Men in the Arena (2017)
A touching story of friendship, struggle and triumph, the film follows the journey of two Somali national soccer team friends chasing their dreams in the face of impossible odds. After surviving two decades of war, Saadiq, 17, and Sa’ad, 19, the team’s most promising stars, enter the only televised match of the year hoping scouts will be watching. With passports of no value on the world stage, soccer may be their only shot to escape a growing terror threat, persecution and poverty. Against the backdrop of fear and shared sacrifice, they embark on separate but equally improbable journeys. In the opportunity of a lifetime, Saadiq sets off for America with dreams of an education and a soccer career. Sa’ad continues his career in Mogadishu with the hopes of someday being reunited with his friend. Their biggest dream is shared – to be symbols of hope to generations who have only known war.
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I love this movie so much
If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.
It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional
One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.
In a cultural landscape dominated by images of war and suffering regarding Somalis and their plight, Men in the Arena flips the script. Instead, it follows the dreams of two Somali football players and their complex journey in achieving them. Somalia's civil war and history serve as an important backdrop rather than a main focal point, in this very human portrait of two talented Somalis.
This is a tale of Somali soccer teammates who overcome their hardships and never give up. It is a great film that shows no matter where you come from in the world if you work hard, your dreams can come true. The film covers both the political and economical stresses these players have to endure and focuses on two young men and the journey on which playing soccer takes them. It is a great film
Man in the Arena is a sensational film that depicts reality of what some people go through. It shows how dreams can ultimately become reality with hard work and dedication. No matter how bad things may look at this moment, just think there are other people who are going through the exact same or worse struggles and they are continuing to make their life better even through the most difficult of times. This film depicts just that and some important life lessons can be taken away if you have an open mind. Saadiq didn't have fancy cars, wasn't rich, but he was content with himself. That's what got Saadiq and his friend Sa'ad through the toughest of times when things were not going well. Finally, this film does a fantastic job in showing the past has gone and left it's the mark. Now it is time for us to build the present and make a great impact that will forever be remembered.