Once In A Lifetime (2006) Synopsis:
The rise and fall of the N.Y. Cosmos. The soccer team that brought Pele to America; against the backdrop of N.Y. City in the 70's.
Once In A Lifetime (2006) Movie Review:
This football doc has a lively 1970s tone that neatly captures soccer's brief North American heyday. It's a fascinating, engaging story, although the film itself is a bit uneven.
It's the story of Warner Communications founder Steve Ross, who in the early 70s developed a love for the global sport and spent vast sums to build the New York Cosmos into a world-class soccer team. The kick-off was the purchase of Brazilian superstar Pelé, as well as other top international players over the years, including Alberto, Marsh and the outrageous primadonna Chinaglia. By 1977 the team was playing to record crowds in Giants Stadium. But without a TV network deal, the North American Soccer League struggled and eventually disbanded in the early 80s.
The opening segment, analysing why football has never taken off in the States, is astute and telling. Yes, Americans do have short attention spans, preferring brief-burst sports rather than the 90-minute epic theatricalities of soccer. Although the fact that football doesn't have ad breaks is perhaps a more important factor in the most commercially minded nation on earth.
Directors Crowder (Riding Giants) and Bower (Live Forever) give the film a wonderfully funky feel, from whizzy echoed/split-screen imagery to the pulsing song score. That the two central figures are only represented by stills and archive footage is a problem; one is dead and the other "declined to be interviewed". Even existing interview footage of Steve Ross and Pelé would have helped hugely.
Still, many interviewees have a sharp sense of humour about themselves and their time in the spotlight. Tales of starry supporters, Studio 54 revelry, travelling antics and especially Messing's notorious nude centerfold are thoroughly entertaining. When the film shifts to concentrate on their bickering, it gets more than a little wearying. But the collapse of the dream is an important part of the story. As is the final note, quietly observing how these events influenced a groundswell in America that has made soccer the nation's most-played sport today, even if it's not in the big leagues. Yet.
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Once In A Lifetime (2006) review written by: Rich Cline
7th September, 2008 
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