*** (Three stars)
Appropriately codirected by an Iranian and a German, this breezy, empowerment-oriented documentary chronicles the struggles faced by both sides after a women’s club soccer team in Berlin challenges Iran’s national squad to a match in Tehran. Although Iran has an active tradition of women’s sports culture since before the Islamic revolution (Nike sells athletic headscarves there with the familiar “swoosh” on them), government bureaucrats throw up every imaginable obstacle, including barring the German team’s male coach from the stadium (the event is restricted to women only). Many viewers will be relieved that Football Under Cover isn’t as sappy as it could have been; for those who love the game, it’s a vivid illustration of why matches of this nature are known as “friendlies.”—Andrew Johnston, Time In editor
[This is a TONY staff review, written for the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. It is not considered an official review and should not be read as such. Please think of it as a casual impression from a movie-loving friend.]