Review of Beckham Documentary Series
For my review, I will be talking about a documentary series called Beckham that is available on and produced by Netflix. This series, which was released in 2023, portrays the life story and career of David Beckham, a world famous soccer player and cultural icon of the 90’s. While this documentary obviously depicts Beckham’s journey in regards to his soccer, a larger focus of the series was showing what it is like to be an athlete in the public eye. This documentary used a variety of techniques to not only captivate the audience, but also portray the story and underlying message in a compelling way.
David Beckham stood out as a soccer star beginning at a very young age. This resulted in him being recruited to play professionally at England’s powerhouse club Manchester United when he was only 14 years old. In Europe, soccer is a huge part of the culture, and fans are extremely devoted and obsessive over their teams and players. As a result, Beckham was put under public scrutiny at a very young age. Additionally, his attractive looks, mind-blowing talent, and intriguing story made David a favorite of the media, and he became a worldwide celebrity. This led to every part of his private life and every mistake he made being plastered across every newspaper and magazine around the globe. The documentary focuses a lot on this issue, going chronologically through Beckham’s life and displaying the effect of public opinion on his mental health. This documentary highlights the huge impact social media, technology, and increased globalization have had on athletes. Sports figures are no longer just judged on their athletic performances, they are worldwide celebrities whose private lives have become a form of entertainment for the public. This documentary highlights how people forget that the athletes that they idolize are not just characters on television, but have emotions and feelings just like anyone else.
One thing I really appreciated about this documentary was that a large variety of people that were important in Beckham’s life, including his teammates, coach, wife, and parents, were interviewed for the show. This not only provided multiple perspectives on the events that were discussed, but also kept the dialogue interesting by frequently switching between speakers. Additionally, the video constantly switches between old and new footage, which creates an interesting avenue for Beckham to reflect on his past. Furthermore, it also allows viewers to compare and contrast David, both physically and emotional, at different periods in his life.
The documentary Beckham is an extremely well done narrative on the triumphs and hardships of professional soccer player, David Beckham. Through personal interviews and old news footage, the story is portrayed in a way that is visually appealing and mentally engaging. While on the surface, this is a story about soccer, a deeper dive reveals a commentary about the mental strife that social media and public scrutiny can cause for celebrity athletes. Before commenting on the lives of athletes and others in the public eye, it is important to take a step back and remember that words can affect anyone, no matter how famous or successful they are.
