All Stars

Every week, come rain or shine, seven childhood friends, now in their late 20s, play football. Their Sunday get-togethers are threatened by the pressures of work and relationships, but they're determined to finish their 500th match before disbanding. This amiable rites-of-passage yarn, a hit in Holland, captures both the immaturity and idealism of its soccer-crazy characters. Although they don't want to grow up, adult responsibilities are crowding in. There's a wry, self-deprecating humour to the storytelling. The screenplay touches all the usual bases - one player is gay, one has a pregnant girlfriend, another has a disabled father - but sensitive direction combined with engaging performances from a cast of well-known Dutch TV actors ensures a freshness and delicacy which most sports movies miss by a mile.