Pelé: Birth of a Legend

Charting the rise of the renowned soccer player, this biographical feature from documentarians Jeffrey and Michael Zimbalist offers a charming portrait of the athlete's life leading up to his crowning moment at the 1958 World Cup. The son of an impoverished family living in a Brazil dispirited by a recent loss at the 1950 tournament, the young Pelé (Leonardo Lima Carvalho) aspires to one day move on from impromptu street games played with his friends to win back the lost glory of his country and his father (Seu Jorge), a former footballer resigned to working as a janitor following a debilitating injury. Though his poverty and “primitive” African-influenced ginga style of play mark him as a constant outsider, an older Pelé (Kevin de Paula) stays true to himself, motivated by his family, coaches, and faithful teammates. If the Zimbalists' film adheres closely to the standard formula of the “sports drama”—underdog overcomes incredible odds, old enemies become new friends, a sweeping and surprising victory caps it all off—it's also always apparent that they have great affection for their subject. Pelé moves at a spritely pace, accented by stirring Brazilian music, with some of the best scenes occurring between Jorge and Carvalho as father trains son with the help of some mangoes. Recommended. (J. Cruz)