I Am Zlatan

The story of the legendary Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimović is brought to the screen in a conventional biopic that has proved to be a box-office triumph.

The title of this film by Jens Sjögren might well lead one to suppose that it is a documentary but it is not. It is, indeed, a biopic about the Swedish-born footballer Zlatan Ibrahimović but this is a dramatised work, one in which Zlatan is played by two actors, Granit Rushiti appearing as the young sportsman while Dominic Andersson Bajraktati plays him as a child. In line with that, I Am Zlatan does not attempt to portray his later career and, in seeking an upbeat conclusion, its final scene is set as far back as 2004 when the footballer was signed up by Juventus.

Consequently, the main focus is divided equally between depicting Zlatan's childhood and the period when he was eighteen and training with Malmo FF under Nils-Åke (Håkan Bengtsson) and hoping to be noticed in the Under-19 Championships. While football inevitably plays a key role in I Am Zlatan, the film is also concerned with his situation as a difficult, rebellious child from a troubled home (his parents were divorced, his mother unreliable and neglectful and both she and the boy would turn to stealing at times.) This background and the way in which he would grow up being looked down upon for coming from Malmö’s Rosengård district resulted in young Zlatan becoming a disturbing influence at school and somebody prone to behave badly on the field (coaches might stress that football is a team game but for Zlatan it was an opportunity to prove himself assertively).

In Sweden I Am Zlatan has been a smash hit and, if that obviously stems in large part from being a movie about one of the country's leading sportsmen, it is also the case that the film has appeal as a factual tale about someone rising in the world and ultimately succeeding in spite of coming from a background of such little promise. Because of that the film can be enjoyed by audiences with a limited interest in its sporting side. As a piece of popular cinema, this is undoubtedly a well-made film: Jens Sjögren’s direction is very capable and the cast is an able one, not least young Dominic Andersson Bajraktati (the role of the 11-year-old Zlatan is far from being a small one) and by Duccio Camerini who, playing a representative of Juventus, brings real presence to his short role. As a critic one has to add that, while the film will please many audiences, its approach feels rather too superficial. Admittedly it outlines the reasons that would make Zlatan a controversial figure with an understandable chip on his shoulder that affected his behaviour in the school room and on the pitch. Nevertheless, it never feels gritty enough to enable us to understand why he would be so unable to transcend his early problems once success came his way. Even so, on its own level this is a likeable work.

Original title: Jag är Zlatan.

MANSEL STIMPSON

Cast: Granit Rushiti, Dominic Andersson Bajraktati, Cedomir Glisovic, Merima Dizdarevic, Håkan Bengtsson, Selma Mesanovic, Emmanuele Aita, Helena Ellison, Linda Haziri, Gijs Naber, Duccio Camerini, Matilda Limås.

Dir Jens Sjögren, Pro Frida Bargo, Fredrik Heinig and Mattias Nohrborg, Screenplay David Lagercrantz and Jakob Beckman, from the book by David Lagercrantz with Zlatan Ibrahimović, Ph Gösta Reiland, Pro Des Catharina Nyqvist Ehrnrooth, Ed Henning Mark, Costumes Mia Andersson.

B-Reel Films/Kepler Film-Signature Entertainment.
98 mins. Sweden/Denmark/The Netherlands. 2021. UK Rel: 3 June 2022. Cert. 15.