Toronto Screen Shots

The Workers Cup (Director: Adam Sobel): When Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup, there were audible gasps in the room. A gulf state with no discernible football culture or history, it seemed to win simply by virtue of its considerable oil wealth. Since there was no existing infrastructure for an event of this magnitude, soon dozens of companies were on the ground, planning and bidding on the myriad of construction projects that would prepare Qatar for its moment in the global sporting spotlight. Director Adam Sobel has lived in Qatar for many years, working as a journalist. He was interested in telling the stories of the migrant workers who come from all over the world in search of a better life for themselves and for their families back home. But he found that in his reports for mainstream media, there was only time and attention for a very simple narrative, that of the workers as hapless victims of an exploitative labour system. He wanted to dig deeper.

When the organizing committee of the World Cup announced they’d be organizing a football tournament for workers in 2014, Sobel saw his chance. 24 company teams were chosen to compete and Sobel embedded himself with the team from Gulf Contracting Company (GCC). We see how the workers are housed in camps far from the city of Doha and their work sites. They are bussed to and from work, but have no opportunities to leave the camp otherwise. Their food and lodging is provided, but the environment very much feels like a prison to them. Workers from different parts of the world (Kenya, Ghana, Nepal, India) are segregated from each other and most feel quite lonely. The tournament is a rare chance for them to mix with other nationalities and even to socialize with workers and managers from very different levels of the corporate hierarchy.

Watching the players carve out moments of joy away from their jobs is truly bittersweet. Captain Kenneth was lured to Qatar by assurances from his agent that working construction would lead to a chance to play football for a professional team. Realizing those promises were nothing but lies, Kenneth put his head down and resigned himself to long days of hard work. But being chosen captain of the GCC squad reawakens his love for the game, and reveals an inspiring and shrewd leader. After the team’s first win, he corners the chairman of the corporation and practically demands more training time for the squad. Nepalese Padam celebrates every goal with his newfound African friends, but also discovers that the line between teasing and racism can be razor thin. Kenyan Paul talks about women constantly, and yearns to leave the camp to go on a date.

Though both players and managers know that the tournament is a PR exercise and a way for their companies to attract positive press and recruit more workers, they can’t help but get caught up in the spirit of teamwork and competition, and the film does a good job of immersing the audience in that atmosphere as well. We follow the team’s progress through the tournament and share in the players’ joys and disappointments on and off the field. In the process, nationalities and jobs matter a little bit less. Near the end of the film, there’s an absolutely remarkable moment when Sebastian, a man with a comfortable (though still not lucrative) position in management, gives a jaw-dropping speech in the locker room to the players. It’s an example of what documentary is capable of, the ability to capture unpredictable emotions in real-time, and perhaps life-changing epiphanies, too.

Though I’ve always been aware of the corruption and exploitation behind large-scale sporting events, The Workers Cup does an excellent job of humanizing the people (at all levels) caught up in this infernal machine.

Becoming Bond (Director: Josh Greenbaum): James Bond is one of the most enduring characters in film, and we’re used to seeing a new actor take on the role every few years. But back in 1968, Sean Connery WAS Bond, and the thought of anyone trying to replace him was almost unthinkable. When his replacement turned out to be a male model and former car mechanic from Australia, with no previous acting experience, expectations weren’t very high. And then when new Bond George Lazenby didn’t return after On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the hunt was on again.

Josh Greenbaum’s film allows George Lazenby, now in his mid-70s, to tell his own story of his rise from obscurity, brush with fame and wealth, and ultimate rejection of the Bond mantle. Using re-enactments to liven up what’s essentially a sit-down interview, the film has the feel of a tall tale, with colourful details perhaps embellished a little in Lazenby’s memory. He recalls his childhood and his failure to graduate from high school with a tinge of regret. But the ever resourceful Lazenby spins his job as a car mechanic into a more glamorous and lucrative one actually selling cars. It’s here where he meets the beautiful Belinda, the woman who will turn out to be the great love of his life. He also meets a photographer who encourages him to start modelling, a profession the rugged Lazenby had no idea existed.

After George wins Belinda’s heart, her disapproving father sends her away to England, and Lazenby soon follows. As he tries to rekindle the relationship, he takes up car sales and modelling again and achieves his first taste of fame. The story of how he actually gets the role of Bond is nearly unbelievable, but it’s an entertaining tale. Things don’t go as smoothly with Belinda, and the present day Lazenby shows real regret at letting her get away. Lazenby’s tales of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll do grow a bit tiresome, and you’re just on the verge of being fed up with him when he recounts how he turned down a contract for six more Bond films and a million-dollar bonus. There’s more to the old playboy than meets the eye.

Lazenby doesn’t elaborate too much on the course of his life post-Bond but you get the sense he’s been happy. He might regret a few of his choices, but overall he emerges as someone admirable for choosing his own way instead of the easy path that was offered to him.

Unfortunately, as a film, Becoming Bond wearies the viewer with its constant winking tone and endless re-enactments. There’s almost an element of Austin Powers parodying of the times, and there’s a dearth of archival material that would have given this some much-needed depth. One egregious example is an interview Lazenby did on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Instead of licensing the actual footage, the filmmaker uses actor Dana Carvey to impersonate Carson and it gives the whole thing a carnivalesque feel. Maybe Greenbaum was trying to convey Lazenby’s discomfort with the trappings of fame, but it comes across as an attempt to milk the episode for cheap laughs. It’s a problem that afflicts the whole film. Lazenby’s story is interesting and evokes pathos, but trying to make it more entertaining ends up making it feel shallow.