LFG

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LFG
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that LFG offers an-depth look at the legal case brought by the members of the US Women's National Soccer Team to demand equal pay. The case reflects the reality that women in a lot of fields, including athletics, aren't compensated the same as men. Celebrity members of the team, including Megan Rapinoe and Jessica McDonald, among others, are interviewed and followed around by cameras as they train, play, spend time with families, give interviews, meet with lawyers, and more. The women speak their minds and air their frustrations, which involves some language, including repeated use of "f--k" (including in the acronym for the film's title, which stands for "Let's F--king Go") as well as "s--t," "ass," "crap," "BS," and the middle finger. There's also some politics -- for example, Rapinoe's Twitter spat with former President Trump is recalled, when she said she wouldn't go to the "f--king" White House while Trump was in office. Rapinoe briefly discusses her brother's drug addiction and connects it to the opioid epidemic in the US. The film has positive messages and role models illustrating the potential and deserved equal treatment of girls and women in sports.
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What's the Story?
LFG tells the more than year-long story of the members of the US Women's National Soccer Team's legal case demanding equal pay. The film starts on International Women's Day in March 2019 when the team leaders held a secret meeting to inform their teammates about the case they were bringing against the US Soccer Federation. The equal pay lawsuit gained public attention when the team won the World Cup in June of that year. The film includes interviews with the team's leaders (including Megan Rapinoe, Jessica McDonald, Kelley O'Hara, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Samantha Mewis) and their lawyers and communication teams on the case, as well as footage of them at home, training, on the road, and behind the scenes in meetings and media interviews.
Is It Any Good?
Megan Rapinoe always made a compelling public spokesperson for her team's legal case for equal pay, and she once again takes a starring role in this documentary about the case. LFG bets heavily on her star power and an interest in some of the key members of the team by organizing the bulk of the reel around talking head interviews. One effect is that the film could make this case feel ultimately more about the current celebrity team members than the larger historical significance it actually has, even though they themselves insist a win is about future generations of female athletes. The documentary is structured by days over the course of more than a year, from spring 2019 to spring 2020, effectively illustrating how the US Soccer Federation bungled the case and drew it out unnecessarily -- and the toll it took, seen in real time, on the players. Even if you know the outcome, getting there makes for a painful watch. The film will undoubtedly strike a chord with many viewers.
One memorable segment comes when McDonald describes how at one point she was earning less than $15,000 as a professional soccer player and couldn't support her son without taking on additional part-time jobs. Curiously, of all the women interviewed, the directors only delve more deeply into Rapinoe's and McDonald's backgrounds and family lives. The team's lawyers make clear and credible arguments for the women's case of discrimination. Some points are highlighted by statistics, though these are run through rather quickly. There are plenty of insightful moments and some exciting clips of archive footage, especially from past matches and celebrations. Three montages stand out: one in which celebrities, politicians, and other athletes give their support for the women's case; a second highlighting trailblazing female athletes in other sports; and a series of clips over the end credits showing young girls displaying their mad soccer skills (and some Rapinoe-style hairdos).
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether you think the women on the team deserve to be paid the same as their male counterparts, the legal case at the heart of LFG. What are your reasons for your opinion?
The US Soccer Federation took a misstep with their initial legal argument, which was called sexist and outdated. What was their stance, and why did it receive so much backlash?
How do the women on the team show perseverance and teamwork, on and off the field? Why are these important character strengths in sports and in life?
Have you ever suffered discrimination? How did it feel? How did you fight back, if you were in a position to do so?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: June 24, 2021
- Cast: Megan Rapinoe, Jessica McDonald, Kelley O'Hara
- Directors: Sean Fine, Andrea Nix
- Studio: HBO Max
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Activism, Sports and Martial Arts, Great Girl Role Models
- Character Strengths: Perseverance, Teamwork
- Run time: 105 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
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