Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos
Miramax Home Entertainment
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It was 1977 and one of New York's most tumultuous and decadent summers. Then, in the midst of blackouts, riots, the Son of Sam serial killer scare and the dawn of Studio 54, came an entirely unexpected moment of inspiration: the rise of the New York Cosmos, America's first great soccer team, and its larger-than-life superstar, Pelé. Suddenly embraced by a city obsessed with celebrity and flamboyance, the Cosmos kicked off America's first passionate love affair with the world's most popular sport & found themselves swept up in a careening path of glory, glamour, debauchery and controversy.

It is a thrilling tale of how a powerful group of entertainment moguls, a scrappy team of rag-tag athletes and a city in need of a rousing boost pulled together to create a phenomenon that in turn forged the soccer moms of today. Narrated by Matt Dillon, Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos reveals how the Cosmos rose from total anonymity to become the hottest ticket in town -- taken under the wing of Warner Bros. Chairman Steve Ross, beloved by rock stars and fashionistas -- only to be overwhelmed by a wild world of wealth, groupies, rivalries and power struggles.

Using a combination of nostalgic 70s soul and pop music, never-before-seen footage, exciting sports action, newsreels from the summer of '77 and candid interviews that range from Marv Albert to Henry Kissinger to Mia Hamm, to the colorful, clashing former Cosmos players themselves, the film creates a humorous, entertaining and richly layered look at a time and place that changed American sports forever.

If you take a worldwide poll, soccer -- or football as most call it -- is the most popular sport on the planet. And while a lot of kids kick the ball up and down the field and suck on oranges at halftime, it's hardly a phenomenon here in North America. But it almost was in the late 1970s and early 1980s thanks in large part to the New York Cosmos.

Once in a Lifetime is a slick documentary highlighted by frank comments from many of the team's key players, a fast-paced editing style and a soundtrack of classic tunes. It's largely a well-rounded film, although it does slip into pro-soccer propaganda towards the end of the film (and there is a direct jab at Calgary as well).

What's funny is that the movie already has profound immediacy because since it was made another attempt at having soccer breakthrough in America with the signing of David Beckham. Something tells me in 25 years we might see another similar documentary this time exploring the rise and fall of the Los Angeles Galaxy focusing on Mr. Posh Spice.

Video: How's it look?
Once in a Lifetime looks slick. It's shown in anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1 aspect ratio). A lot of the film contains archival footage, so there are times when it look grainy, but the modern stuff is nice to look at.

Audio: How's it sound?
There's times where the Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track recreates the feeling of cheering in the stands.

Extras: What additional goodies are included?

• "Stories of Pelé" consists of 11 minutes of interviews with several people who surrounded the legend during his days with the Cosmos.
• Highlights from several key games in the soccer franchise's history: Pelé's final game in 1977, 1980 Soccer Bowl and the 1981 Soccer Bowl.
• A deleted scene.
• French and Spanish subtitles.

Closing Thoughts
Once in a Lifetime is a little “ra-ra, soccer!” in it’s tone, but it is still an honest portrayal of the rise and fall of a one-time American sports icon, even if that status was short-lived. Soccer fans should appreciate it and pessimists might get a snide grin comparing it to what might happen in Los Angeles’ upcoming Beckham era.


Review brought to you by our friend Ryan @ Movie-Views.com