THE CUP A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 2000 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): **
A coke can as soccer ball? If you're a monk who's taken a vow to renounce worldly possessions, then you make do with whatever's handy, as do the poor Tibetan monks living in exile in India in THE CUP (PHÖRPA).
Writer/director Khyentse Norbu's THE CUP is an innocent little picture that suffers from being a one-idea movie. If the characters in it were not monks, then the only reaction would be to write off the formulaic picture as a lame and amateurish version of the kids' big game movie that has been done hundreds of times before and usually much better. Whether the mere fact that the cast is composed of monks can supply enough charm to make you ignore all of its shortcomings, only you can judge. For myself, the charm quickly wore thin.
Set during the World Cup finals, the story concerns a group of the younger monks who sneak out at night to go watch the games on television in a nearby village. When it comes time for the final match, the soccer fanatics try to get the Abbot (Lama Chonjor) to approve their renting a television setup, including a near-broken satellite dish, so that the whole abbey can watch the game. Geko (Orgyen Tobgyal) explains the game to the Abbot as "two civilized nations fighting over a ball." Sounding harmless enough, he gives permission for the event.
Ending in the traditional big game, this time a televised one, the predictable movie has few surprises. As soon as you see their rag-tag electronics setup, you know they'll have trouble with it. And given the feel-good tone of the story, you can be sure that it will be resolved successfully.
THE CUP runs 1:33. The film is in Tibetan and Hindi with English subtitles. It is rated G and would be suitable for all ages.
Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
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