Sixty Six.(Movie review)

(U.K.)

A UIP (in the U.K.) release of a Universal Pictures, Working Title Films presentation, in association with StudioCanal, of a [WT.sup.2] production, in association with Ingenious Film Partners 2 LLP. Produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Elizabeth Karlsen. Executive producers, Richard Curtis, Natascha Wharton.

Directed by Paul Weiland. Screenplay, Peter Straughan, Bridget O'Connor, based on a story by Weiland. Camera (color/ B&W, Super 8-to-35mm), Daniel Landin; editor, Paul Tothill; music, Joby Talbot; music supervisor, Nick Angel; production designer, Michael Howells; supervising art director, Lynne Huitson; costume designer, Rebecca Hale; sound (Dolby Digital), Simon Hayes; supervising sound editor, Catherine Hodgson. Reviewed at MPC Preview Theater, London, Oct. 5, 2006. Running time: 94 MIN.

With: Gregg Sulkin, Helena Bonham Carter, Eddie Marsan, Catherine Tate, Peter Serafinowicz, Ben Newton, Stephen Rea, Geraldine Somerville, Richard Katz.

A 12-year-old boy from North London finds himself praying that England gets knocked out of the 1966 World Cup so his bar mitzvah won't be upstaged in nostalgic comedy "Sixty Six." While mazel tovs are due for efficient playing and execution, predictable script seldom scores big laughs, and the whole matzo ball feels like just another factory-line product from Brit shingle Working Title. Pic is likely to be crushed in the domestic B.O. arena when it opens against "Borat" on Friday but could do minor biz offshore.

Significance of the film's title may be lost on the rest of the world, but in Blighty, every soccer fan knows that 1966 was the year England beat Germany in the World Cup. That sporting victory duly coincides with pic's climax, but since it's tangential to the dramedy here, prior knowledge of the outcome doesn't spoil interest.

Indeed, if anything, aud awareness of England's eventual ...