Bend it like Beckham: temaer i filmen

The main themes in the film, Bend it like Beckham, are love between an Indian girl, and a British boy, and what troubles that may bring, being an Indian girl and be playing football.

In the movie, Jess falls in love with her football coach, Joe. There are two problems in that, one is that Jess' friend, Jules, also is in love with the coach. On a trip to Germany they are having a night out. Jules sees Joe and Jess kissing. Jules gets really upset and angry with Jess, because she had told Jess that she was crazy about Joe. Jules starts accusing Jess that she only did it to hurt Jules.

Another problem love brought was her parents, who absolutely doesn't fancy a white boyfriend. So she also has to hold him hidden.

Another main theme is football, of course. Her mother doesn't think that a Indian girl should run around “half-naked”, as she actually says, and showing her legs to everyone. Her mother thinks that she should be at home and be cooking Indian dinner. In fact her mother is a little a shamed of her legs because she has got some large scars.

Jess' mother actually gets very mad at Jess because she hasn't told her about her playing football at a club. So she tells Jess that she may not play football anymore, but she keeps playing while her mother doesn't know. Jess has been out with her friend Jules to buy clothes to Jess' sisters wedding but she also buys some new football boots. When she comes home from shopping Jess' parents want to see what she has bought. Jess' sister sees the football boots and shows them to their parents. After this she stops playing. Jules convinces Jess to begin again. Jess keeps getting better and better. On the same day that her sister is getting married, Jess' team is playing finals and there will be a scout from USA to see if Jess and Jules has got any talent. Jess' father allows Jess to play in the match. While Jess is playing her mother discovers that she isn't at the wedding anymore. When she comes home, she tells her family that she has been offered a full scholarship at an university in USA where she can play professional football.