Unwatchable FIFA film United Passions flops at cinema!

Posted by: admin , June 10, 2015

The largely FIFA-funded film United Passions has flopped at the cinema, taking just $607 in its opening weekend in the US!
It’s reported that FIFA contributed $22.2m of the $26.1m budget for the film, which stars Tim Roth as Sepp Blatter, Sam Neill as his predecessor Joăo Havelange and Gérard Depardieu as Jules Rimet.
The film was released on 10 cinemas in the US after being shown in Europe last year. Notably, it’s reported that a cinema in Phoenix recorded takings of just $9.
The film has been largely savaged by reviewers. The New York Times said it was “one of the most unwatchable films in recent memory, a dishonest bit of corporate-suita sanitising that’s not even good for laughs”. Peter Bradshaw called it “pure cinematic excrement”.
The release of the movie is ill-timed given 14 football officials were charged with racketeering, money laundering and fraud just 2 weeks ago – events which seemed to lead to the shock resignation of Sepp Blatter.
The FBI is currently investigating the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.