“Pelé: Birth of a Legend”: A Fairytale Lacking in True Biographical Depth
“Pelé: Birth of a Legend” aims to bring the story of the football icon to the big screen, yet it falls short of delivering a comprehensive or complex portrayal. Instead of echoing the gritty authenticity found in compelling sports dramas like “Legend No. 17,” the film leans closer to a simplistic, predictably saccharine narrative, akin to an episode from a feel-good TV series such as “The Champions.” The undisputed legend of football, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, merits a far more profound, nuanced, and detailed biographical exploration than what is presented here.
A Glimpse into Pelé’s Formative Years
The film transports us back to 1950, introducing us to nine-year-old Dico (Pelé’s birth name), navigating life with his family in the bustling yet impoverished Brazilian favelas. In this environment, the pathways to a better life seemed confined to the arduous labor of nut plantations or the grim reality of incarceration. Yet, from a tender age, Dico harbored an unwavering passion for soccer, a predisposition that comes as no surprise given his father’s own talent as a high-level footballer whose prime was cut short by injury.
Believing implicitly in his son’s prodigious potential, Dico’s father secretly mentors the young boy, often against the express wishes of his mother, who vehemently opposes his involvement in the sport. The turning point arrives when a scout from a major club spies the exceptionally gifted teenager. This discovery forces Dico and his family to confront a momentous decision: to remain in the familiarity of their uncertain but known domestic life or to embark on the elusive and often illusory pursuit of a dream. Dico’s choice is resolute: he opts for the latter, and merely a year later, under the now-iconic moniker Pelé, he commences his monumental journey to conquer a world utterly captivated by the beautiful game.
The Inherent Challenges of Sports Biographies
Crafting biographical feature films about celebrated athletes and champions is widely acknowledged as a formidable undertaking. The core dilemma stems from the fact that the dazzling moments of glory, which are rare and exclusive to a select few, are invariably preceded by extended, often monotonous periods of grueling training. These are typically shown as unattractive, harsh, dirty, sweat-soaked, and physically exhausting. While a meticulous depiction of such a process might risk alienating the audience, merely glossing over it and relying solely on the “miracle” of talent is equally insufficient, as everyone understands the immense dedication and hardship inherent in an athlete’s career.
Furthermore, for every grand triumph, there are countless unseen injuries, crushing defeats, or mere second-place finishes. Yet, filmmakers are primarily driven by the desire to create a spectacular cinematic experience. Consequently, they often find themselves at a crossroads: either painstakingly recreate every mundane step on the path to victory, scrupulously cross-referencing Wikipedia entries for accuracy, or boldly fabricate their own embellished narrative of a brilliant rise and miraculous overcoming, consciously sidelining the darker, more arduous aspects of the sports world.
A Simplistic, Whitewashed Narrative
The film chronicling the “King of Football,” Pelé, decidedly embraces the latter approach. The latter part of the film’s full title, “Birth of a Legend,” can be interpreted in two ways: the emergence of the legend himself, or indeed, the legendary life story ingeniously constructed by screenwriters and directors, the Zimbalist brothers. Conspicuously absent from this cinematic rendition are any substantive mentions of profound challenges, truly complex spiritual or physical struggles, or even the slightest hint of contradictions, doubts, or missteps.
Instead, “Pelé” unfolds as a remarkably simple, straightforward, unpretentious, and at times, almost naive film. It doesn’t function as a true biography but more as a meticulously tailored fairytale, exclusively designed to arrive at a predetermined triumphant conclusion – a narrative akin to the whimsical notion that “princesses don’t poop.”
Focus on Early Triumphs, Overlooking Complexity
To label this film a comprehensive biography would be a considerable overstatement. The narrative deliberately zeroes in on just two pivotal episodes in Pelé’s extraordinarily rich life: his initial successes in street football and his transformative debut for the Brazilian national team at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. Evidentially, the screenwriters deliberately highlighted only the positive, inspirational facets of his journey, completely sidestepping other nuanced dimensions of the “King of Football’s” existence.
Predictably, the film does include obligatory elements such as taunts from opponents, playful yet hurtful pranks from older teammates, moments of self-doubt regarding his chosen path, and even a pre-major-game injury. Even the much-debated origin of his iconic nickname “Pelé” is given a dramatic embellishment. However, all these potentially weighty dramatic beats are rendered in an almost puppet-like, overly simplistic, and naive fashion. It often feels less like a large-scale drama about a globally renowned figure and more like a routine performance by a school theater troupe, where every actor simply recites memorized lines, safe in the knowledge that the narrative will predictably culminate in “our” inevitable victory.
A Motivational Tale, Albeit Simplified
Nonetheless, it would be unfair to condemn this approach outright. If the primary objective of the filmmakers was to motivate children to engage in sports, to instill self-belief, to encourage perseverance against adversity, and to dedicatedly stick to their chosen path, then such a promotional narrative requires precisely this kind of uplifting, perhaps even fantastical, portrayal – complete with butterflies, rainbows, and pink unicorns. However, if the aim were to pursue a genuine, unvarnished truth, one could not evade the visceral realities of blood, sweat, bruises, fractures, and tears. Lamentably, “Pelé” allocates barely a minute and a half to these defining elements of an athlete’s struggle.
Redeeming Artistic Merits
Despite its narrative shortcomings, we would still refrain from entirely dissuading you from watching the film, as it certainly possesses several genuinely impressive moments. First and foremost, the immersive atmosphere of the game is supremely conveyed; the sequences depicting the Brazilian national team’s matches during the 1958 World Cup are recreated with an incredibly vivid and dynamic intensity.
Furthermore, the commendable contributions of the cast should not be underestimated. Although the omnipresent Hollywood presence is largely confined to episodic appearances by Vincent D’Onofrio and Colm Meaney, the young actors deliver stellar performances; Kevin de Paula, in particular, is exceptionally good in his portrayal. Finally, the stunning natural beauty of Brazil commands special attention, even if occasionally presented akin to a soap opera backdrop. “Pelé” lavishly showcases the iconic favelas, the opulent neighborhoods of Rio, dense jungles, and the breathtaking ocean coasts, adding a rich visual tapestry to the narrative.
As a purely cinematic spectacle, “Pelé” is by no means the worst film one could encounter. The intricate art of football is demonstrated with masterful precision, the visuals are consistently pleasing to the eye, and the acting, without exception, is solidly delivered. However, if your ambition is to truly comprehend the multifaceted life of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, if you yearn for insights extending beyond his triumphant initial steps onto the field in Gothenburg clad in a blue national team jersey, if his later life captivates your interest no less than his formative years – then you absolutely must seek out a more serious, extensive, and factually robust source. Cinema, after all, is merely cinema; it only gently lifts a corner of the veil. The profound depth and complete narrative, you must discover for yourself.