The Miracle of Bern fails to be interesting

The Miracle of Bern

Director: Sonke Wortmann

Cast: Louis Klamroth, Peter Lohmeyer, Johanna Gastdorf, Miko Lang

As with the above tennis film, this German effort about the West German team during the l954 World Cup, the first in Europe since the end of WW2, has a limited audience appeal.

Sporting films are famously difficult to sell to audiences - with, perhaps, the honourable exception of boxing and baseball, sports which have inspired several outstanding efforts - and in this case, while its heart is in the right place, heavy sentimentality laced throughout doesn’t help.

It’s a film which tries to be different and interesting - the theme is that the beautiful game can bring a lasting bonding between fathers and sons and solve all the world’s problems - but doesn’t quite manage it.

Star Rating: 2/5