An Introduction to the Analysis of Bend it Like Beckham

The movie “Bend It Like Beckham” deals not only with different gender-appropriate behaviors but also how different cultures have their own set of gender-appropriate behaviors.

Jessie is from an Orthodox Sikh Indian family. She dreams of being a famous soccer player one day and of playing soccer professionally like her idol David Beckham. She watches him on television and has posters of him hanging in her room.

Jessie’s parents want to raise her traditionally. They want her to have domestic skills.

Her mom wants to teach her how to cook traditional Indian food. Jessie would rather practice soccer with the guys than be in the kitchen cooking. Jessie’s mother does not feel that soccer is feminine and would rather she focus on school and marriage.

In the movie Jessie lies to her parents in order to go to soccer practices and games. She pretends that she has a job to get time out of the house. Jessie bends the rules of her gender, her culture, and her family traditions in order to reach her goal of playing soccer.

Jules, another character, who wants to play professionally in America, which is more than fine with her dad, but her mom does not like the idea at all. She feels that soccer is not feminine enough and would rather her daughter focus on school and marriage. Jules’ mom fears that her daughter’s short hair cut and all the time she spend playing soccer will interfere with her meeting a boy.

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In one of the first scenes of the movie Jules’ mom is trying to talk her into a padded bra. She wants her to look more female. When Jules’ decided on a sports bra he mother is not pleased. After over hearing an argument between her daughter and Jessie, Jules’ mom actually believes that her daughter might be a lesbian. She blames the dad for this and tells him he should not have encouraged his daughter to play soccer.

Jules and Jessie meet when Jules sees her playing with the guys in the park. She tells her that she has been watching her play and that she is good. Jules asks her if she wants to join the girl’s team that she is on.

As Jessie and Jules become the two top players on the team, they become best friends. They both share the same dream of wanting to play pro soccer. They also both have mothers not to keen on the idea of them playing soccer. Through the movie they are each other’s support.

This movies shows that there are different gender-appropriate behaviors but it encourages you to find your way around them in order to reach your goals.