BACK OF THE NET
Australia, 2018, 86 minutes, Colour.
Sofia Wylie, Kate Box, Trae Robin, Tiarnie Coupland, Christopher Kirby, Melissa Bonne, Raj Labade, Gemma Chua- Tran, Yasmin Honeychurch, Ashleigh Ross.
Directed by Louise Alston.
How many times have we seen this film? Well, not exactly this film, but all those films about underdogs, especially in sport, and their overcoming all obstacles to win. We might call it the Rocky Syndrome!
Yes, this is exactly what this film is about and will appeal to audiences who want to take the side of the underdogs and see them triumph.
Back at the Net is an Australian film although, like some others in recent years, the central character is from the United States and finds herself in New South Wales. Cory, Sofia Wylie, is a bright student with an absorbing devotion to science and is excited because she has been chosen for a special scientific voyage in the Southern Ocean. She is hyper-excited but always has everything planned, and ahead of time.
As her parents fly off from LAX to India, she flies (by Qantas, of course) to Sydney, heads for the bus, all excitement, nods off on the shoulder of Oliver (Trae Robin in his first feature film – and it shows at times), waking up on the south coast of New South Wales, looking for the dock for the ship. Only, she has boarded the wrong bus and is now part of a summer camp for soccer training. She tries her best to catch up with the ship but it is out to sea, cannot turn round, too expensive to helicopter out there… The only thing is to accept that she has to train at soccer. Obviously, with her glasses and science books, she can be named the least obvious to succeed. In fact, with three sympathetic girls she shares a room with (one aboriginal, one Asian, and she herself is African-American), they become a team WOTB (the Worst of the Best).
It’s not really a spoiler to say that Oliver will be something of a heartthrob, top soccer player, intrigued by Cory. And it is not really a spoiler to anticipate the archetypal mean girl, Edie (Tiarnie Coupland), jealous of Oliver, dismissive of Cory, ruining her science demonstration, mocking the girls.
How can the WOTB overcome their limitations, especially the fact that Corey cannot even kick a ball into the net? The answer: Physics! Cory can do all kinds of physics calculations in her head (and they appear on the screen). What about calculating force, length, height, energy in kicking a ball so that a goal will be scored? And who will score it, we might wonder!
Which is to say that it is all quite predictable but, for many audiences, that does not matter at all. It is the getting there and the way of getting there that counts. Also, they and we are fortunate to have a very cheery sportsmistress coach, Kate Box.
Because this is a girls’ soccer team, references to the Matildas, Back of the Net has an immediate potential audience of young girls (and their parents, teachers and coaches), especially young girls who want to play soccer.
1. An Australian story? A soccer story?
2. New South Wales locations, the south coast, the camp and school, accommodation, playing fields? The score and songs?
3. The title, soccer – and Cory’s ability to do the physics for kicks and moves?
4. Cory, the delivery of the ball, spraying the ball, her project and early preparation? Her relationship with her parents? Their trip? Her course? Arriving in Sydney, talking, getting the wrong bus?
5. Sitting next to Oliver, going to sleep, discovering the wrong place, her attempts to alter the situation, interview with the coach, the assignment to the room?
6. The girls, the group, aboriginal, Asian, Cory and African-American? They’re becoming friends, bonding together, action together, soccer practice together, the various talents, dancing, sewing?
7. Cory and science, her books, going to class, the diagrams on screen for her calculations, the electricity and the pickle, easy sabotaging her experiment?
8. Oliver, his story, soccer, wanting to be picked, his friendship with Lewis’s? The encounter with Cory, the attraction? Edie in the past? Talking with Cory, helping? Cory and her growing suspicions because of Edie?
9. Edie, nasty, her story, sabotaging the experiment, locking Cory in the dressing room?
10. The exuberance of the coach, her personality? Practices? The Worst of The Best? The details of practice, Cory and her poor kicking?
11. Cory her reaction, the decision to win, the planning, Cory and the physics, the practice?
12. Contact with her parents, offering of the school in India, her not wanting to go, at home with the group?
13. The sewing of the uniforms, the first round, playing, success?
14. The night before the match, the encounter with Oliver, the drink, her suspicions and Oliver, having to get over them?
15. Her being locked in, the singing of the anthem to get more time to get her out, Oliver and saving her?
16. The play, the win, Cory’s final kick in the physics, the award, Edie mellowing and asking for help? And Cory staying at the school?
