Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past few days, you will have heard about the Beckham documentary, which is making waves for all the right reasons.
The four-part Netflix documentary lifts the veil and shows us a different side to the A-list couple – something we didn’t think was possible for anyone who has spent the best part of their lives in the public eye. And it manages to achieve what most celebrity documentaries set out to do, but very few achieve – humanise the famous faces, and make them legitimately likable.
The doco is perfectly paced, balancing edge-of-your-seat sporting thrills – even when you know the outcome of a match! – and rousing, expansive emotions, with intimate insights brought to life by tight closeup shots and peeks into their home and daily lives.
Not only is it a nostalgia-inducing trip down memory lane (gosh, remember just how big the Spice Girls were?), fuelled by a soundtrack including anthemic tracks by Brit bands Oasis and Blur, it offers rare conversations with some of the most important people in David’s life.
But what stayed with us the most were the nuggets of little-known information that were innocuously slipped in through the interviews. Here are the facts we found most surprising from watching the first half of the Beckham documentary (well, we don’t want to give everything away, do we? And also, didn’t have time to watch the whole thing yet, because, you know, life…).
David Beckham is a neat freak
Apparently, he goes through and tidies up the house every night – including trimming the candle wicks – before bed. “All those candles… It’s very tiring,” he smiles sheepishly. “No one appreciates it.”
Victoria used to be driven to school in a Rolls Royce
Early on in the first episode, Posh Spice tries to imply a modest upbringing, saying “we both came from working class families…” but David immediately pokes a hole into that narrative, cheekily asking her to say on camera what car she used to be driven to school in… she resists for a while, but then has to admit: “OK, I used to be driven to school in a Rolls Royce.”
Ahem, does her Spice Girls moniker ‘Posh’ make a bit more sense now? It doesn’t change the fact though that she comes across as someone who is genuinely smart, completely comfortable with their insane wealth and fame, and fiercely loyal.
David was fed Guinness and raw eggs to gain strength as a young boy
David’s father Ted has been labelled an ambitious ‘sports dad’ who pushed his young son from a young age with relentless practice sessions; playing for Manchester United was Ted’s dream. He casually mentions that when he was ‘worried about his size’, he put David on a diet of Guiness and raw eggs.
Let’s not get into the science behind this theory right now. But did it work? Well, if Beckham’s success is anything to go by, then… yes?
David and Victoria really seem just like any other old married couple
A bit of bickering, friendly teasing… and a real sense of always having each other’s back – that’s what comes through if analysing their relationship through this documentary. In fact, the wholesomeness of his ties with family (the pride and affection apparent in his parents) and friends (the way the Manchester United team banded together to protect their own when he was public enemy number one – wow!) leaves one with a warm and fuzzy feeling.
And the one thing in the Beckham documentary that doesn’t come as a surprise at all? The brutal, unforgiving nature of the British tabloid press and the public – the backlash of Beckham’s infamous World Cup red card was unbelievable. Rude chants about Victoria in football stadiums, cruel headlines… this went on for years, and this is perhaps the first time that David has opened up about how hard it was for him to cope with. And you really do end up sympathising with him.
All up, we can safely say, the Beckham PR machinery can now retire and walk off into the sunset – job done.
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