Super Spur Jermain Defoe scores another screamer with this brand-new documentary on his life. A fitting tribute to a prolific talent, ‘Defoe: For the Love of the Game’ has moments of powerful emotion – some as strong and direct as one of his efforts on goal – to paint a candid and rousing snapshot of a genuine footballing great, who undoubtedly was one of England’s finest ever strikers.
Delivering a fascinating look at the life of the Tottenham Hotspur legend on and off the pitch, ‘Defoe’ covers his entire career from his early school days through to his retirement from playing the game. Via the likes of Charlton Athletic, AFC Bournemouth, West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth, Toronto FC, Sunderland and Rangers, Jermain Defoe lit up football stadiums around the world with his energetic, captivating and attacking style of play.
Jermain Colin Defoe OBE (born 7th October 1982) was a truly outstanding footballer. Born and raised in Beckton, East London, the young man idolised Ian Wright and wanted the world to see his skills from an early age. The documentary features fascinating talking heads, including his youth coaches who first identified the raw talent that Jermain possessed and how he rose through the ranks at a staggering pace. These early interviews do a great job informing the viewer about how driven and determined Jermain was at becoming a professional footballer from so early on.
This is a story about family, and Jermain certainly achieved his goals thanks to the support he got from his. His mother features heavily in the documentary, painting the picture of his early home life and the efforts she made to help her son realise his dreams. Theirs is a touching relationship, with a strong bond that has clearly helped Jermain in his bid to become a footballing icon. ‘Defoe’ really captures the love he has for his family and how his mum, his step-father and his biological father (who supported his son from a distance) all made him the man that he is. Defoe has also had great tragedy in his personal life, and that is explored in the film too along with the challenges he has faced.
The story of Jermain Defoe features some great insights from footballing players and managers including Alan Curbishley, Gus Poyet, Peter Crouch, Harry Kane, Joe Cole and Harry Redknapp to name but a few. Their stories about him during his playing days are brilliant, with funny anecdotes and lots of laughs. ‘Defoe’ also charts the more negative aspects of his career, like when he handed in a transfer request after West Ham got relegated, his struggles with the paparazzi and him controversially not making Sven Goran-Eriksson’s 2006 World Cup squad.
A delightful and emotionally-charged journey with one of England’s finest footballing sons, it comes as no surprise to see that the Sunderland years of Jermain Defoe’s career holds the most amount of raw emotion in this ‘Defoe’ documentary. Whilst playing for Sunderland, Jermain met a local fan named Bradley Lowery, a terminally ill boy with neuroblastoma. They had a wonderful, genuine friendship which blossomed into a special bond with the entire Lowery family. These stories are bittersweet and full of grief as Bradley sadly passed away in 2017 aged just 6, but Jermain remains a close and involved friend to the family and has attributed a change within him thanks to the friendship he experienced with the brave young lad.
‘Defoe’ is a captivating and honest account of a life in football. It’s a joy from start to finish, and one that shines a light onto the man behind the superstar. A heartfelt and sincere portrait of a true generational talent, it allows its subject matter to really connect with the audience through candid and personal accounts of the highs and lows of his illustrious career. As a Spurs fan, I was always going to enjoy this film about a true and beloved Tottenham Hotspur legend, but there’s a lot of heart and soul in this documentary too – something that will hopefully transcend past club colours to true footballing fans across the world. His is a story worth hearing. ‘Defoe’ is deeply moving and a wonderful trip down memory (White Hart) lane.
Defoe will be available in UK Cinemas for One Night Only on 29th February. Tickets are available at https://defoethefilm.co.uk/
Cast: Jermain Defoe, Harry Kane, Harry Redknapp, Alan Curbishley, Joe Cole, Gus Poyet, Peter Crouch Director: James Ross Certificate: 12A Duration: 90 mins Released by: Kaleidoscope Entertainment Release date: 29th February 2024
