Football's fondness for weaving dreams shines through in documentary 'Rise And Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story'.
Football's fondness for weaving dreams shines through in documentary 'Rise And Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story', as Jon Holmes found out
'Make your own luck' - a phrase uttered by so many sports coaches down the years that many may feel it has now passed into cliche.
Yet all the truly great moments in football have to begin with a choice - to go for a lung-bursting run to the near post, to throw yourself across goal to make a fingertip save, to have the courage to play the through-ball you're sure is on. The legends of the game are all blessed with superb ability, but equally important is their decision-making.
Thierry Henry could not have 'fulfilled his destiny' and scored on his Arsenal return on Monday night if he had not loitered on the left flank, snuck round Leeds right-back Aidy White, gambled on the precision of Alex Song's pass, and waited for Andy Lonergan's position to open up the far post. Only then could he apply the coup de grace.
Even (some) Spurs fans must concede there was a touch of magic to the moment, and the fact it transcended tribal rivalries - so heated in recent times on these shores - reminds us of the power of storytelling in football, that shaping of our memories that we cherish so dearly.
Henry's personal narrative is very different to that of Jay DeMerit, the American who came to England on a wing and a prayer and ended up playing at the highest levels for club and country. However, while the Frenchman now knows what it feels like "to score a goal as a fan", DeMerit can offer a football version of the Rocky story, one that's been made into a 90-minute film called 'Rise And Shine' that hits UK screens this month.
Directors Nick Lewis and Ranko Tutulugdzija chart DeMerit's journey from a soccer kid with raw potential in Packers-mad Green Bay in the 1980s, to the starting eleven of the United States national team at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The movie is honest, inspirational and full of admiration for English and world football.
A high standard has been set for sports documentaries in recent times, with ESPN's revered
30 For 30 series and the acclaimed
Senna drawing numerous positive reviews and helping to open up different sports to a wider fanbase.
Despite being made on a low budget, 'Rise And Shine' is undeniably enriching; in fact, flashy graphics and expensive copyrighted music wouldn't really suit the telling of DeMerit's unlikely success story. The characters in this drama are his family and friends, talking heads who still marvel at what he achieved - a pipe dream shared by his loyal friend Kieren Keane, $1800 in his pocket, an enterprising Eurotrip, the slog of non-league football for pathetic pay, odd jobs, sleeping on a mattress in a cramped attic, almost jacking in the whole escapade only to stick it out until what DeMerit refers to as "the Eureka moment" and the offer of a contract from Watford.
Jay's love for the Hornets, the club's community spirit and the bond and desire that drove Aidy Boothroyd's men to a promotion few would have predicted shines through as his career hits a series of exhilarating highs.
Although undoubtedly geared more towards an American audience - obligatory tourist shots of London and explanations of the pyramid system feature - the filmmakers' approach should not discourage English fans from seeking out this documentary. If anything, the opportunity to step back from our own preconceptions of our national sport and see it from an outsider's point of view is rewarding. For example, Leeds United supporters and the England faithful will both find themselves on the receiving end of DeMerit-inspired moments, but only the hardest of hearts could fail to be lifted by the emotion he gleans from them. Reliving Landon Donovan's last-gasp goal for the USA against Algeria will have you out of your seat.
Familar figures such as Boothroyd, Ray Lewington, Bob Bradley, Tim Howard and Stuart Holden all provide assists as Jay recounts hitting his goals - even Weezer's Rivers Cuomo gets a behind-the-scenes credit - but it is the hard work and perseverance of DeMerit himself that provide the film's lingering message. His relentless drive was shared by Lewis and Tutulugdzija too, as the background to the making of the film clearly demonstrates.
"I don't believe in luck", DeMerit tells us, and his story teaches us why it's never the root cause of success. Choices, decisions, actions - these are the currencies of the richest men in sport, and their life stories will always reflect this.
'Rise And Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story' was funded 100% through fans throughout the UK, USA & EU, with no Hollywood studio involvement, raising $223,000. It became the #1 largest independently crowd-funded project in history, and is a film for all ages.
For more information and to find a screening in your UK area on Tuesday 17 and Sunday 29 January, visit the movie's official website.
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