THE OFFSIDERS

Ex-professional football player Jacek sleeps rough at the railway station. He persuades his friends to start up a team with him as distraction from the daily round of booze and shivering in the cold. They start off kicking around beer cans, but their project soon becomes more: a sense of purpose, a small glimpse of light. Even if no radical change of their circumstances is in sight, there is something to work towards: a victory against the homeless eleven from Serbia in the upcoming game. Adamik concentrates on her protagonists without claiming to give an all too realistic depiction of their lives. Aware of this, she remains fair and holds back with well-meaning advice. An engaging comedy pleasantly free from insincere compassion, and with an outstanding cast – including the charismatic lead.