COACH
Russia, 2018, 128 minutes, Colour.
Danila Koslovsky, Olga Zueva.
Directed by Danila Kozlowsky.
This is a big and enthusiastic Russian sports film. It was very topical on its release in 2018, in anticipation of Russia hosting the World Cup and participation in the competition (which turned out to be not as successful as hoped). Nevertheless, here is the spirit of Russian sport.
A critic remarked that he began to count all the cliches that the screenplay incorporated and then gave up because there were so many! One might note that a cliche is based on truth even if it is truth told often and becoming over-familiar. But, an enthusiastic sports film will always have the cliches – call them ‘conventions’. So, there is a hero, misunderstood and failing, down on his luck, getting an opportunity, not grappling with it as successfully as he should, grieved at the unexpected death of his father, falling in love, of course, with one of the staff, not relating initially well with the players, pressurised by advice, making mistakes (especially when he is drunk), finding ways of motivation, bonding the players, beginning to move up the competition with wins, the grand final confrontation and…
Perhaps most of us could have written the narrative outline ourselves. But, there it is. And it is not so much what is being presented as the excitement in the how it is presented.
Danila Kozlowsky, an imposing screen presence, plays Yuri the coach, putting on quite a tantrum in the opening sequences where he should not have taken a penalty kick, left it to another player, and fails in the front of the Moscow supporters. Kozlovsky also directs the film as well as collaborating with the screenplay and producing. While his character is in some ways predictable, he brings an energy to the role, exasperating a lot of the peopling meets, exasperating the audience with his moodiness (which, ultimately, he transforms into energy and enthusiasm).
For enthusiasts of football/soccer, there are plenty of matches, quick-paced editing to give excitement, teamwork, individual players, strategies and tactics.
There is a lot of emotion along the way, Yuri and his initial humiliation, two years without a job, even seen playing rugby in the mud. Initially, he makes a hash of his opportunities for coaching the provincial team, but, with a serious-minded president of the club, the daughter of the town mayor, with an attractive doctor and her sister and, of course, falling in love, he does begin to come out of himself, using unusual tactics to motivate the players. Eventually, in practices before the enthusiasts who come to sit in the stands and watch, they begin to move, to bond, winning matches and, naturally, finishing up in the final, Yuri as coach, deciding to play, urging the diffident young recruit onto the field at the end (and inciting the crowd to yell his name, giving the lad self-confidence), a play-off against his original team.
If you are a football fan, it doesn’t matter if you know how it is basically going to play out, what you will want is for them to play on.
1. An enthusiastic patriotic Russian film? For release prior to the World Cup in Russia, 2018?
2. The settings, the Russian towns, the football stadiums, offices, changing rooms, homes? The musical score? The enthusiastic songs?
3. The total, the focus on Yuri? The role of the coach, difficulties, bonding with the team, motivations, play, contests, success?
4. The variety of games, football and rugby in the mud, the editing for the pace of the games, moves and tactics?
5. Yuri’s story, the match against Romania, his behaviour, his kicking the penalty instead of the expected player, his failure, his tantrum, being overwrought, the team, the public, the police, the brawling? His being let go, no farewell match? His playing rugby, without a fixed job for two years?
6. The scenes of his father watching the match, emotions, Yuri later meeting with his father, the bonds, the reticence? His father later recording matches? His collapse, death, his advice to his son, Yuri is upset at the news of his father’s illness, hurrying to the hospital, his death? His grief?
7. Lara, president of the club, her father the mayor, her personality, meeting Yuri, expectations? Her seeming hesitation? The press conference, introducing him to the players? Meeting them on the ground, the seeming hostility? His reputation?
8. The doctor, her sister, the initial encounter, the sister being forward with Yuri? The discussions with the doctor, her work, the attraction, the romance?
9. Yuri’s initial behaviour, not bonding with the players? His drinking? Getting them to run in wrapping, the advice of the doctor? The meetings, discussions, tactics? His fining them if they touched the ball? The boys’ coach, the discussions with Yuri, Yuri offering him the job? His coming, participation? (And the effect on him, support, even his wife returning to him?) The team, the supporters coming to watch practice, cheering and jeering? The team, wanting to use the balls, risking the fine, beginning to play?
10. Yuri’s motivation, getting them to want to play, the beginning of teamwork? The young man, diffident, injuring his leg, Yuri’s hard stand, the comment of the doctor?
11. The build up, the winning of the games, Lara and the assistant coach, the bribe to the referee? A change of heart?
12. Yuri, tactics, his high emotions on the sidelines, the team beginning to win?
13. His being offered his old team again, as coach? The word getting out, the reaction of the players? Lara’s reaction? The doctor’s reaction? His deciding to stay, especially to be with her?
14. The quarter-finals, semifinals, the final?
15. Yuri’s old team, his decision to play in the final match, the tensions of the match, the Moscow team ahead, the spirit of the team, energised, the young man, the crowd encouraging him with Yuri inciting the crowd, the fans? His skilled play, the goals? Winning?
16. The postscript, the team going to England to play? Underlings and victory?
