This is also obvious when the film moves into the real world. The lighting is much darker and the noise from the crowd acts as a sound bridge, only it is coming from Jess’s TV, she is watching the football match. Jess’s mother is telling Jess not to watch football, with much the same tone of voice and angry manner as before. However because it’s now in the real world the issue can be seen, Family arguments and particularly your mother disapproving in something. The director uses the comedy in the scene before to enhance the realism and seriousness of when Jess’s mum disapproves of her watching football. She does this by controlling the audience’s reactions. First she makes the audience laugh at the football match, then she makes them gasp at the seriousness of Jess’s mum, the contrast between the two makes the issue seem more apparent. The camera then shows Jess, she looks scruffy, immature and like a typical teenager. She turns to David Beckham on her wall, he is like an idol and he is the only person she can express herself to, symbolizing her remoteness from her family.
A sound bridge then links David Beckham to the title ‘Bend It Like Beckham’. The Director deliberately left the title until 4 minutes into the film. I beileive the director did this to make the audience really think about what the film is about, important issues or football and comedy. The first 4 minutes of the film suggest a girl dreaming about football, but she cannot continue the dream because of her family responsibilities, she has to go and help her sister downstairs. This then sets a question in the audiences head. Is the film only a comedy, or does it have other meanings?
The argument continues downstairs, but this time it is a family argument. This depicts modern-day households in Britain, The mother always moaning about the new generation. As the film is a family film the audience can relate to the family problems and arguments, it isn’t a humorous scene for the audience. The mum says how she put up with things and didn’t complain when she was a child, she also says how Jess and her sister are spoilt. The sisters then further complain about the meal their mother is cooking, but the mother then makes a valid point - who is cooking the meal? This is very typical for teenagers in today’s world. The audience is being manipulated because the director is bringing up more issues into the film. The director then shows the busy bustle of the London streets, with uplifting Indian music and the girls getting chips instead of their dinner, this makes the scene seem lighter hearted, as though things are going better. The sister’s then meet their Indian friends in a shoe store; showing they are too involved with fashion, the Indian music continues to play. This is given away again when they start talking about the colour of their contact lenses. When they finish their conversation the girls show their true feelings. They are two faced towards one another. Jess’s sister is annoyed because one of her friends has the same contact lenses, and her friends resent Jess’s sister because of her engagement. This is also showing another issue in the film, 2-faced friendships happen in real life too. The comedy in the scene not only provides light hearted relief, but also makes the audience remember that particular part of the film, making them think about the issue being conveyed. The scene also represents a racial point. Her friends, who come from the same culture as her, do not get on well with her; demonstrating irony.
A teenage girl named Jules is now shown with her mother in a lingerie shop. They have an argument over which bra Jules should buy. Jules looks masculine and typically teenager like, rebelling against her mother. Jules mum wants Jules to look more feminine, perhaps more like herself; she can’t accept the way Jules wants to look. The reason the director shows the argument in a lingerie shop would be because it shows the difference in cultures, Jules can choose whatever clothes she wants, apart from if her mother has a problem with it. But Jess’s choice of clothes is governed by her religion or culture. The director shows Jules and Jess as similar in the opening sequence, they both disagree with their mothers. However Jess’s mum is disagreeing over a much more important issue, whereas Jules mum’s issue is more comical.
The start of the football scene really shows Jess’s dilemma. She is stuck between doing what her mother says and playing football, she needs to get back to her mother, but she wants to play football, it is just a scaled down version of the big problem. She chooses football and this is what the audience want at that point during the film, the audience would feel resentment towards Jess’s mother. By adding the issues into the film the director draws more attention from the audience. When the football match starts the lighting becomes much lighter, and up beat music suggests a positive scene. The director keeps the comedy light and often, not making the film to dramatic or overwhelming Jess then gets tackled and retaliates, creating more comedy for the audience relaxing the scene from its intenseness.
The closing sequence to the film begins with a shot of a plane taking off in beautiful skies. The director took this shot to symbolize the journey to a dream, the empty sky, showing the dream, and then the plane going up travelling to the dream. It relates to what Jess and Jules are doing, travelling to their dreams. Throughout the middle of the film between scenes there is often a plane in dark skies going over Jess’s house, this symbolizes that their dreams were not coming true. The scene then moves to the airport, the lighting is very light and realistic. The two families are not standing with each other but still look happy and content. Both sets of parents then give their presents. Jules mum gives Jules a football shirt; this shows the reconciliation in the scene especially as the audience is expecting something like perfume. Jules mum has finally accepted what Jules wants to do in life.
Jess’s present is a painting of Nanak Dev Ji, a religious symbol. Jess’s parents chose not to give a present to do with football to show how important they think religion is. The painting is to make sure Jess never forgets who she really is, who her family are, and what culture she is from. Her parents want her to stay the same person. The scene finally ends with Jess and Jules waving good by,
The last scene is of Joe and Jess’s dad playing cricket. This shows a real ‘feel good factor’ in the film because Jess’s dad said he was once a cricketer and he never got to play in England because of racial issues. This shows have race has nothing to do with anything at the end of the film. Joe is also playing and so this means Jess’s dad has accepted Jo. The film finally ends with an ice cream van coming along the road by Jess’s house. This represents happiness and joy; it is associated with good times.
I believe the director wanted to create a film that was enjoyable to watch and also shows a serious message. The enjoyment from the film comes from the comedy and the happiness at the end of the film. But the audience can only have a good feeling at the end if they have witnessed the cast having a tough time in the middle of the film. However, the director also wanted to make people walk away from the film thinking about the points raised in the film. The director wanted to show the contrast between both cultures, and how both have similarities and differences, and how both have serious issues. The way the film was directed was very clever, the director manager to make it entertaining as well as educational and thought provoking. The director manipulates the audience’s reactions in the opening and closing sequences to the film. She does this through the use of comedy and issues, both enhanced by film language.
