history and statistics. He is played effectively by Perry Eggleton.

His father returns after some years and is reunited with his son. However, he has a terminal illness and dies with Will having another sense of abandonment and mistrust. The father is played by Damien Lewis.

However, his father has bought Will the tickets for a match in Istanbul and has won 1000 pounds in a bet at the local pub. Bob Hoskins plays the owner of the pub who brings the money to the boy. Alice Krige plays Sister Carmel at the orphanage.

Will decides to go to the match against all advice, gets lifts, finds friendly people in Paris, especially a truck driver who used to be a football player in Bosnia, Alik, played by Danish actor, Kristian Kiehling. There is a stopover in Bosnia where Alik has to face his past.

Things are not easy and the tickets proved to be fakes, a scalper is willing to sell them one ticket black people put that Liverpool player, Kenny Dalgish, takes Will into the arena. Everybody, including the sisters and the boys, are watching Will’s triumph on television.

While the film has certain universal appeal as the story of a son, the death of his mother, the behaviour of his father and his death, the film’s appeal is mainly to British audiences, especially those with a love of soccer, and, especially, fans of Liverpool.

1. A family film? The focus on a young boy, his dead mother, relationship with his father, his father’s death? Coping? His knowledge of and love for football, Liverpool?

2. British film, the British tone, England, Liverpool? The school, the pubs, the general atmosphere? The music?

3. The importance of football, Liverpool as a club, competitiveness, the world cup? Competitions? International dimensions? The singing of the Liverpool
song, ‘you’ll never walk alone’?

4. At school, the sisters and their running the school, strict, kind? The boys, their lives in the school, friendships, classes, discussions, football? Sister Carmel and her running of the school?

5. The pub, Davey, clients, Gareth and his return, his friendship with the Davey?

6. Gareth, the death of his wife and its impact, his leaving, leaving Will at the orphanage, his regrets? His return, going to the pub? The football and the bet? Going to find his son, Sister Carmel and her severe tone with him, the fact that he had left before? the reunion with Will, the present, the talking, Will remembering his mother? Will happy to be with his father, the gift of the tickets? Winning the bet?

7. Gareth’s death? His illness? Not revealing it? Sister Carmel and her talking with Will? Davy and the money?

8. Will, his skill and drawings, showing them to his father?

9. Will and his mistrust, to his father’s death, talking with the boys, their friendship, bravado, leaving, the tickets? Sister Carmels allowing Will to go?

10. Will, his age, interests, football knowledge, watching football on television? Sister Carmel and her concern, her mistake?

11. Will, hiding, getting the lift, making friends, in Paris, his being robbed of his money, the driver, taking him home, the Frenchman and his concern, the meal, urging them to go?

12. Alik and his background, Bosnia, driving a truck, his football career, unable to continue? A chance to redeem his past? Teaming up with Will?

13. Driving, through the countryside, the friendship, stopping in Bosnia, the meal, the family, the mother and the death of her son, the possibility of forgiving Alik and his leaving?

14. The media, story of Will, on television, tracking him down, the football team and their support of Will?

15. Kenny Dalglish, the other Liverpool football stars and their appearance, his kindness in letting Will into the grounds?

16. The police, the search for Will, arrival in Turkey, discovering the tickets were fake, trying to buy the ticket, the team and the others collecting the money, money only for one ticket? Alik telling Will to go in? The scalper?

17. Will, the ups and downs, the emotions, the bond with Alik, with the team, going into the grounds, a sense of triumph? Its being shared by the sisters and the boys watching on television, the general public?

18. An optimistic film and the portrait of an engaging young boy?