Ecki is a baker's son who lives in a small, German town and plays goalkeeper for the local football team. When he fails to save a penalty that would have earned his team promotion he faces recriminations which lead to his being outed by his team mates.

Ostracised by the team and shunned by his father, Ecki lays down a challenge that he will beat his former team-mates with a side of gay men within four weeks. He travels to see his sister in Dortmund and starts to recruit a rag tag team of bikers, S&M fanatics, and more than the odd stereotype.

He also finds Sven, the subject of much female interest at his sister's work, but also a fellow traveller and an offensive midfielder. His team face the inevitable barbs and prejudice and get roped into his grudge match. Will Ecki beat the homophobes or will his own guilt get in the way when happiness presents itself?

Balls is a formulaic film which tries to follow the gravy train of Bend It Like Beckham, but substitutes gay men for Asian women. Balls is neither surprising or particularly astute in its approach and at times has all the subtle sexual politics of Carry On Nurse. In looking for comedy in its subject matter it trains its sights on prejudice, but it is not too proud to invite the audience to laugh at the same stereotypes which prejudice rejoices in.

Balls is self-consciously middle-of-the-road and aims for merely a grudging acceptance of homosexuals rather than any real condemnation of discrimination. If Balls has a role model it is the Full Monty with the same nudge nudge wink wink approach to sex and lack of satisfying human relationships. If you liked that film then you may enjoy this.

The obvious script is realised well by the director and the technical ability here in montage, editing and acting is very solid. Balls though is endlessly predictable and no one in it resembles a real human being. The football scenes are adequately done, but there's little new here either.

Balls will make you laugh at times and perhaps a few homophobes will suddenly realise that gay people can play football and that being rude is bad! But the cause here is the cash cow and simply that. Don't expect anything else and this may be a fun night in.