If there is a dark horse in this race right now, my money is on Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins. I haven’t seen it, of course, but given the subject matter I could see this as a potential audience winner at Toronto. Charming, sweet, unpretentious, and most of all, intersectional – it has a real shot at being the “scrappy underdog that could.” It’s too early to say, of course, but as long as we’re speculating. Here is a clip:
I’m also already anticipated someone doing a video mashup of Next Goal Wins starring Fassbender in The Killer because … the internet.
Directed by Academy Award Winner Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarok), NEXT GOAL WINS follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around in this heartfelt underdog comedy.
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Elisabeth Moss, Oscar Kightley, Uli Latukefu, Rachel House, Kaimana, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Chris Alosio, Taika Waititi, Will Arnett, Rhys Darby
