Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In
Soccer docu has language, references to violence and drink.
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Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In
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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 Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In is a fascinating documentary about Sir Alex Ferguson, the legendary former manager of the English soccer club Manchester United. Although infrequent, the documentary does feature some strong language. This includes "f--k" and "f---ing," which are mostly used in direct quotes. Known for his phenomenal success but also his ruthlessness and his fiery temper, Sir Alex takes center stage to discuss his life, values, and accomplishments, along with a brush with death in 2018. This provides many of the documentary's positive messages and also shows the positive traits that have made Sir Alex an example to many. While he admits to having some negative qualities, he is also adamant that people not be discriminated against and also that they are given every chance to succeed in life, something that he attributes to his working class, socialist upbringing. Nearly all the interviewees are White males, with the only female voice belonging to Cathy, Sir Alex's wife. There are a couple of stories involving fights, neither of which results in serious injury or repercussions. Sir Alex makes one reference to getting drunk and it having negative consequences for him, while there are other, lighthearted references to drunkenness.
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What's the Story?
SIR ALEX FERGUSON: NEVER GIVE IN is a documentary about the life and work of the former renowned and celebrated soccer manager of Manchester United.
Is It Any Good?
A predictably favorable view of Sir Alex Ferguson's career -- it's directed by one of his sons, Jason -- this documentary still provides an interesting take on one of soccer's most iconic figures. From an oral history of his upbringing and his time as an apprentice in a working-class area of Glasgow, Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In charts Sir Alex's rise through Scottish and then English soccer. His Manchester United team's incredible comeback win in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich still causes goosebumps. But there are also some other compelling moments, such as when the mercurial talents of former players such as Ryan Giggs and Eric Cantona each discuss how Sir Alex helped them in their careers.
However, there's not much discussion about the high-profile players with whom Sir Alex fell out along the way, most notably his former Manchester United captain Roy Keane. So anyone looking for an exploration of what went wrong as well as what went right will be disappointed. But this documentary does succeed in showing us the mental toughness, tenacity, and intelligence required to succeed in the glare of the media spotlight in one of the most competitive fields on Earth. The running thread about Sir Alex's health and how a brain hemorrhage in 2018 affected him reminds us that he's human, too, and that there's more to life than what happens on a soccer pitch.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what the positive messages in Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In are. What character strengths helped make Sir Alex so successful? Would you describe him as a positive role model? What make a good role model?
As well as his successes, Sir Alex talks about some of his regrets. Why is it important to acknowledge these? Why is admitting our mistakes to ourselves and to others useful?
Talk about the strong language heard in the documentary. Did it feel authentic? What did it add to the film?
Discuss how the film talks about class and identity. How does this form people's attitudes to life and work, and their values? What are the pros and cons of identifying as part of a group?
How did this documentary compare to other documentaries you may have seen? How can documentaries help tell stories that need to be told?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: May 29, 2021
- Cast: Alex Ferguson, Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs
- Director: Jason Ferguson
- Studio: Universal Pictures
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts
- Character Strengths: Courage, Perseverance, Teamwork
- Run time: 108 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: some strong language
- Last updated: February 25, 2023
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