Pelé: Birth of a Legend (2016)

A straightforward, hearty sports biopic, is <em>'Pelé: Birth of a Legend'</em>. I love football, if I'm not watching films I'm watching the beautiful game, so was looking forward to checking this 2016 flick out, as it portrays the early years of the late, great Pelé. The film isn't quite as amazing as the Brazilian baller himself, but I think it just about creates a pleasant enough 100 minutes or so. It does have the usual biopic clichés, but if we're being honest that's to be expected. Kevin de Paula and Leonardo Lima Carvalho do well as the titular character, though the standout from an acting standpoint is, in my opinion, Seu Jorge. I, to be honest, did not know of him until just over a month ago when I watched 2019's <em>'<a href="https://letterboxd.com/film/marighella-2021/">Marighella</a>'</em>, I was thoroughly impressed with him in that and sames goes for this - a very capable actor. Elsewhere, Vincent D'Onofrio and Colm Meaney are involved too. My only main criticism of this is the fact that it's told in English. That obviously makes it that tad bit more watchable to English speakers like myself, so I wouldn't complain too hard, but it does slightly irritate me when the whole story is rooted, in this case, in Portuguese-speaking life and yet everyone speaks Anglais. Nothing major, granted.