The Liverpool Goalie

Life is rarely easy for a 13-year-old boy. But Jo (Ask van der Hagen) has had it particularly bad. After his father died in a shower accident, his mother (Andrine Saether) constantly worries that something might happen to him, too. So it's no surprise that Jo sees potential death traps everywhere, which is why she likes to back off when things could get dangerous. And it's also unsurprising that the boy doesn't talk back to his rowdy classmate Tom Erik (Jostein Sranes Brox) when he constantly forces Jo to do his homework for him. All in all, he feels that he is doing quite well with his cautious approach to life. But then pretty Mari (Susanne Boucher) joins his class and Jo is hooked from the start. It's just too bad that the girl is particularly interested in football and Jo's only contact with the sport is collecting football trading cards. So he can't impress her on the pitch. The only way would be to get the rarest trading card of all: the one from the Liverpool Goalie!

The Liverpool Goalie is arguably the best children's film of recent years. With plenty of whimsical, at times bitterly wicked and deeply black humour, it deals with the fears and anxieties of teenagers on the cusp of puberty. Staged without any form of pedagogical index finger and filled with a dazzling warm-heartedness, it becomes clear time and again that the makers take their target audience absolutely seriously. They don't look down on them, they don't make fun of their problems, even if from an adult's point of view these may sometimes seem like trifles. However, it is not shown with pedagogical consternation, but with a lot of humour how silly life as a 13-year-old can be.

You could almost be tempted to claim that The Liverpool Goalie is the Norwegian answer to Greg's diary. But that would be selling this wonderful comedy far short. Although the first Greg film has a few good laughs to offer, the main focus here is on more conventional and raunchy humour. The makers of Liverpool Goalie go far more original and clever to the point. Admittedly, for small viewers under 11 years some of the gags might still be too clever. The children present at the press screening asked themselves once or twice, while the adults laughed loudly, what was so funny about it. But apart from such moments, the film works for all ages - and that's what makes a really good children's film in my eyes.

The Liverpool Goalie pleasantly stands out from the crowd of contemporary children's films. However, this could also be its undoing, as the joke hides beneath the surface many a time and doesn't come across too obviously. Thus, more attention is demanded from the children while watching than is the case with many other children's movies. But if you're looking for something a little more demanding for your little ones, but at the same time stunningly funny and really original, you'll be rewarded with a really wonderful film, which hasn't been awarded at numerous children's film festivals for nothing. No 3D, no special effects, no talking animals - but plenty of wit and heart. There's no better way to invest your money for a fun afternoon at the cinema. Absolutely recommended!!!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp