Will Review

Will
Eleven year-old orphan (Eggleton) sets off across Europe to watch his beloved Liverpool play AC Milan in the European Cup Final. The journey is not a smooth one, however.

by David Hughes |
Published on
Release Date:

21 Oct 2011

Running Time:

101 minutes

Certificate:

PG

Original Title:

Will

The spirit of the Children’s Film Foundation is alive, but not necessarily well, in this well-meaning but bungled tale of an 11 year-old Liverpool fan (Perry Eggleton, in an impressive debut) who runs away from his orphanage home and sets off across Europe to see his beloved team play in the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul. Bob Hoskins and Damian Lewis are on the ball — and watch out for former ‘Sinner From Pinner’ Jane March in a two-line cameo as a nun. But an undercooked script and uncertain direction, two own goals from first-timer Perry, turn a promising wish-fulfilment fantasy into a tragically squandered opportunity. A third act sidetrack to Bosnia, in which a kid gets blown up by a landmine — you know, for kids! — adds to the distinctly oddball proceedings.

A distinctly strange beast, Will boasts its fair share of feelgood moments and a Premier League cast (Damian Lewis, Bob Hoskins, Steven Gerrard) but the tone is more scattergun than an Emile Heskey shot.
Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us