Ultimately, it all comes down to Ward and Nighy... They seemed to believe they were in a better movie than the one they were in, and for stretches of time, they make us believe them.

What we have here is an efficient compilation of the hoariest sporting cliches given a breath of life by some charming actors.

There's hardly anything in “The Beautiful Game” that audiences have not seen a thousand times before. And that's unfortunate, because the Homeless World Cup has dramatic potential that transcends the underdog story archetype.

Sports movies are all, deep down, about what it means to be part of a team. The Beautiful Game does showcase the benefits of teamwork, camaraderie, and companionship, but it goes, perhaps, a bit further.