Your Movie Library
Cast
- Kevin de PaulaPelé
- Leonardo Lima CarvalhoYounger Pelé
- Seu JorgeDondinho
- Milton GonçalvesWaldemar de Brito
- Seth MichaelsMário
- Vincent D'OnofrioFeola
- André MattosSantos club's coach
- Mariana NunesCeleste Arantes
- Phil MilerNarrator (voice)
- Rafael HenriquesYuri (14 year old)
Recommendations
- 58
The Film Stage
Libatique isn’t messing around and his involvement is proof that the movie shouldn’t be dismissed. The cinematography got my attention and Pelé’s artistry (re-enacted or not) earned my emotional investment. - 50
Movie Nation
A sometimes entertaining, dazzling-on-the-field biography built around an utterly colorless lead performance. - 50
Village Voice
Co-directors Jeff and Michael Zimbalist stick to the playbook throughout, from typical moments of uplift to a Pelé cameo only slightly less fan-serving than Stan Lee's Marvel spots. - 50
RogerEbert.com
A well-meaning and sometimes interesting effort written and directed by brothers Jeff and Michael Zimbalist. - 50
Washington Post
Pelé: Birth of a Legend is too earnest and single-minded to be hagiographic, and the final moments are moving in spite of their predictable trajectories. - 40
The New York Times
The film’s director of photography, Matthew Libatique, makes “Pelé” more than an eye-moistening anthem for a built-in global audience. - 40
The Guardian
Considering this is the first biopic of one of the world’s most beloved athletes, it’s too bad such a predictable and ham-fisted kids’ flick was the goal. - 38
Slant Magazine
The beautiful game, as Pelé called football (or soccer to us Americans), has never felt like such a sedate slog.
