Marcus H. Rosenmüller's The Keeper tells the remarkable story of prisoner-of-war-turned-footballing-legend Bert Trautmann, who defied adversary and hostility to help lead Manchester City to the 1956 FA Cup. Does such an extraordinary tale translate well onto the big screen, or should it remain pub-friendly nostalgia with footy friends?
When his sporting talent captures the attention of a small-time St Helens Town manager during a denazification process in an English prisoner-of-war camp, Bert Trautmann (David Kross) rejects his homeland and decides to remain in England. Although initially met by protests from the club's fans due to his background, Trautmann is signed as Manchester City goalkeeper and his career comes to be considered a symbol of Anglo-German rapprochement. Freya Mavor, John Henshaw and Dave Johns star alongside Kross in this co-production between the United Kingdom and Germany.
While The Keeper's script occasionally resorts to reducing its story down to soapy narrative arcs and romantic cliches, the pure-intentions and sense of heart in the three-person screenplay (for the most part) successfully elevate it beyond those frustrating trappings. In this politically-fraught landscape, the relevance of The Keeper's story of forgiveness, community and common hardship manifests itself early on; explored throughout the film's 119 minutes with care and consideration, the film is greatly benefited by the international collaboration, removing any partisan temptation that would have easily undermined the thematic message of the film. The downside to such a collaboration is that the film's constant search for the goodness inside each character on both sides eventually takes over, wrapping up arcs almost too neatly for the sake of balance.
It is only after the credits have rolled that you begin to realise just how much ground the story has covered in two hours - but the film fails to make clear the passing of time. Although budgetary constrictions no doubt play a hand in this, it would be beneficial for the film to develop a more distinct way to illustrate each step in Trautmann's journey. It won't be a concern for fans approaching the film with context, but it is the one area in which the film struggles to make itself accessible for those unfamiliar with his story.
It is only after the credits have rolled that you begin to realise just how much ground the story has covered in two hours - but the film fails to make clear the passing of time. Although budgetary constrictions no doubt play a hand in this, it would be beneficial for the film to develop a more distinct way to illustrate each step in Trautmann's journey. It won't be a concern for fans approaching the film with context, but it is the one area in which the film struggles to make itself accessible for those unfamiliar with his story.
David Kross is a revelation in the leading role, expressing real vulnerability as Trautmann. With a thoughtful ruminations of post-traumatic stress disorder and of guilt and culpability, Kross' imbues genuine authenticity into his performance, aided by his German heritage; following another award season in which the men are staggeringly overshadowed by their female counterparts, this is proof that male performances can tap into truly profound emotion and express fragility in their work, and Kross' effort is a testament to that. John Henshaw is a comedic scene-stealer and while said humour doesn't always appear necessary, at times misplaced, it is largely well-delivered and operates fairly effectively in relieving some of the darker elements of the plot.
While the romantic component of the film's plot may feel far too twee and familiar (particularly in their first act introduction), and the film's handling of time can be rather disorientating, Rosenmüller's direction is an otherwise solid effort that avoids turning the film into a soulless wartime romance. During one match-based sequence, Rosenmüller's visceral execution is responsible for such palpable energy which climaxes in a wincing-inducing moment that will cause a ripple of shock across any audience; it's extremely well-executed so that even those who are aware of the impending development will react with similar force.
While the romantic component of the film's plot may feel far too twee and familiar (particularly in their first act introduction), and the film's handling of time can be rather disorientating, Rosenmüller's direction is an otherwise solid effort that avoids turning the film into a soulless wartime romance. During one match-based sequence, Rosenmüller's visceral execution is responsible for such palpable energy which climaxes in a wincing-inducing moment that will cause a ripple of shock across any audience; it's extremely well-executed so that even those who are aware of the impending development will react with similar force.
As perhaps the least sporty person on the planet, The Keeper's success comes with the added bonus of really engaging with its story; it is a positive reflection of the remarkable story and strong filmmaking techniques on display. David Kross' terrific performance helps patch over the script's cliched execution of common themes, although its modern-day relevance is clearly observed over the course of the film. The Keeper isn't a home run (wrong sport) or a lap of honour (wrong sport) but it's something of a touchdown (correc- oh wait, nevermind).
7/10
Summary: The Keeper scores on the back of David Kross' revelatory performance and the remarkable story at its core, although concedes to some cliches the pure-intentioned screenplay could have avoided.
7/10
Summary: The Keeper scores on the back of David Kross' revelatory performance and the remarkable story at its core, although concedes to some cliches the pure-intentioned screenplay could have avoided.