# The Match (1999 film)
**The Match** is a 1999 British sports romantic comedy directed and written by Mick Davis, set in the fictional Scottish village of Inverdoune, where a century-old bet between two pubs is settled by the hundredth annual football match, with the loser's bar at stake.[1](https://www.derekwinnert.com/the-match-1999-max-beesley-isla-blair-laura-fraser-james-cosmo-ian-holm-richard-e-grant-neil-morrissey-tom-sizemore-classic-movie-review-3564/) • [2](https://www.netflixmovies.com/the-match-1999) It was released in the United Kingdom on 13 August 1999.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165384)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writer | Mick Davis, his debut feature[1](https://www.derekwinnert.com/the-match-1999-max-beesley-isla-blair-laura-fraser-james-cosmo-ian-holm-richard-e-grant-neil-morrissey-tom-sizemore-classic-movie-review-3564/) • [4](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-match-review/) |
| UK release | 13 August 1999[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165384) |
| Runtime | 95 minutes (some listings give 96 or 97)[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165384) • [5](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-match) |
| Setting | Inverdoune, a Highland village with two pubs, Benny's Bar and Le Bistro (also written L'Bistro)[2](https://www.netflixmovies.com/the-match-1999) |
| Stakes of the plot | The loser of the hundredth annual match between the two pubs' teams hands over its bar; Benny's has lost all 99 previous games[2](https://www.netflixmovies.com/the-match-1999) |
| Lead cast | Max Beesley (Wullie Smith), Laura Fraser (Rosemary Bailey), Richard E. Grant (Gorgeous Gus), Ian Holm (Big Tam), James Cosmo (Billy Bailey)[2](https://www.netflixmovies.com/the-match-1999) |
| Box office | $175,141 gross worldwide[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165384) |
| Ratings | IMDb 6.2/10 from about 1,500 votes; Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer 55% from 3 reviews[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/match) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
In the village of Inverdoune, teams representing its two pubs, Benny's Bar and Le Bistro, meet each year for a football match. A wager made 99 years ago gave rise to the annual game, under which the side losing the hundredth match must surrender its pub. Benny's Bar has lost every one of them, and Le Bistro's owner, George Gus, intends to demolish it.[2](https://www.netflixmovies.com/the-match-1999)
The village's milkman, Wullie Smith, boards at the Bailey home, where his romantic feelings for Rosemary Bailey return just as she gets ready to move to the city to pursue her career. Wullie's encyclopedic grasp of football tactics and figures, which he calls "Total Football Recall", marks him out as the ideal manager for Benny's Bar, yet the death of his brother when they were children keeps him from taking the role; Time Out's review adds that he has worn a calliper (a metal leg brace supporting a damaged limb) since the accident that killed his brother. A former professional living in the village also turns down requests to play.[2](https://www.netflixmovies.com/the-match-1999) • [5](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-match) With the encouragement of the pub's boozy regulars, and against his better judgment, Wullie becomes manager of the team.[7](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-match-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)
## Cast and production
[Max Beesley](https://www.edgepedia.org/max-beesley) stars as Wullie Smith, with Laura Fraser as Rosemary Bailey, Richard E. Grant as the rival pub owner Gorgeous George Gus, Ian Holm as Benny's whiskey-loving owner Big Tam, James Cosmo as the cow farmer Billy Bailey, and [Isla Blair](https://www.edgepedia.org/isla-blair) as Sheila Bailey. The ensemble also includes [David Hayman](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-hayman) (Scrapper), Tom Sizemore (Buffalo, a transplanted American), Neil Morrissey (Piss-Off), David O'Hara (Mechanic), Iain Robertson (Danny Van Boy), Bill Paterson (Tommy, a bread deliveryman), Gary Lewis (Dead Eye), Ron Donachie (Happy Feet), and Samantha Fox (Patsy).[2](https://www.netflixmovies.com/the-match-1999) • [8](https://videolibrarian.com/reviews/film/the-match/) Pierce Brosnan, a co-producer through his company Irish DreamTime, appears as John MacGhee, and soccer star Alan Shearer makes a cameo.[1](https://www.derekwinnert.com/the-match-1999-max-beesley-isla-blair-laura-fraser-james-cosmo-ian-holm-richard-e-grant-neil-morrissey-tom-sizemore-classic-movie-review-3564/) • [9](https://cine21.com/movie/info/?movie_id=15400)
The film was produced by Allan Scott and Guymon Casady through Allan Scott Productions with Irish DreamTime and Propaganda Films; IMDb also credits Polygram Filmed Entertainment.[2](https://www.netflixmovies.com/the-match-1999) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165384) The score was composed by [Harry Gregson-Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/harry-gregson-williams), the cinematography was by Witold Stok, and the editing by Kate Williams.[9](https://cine21.com/movie/info/?movie_id=15400) It was mainly filmed around Straiton in South Ayrshire, Scotland.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165384) • [10](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-match-1999) The film carries a PG-13 rating in the United States and a 15 certificate from the BBFC in the United Kingdom.[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/match) • [7](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-match-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)
## Reception
The film received a limited theatrical release; the reviewer K. Lee Benson called its narrow release one of the puzzlements of film distribution, comparing its quirky charms to *Local Hero*, *The Full Monty*, and *Waking Ned Devine*, and recommending it despite an outcome that is never in doubt.[8](https://videolibrarian.com/reviews/film/the-match/) Other critics were less warm. Eye for Film's Angus Wolfe Murray called it predictable, sentimental, and unoriginal, and surprisingly slow for a feelgood movie.[7](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-match-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) Time Out judged that [Ian Holm](https://www.edgepedia.org/ian-holm)'s turn as the beleaguered publican was wretchedly sentimental, while praising Hope Ross, as Wullie's grieving single parent Anna, for bringing a damp, dark-green misery to the proceedings.[5](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-match) Derek Winnert rated it two stars, calling it pleasant but extremely mild, old-fashioned, and terribly predictable, held together by a pleasing performance from Beesley, though he noted that the accents of the non-Scottish actors vary widely.[1](https://www.derekwinnert.com/the-match-1999-max-beesley-isla-blair-laura-fraser-james-cosmo-ian-holm-richard-e-grant-neil-morrissey-tom-sizemore-classic-movie-review-3564/) GamesRadar's Total Film review described the plot as paper thin but found the film charming, crediting Davis with assembling a sound bunch of actors playing TV-sized caricatures.[4](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-match-review/)
On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds a 55% Tomatometer from 3 critic reviews, with critics including Emanuel Levy and Rich Cline giving it 2 out of 5, and an audience Popcornmeter based on more than 100 ratings.[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/match) IMDb users give it 6.2 out of 10 from about 1,500 votes.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165384) Its worldwide gross was $175,141.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165384)
## Availability
The film is not on Netflix at present, but in the United States it streams free with ads on YouTube and can be bought or rented on Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, and Fandango At Home.[2](https://www.netflixmovies.com/the-match-1999) • [10](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-match-1999) Runtime listings differ slightly across services: 95 minutes on most, 96 on Time Out, and 1 hour 37 minutes on Movies Anywhere.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165384) • [5](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-match) • [11](https://moviesanywhere.com/movie/the-match-1999-2000)
## References
1. [The Match (1999) Classic Movie Review 3564, Derek Winnert](https://www.derekwinnert.com/the-match-1999-max-beesley-isla-blair-laura-fraser-james-cosmo-ian-holm-richard-e-grant-neil-morrissey-tom-sizemore-classic-movie-review-3564/)
2. [The Match (1999) on Netflix, NetflixMovies.com](https://www.netflixmovies.com/the-match-1999)
3. [The Match (1999), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165384)
4. [The Match review, GamesRadar+ / Total Film (9 July 1999)](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-match-review/)
5. [The Match, Time Out film review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-match)
6. [The Match, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/match)
7. [The Match review by Angus Wolfe Murray, Eye for Film](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-match-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)
8. [The Match, Video Librarian review by K. Lee Benson (March 2001)](https://videolibrarian.com/reviews/film/the-match/)
9. [승부 (The Match) 상세정보, 씨네21](https://cine21.com/movie/info/?movie_id=15400)
10. [The Match streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-match-1999)
11. [The Match (1999), Movies Anywhere](https://moviesanywhere.com/movie/the-match-1999-2000)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Comedy and romantic films (individual works) › Comedies of 1995 to 1999 › Black and satirical comedies › Released in 1999*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license