I really enjoyed this lighthearted 'feelgood' comedy. OK, it might be a bit old - fashioned and predictable when it comes to portraying gay stereotypes, but it is an affectionate and completely inoffensive film that passed an enjoyable 90 minutes or so for me. The film is populated by a cast of likable characters led by the sweet Maximillian Bruckner as 'Ecki', a young man who plays in goal for a smalltown football team and who is outed as gay by his teammates. The team and some of the townsfolk are particularly cruel to both Ecki and his parents following the 'outing'. (The running gag of the old man coming into the family's bakery shop and telling 'gay' jokes is quite funny however.) The film concentrates on Ecki's determination to put together a gay football team that can take on his tormentors and win. This leads to an enjoyable series of adventures in which his family, particularly his father, have to come to terms with his sexuality and in which he manages to find love along the way. Altogether a nice fairy-tale (excuse the pun!) - everyone even manages to live happily ever- after! See it and enjoy!

The goalkeeper of a small-town German soccer team is forced out of the closet, and as a result embarks on an odyssey of revenge and self-fulfilment...Delightful comedy-drama, exploring homophobia, prejudice, intolerance and definitions of masculinity all amidst the heightened world of competitive 'Fußball'. Occasionally simplistic and hackneyed, never-the-less 'Männer wie wir' is packed with delicious performances and set-pieces, with the concluding football match an absolute gem. Standout performances have to be Brückner's charming 'everyman' Ecki, the wonderful blend of bathos and pathos from John, Berkel and Hübner, and especially Zacher's utterly convincing portrayal of the alcoholic ex-player Karl.The finale will have you cheering.

Let's face the facts - there is one dominant and popular area in Western society where homosexuality is still an absolute no-no, where it simply doesn't exist (officially of course) : And this is....? Yes, it's football. Excitement and fun for billions of people all around the globe. But although roughly 5% of mankind can be considered as gay or at least bisexual no professional player ever had his public coming-out. (But statistically speaking in every team there must be at least one..which would mean a minimum of 18-20 in the German Bundesliga alone)... This is the sociological background any critic should take into account before criticizing "Männer wie wir" too harsh. Yes, I agree, in some parts this film is a bit stereotypical, but the important and optimistic message counts more than its occasional lack of sophisticated and complex characterization. Maybe this is also one of the reasons why many heterosexuals (even the liberal and educated type) feel uneasy about this film. They simply don't want gays to enter one their last retreats of pure and sweaty straight manhood. And the notion that some of these queers might even turn out to be adequate opponents on the pitch (as it happened in "Männer wie wir") is just ...like finally loosing in a penalty shoot-out after a comfortable lead.

Ecki is goalkeeper for the soccer-team in his small hometown in Germany (near Dortmund). After losing an important game, his mates accidentally find out that he is gay. They throw him out of the team. Out of anger and hurt he dares them to play against a gay team. Ecki has only four weeks to build this team and train them.The movie plays with clichés in a hilarious and yet pleasant way. Good looking guys, leather and chains, love, revenge, and soccer. Witty dialogues and good action. Highly recommended.