Carlitos and the Chance of Lifetime

Playing a grumpy, grasping orphanage chief, ‘Miliki’ gives a star turn as a super-baddy in this ‘orphanage kid overcomes adversity to reach his dreams’ yarn. Positive messages about being a team player and following your dreams are heavily underscored throughout. Despite this, there are quite a few laughs, and there’s some unaffected acting by the kids. Carlitos’s sidekick Chunks is particularly amusing. The schmaltzy subplot of the caretaker (who just happens to be a federation coach) finding love along the way is sufficiently low-key not to elicit horror from footy-mad lads. Quite fun, said the boys, wondering if there were such a thing as an international football comp for kids...