I’ve become jaded on movies about American youth. From the endless gross-out hijinks of the American Pie set to the unmasked cynicism of whatever Freddie Prinze, Jr. picture might currently be in distribution, young American teens and adults, in most mainstream movies today, have very little of interest on their minds or in their hearts.

The days of semi-honest squareness, explored and churned out by the John Hughes factory in the 1980s, are long gone, replaced by Hollywood’s new version of the vacuous modern teen, alternately obsessed with sex, cell phones and the Internet. What Hollywood has done, in essence, is build their young characters from the most superficial outside details, with little care to the most critical and interesting parts of being young: the awkwardness, the self-discovery and above all, the intelligence and heart.

A wonderful new British comedy entitled Bend it Like Beckham restores those qualities in its young characters. In telling the story of a young Anglo-Indian woman who longs to become a female "footballer" who can ‘bend it’ like her soccer hero, England’s team captain David Beckham, the film is genuinely sweet, heartfelt and very funny.

More than anything, Jess (Parminder Nagra, in a terrific performance) loves David Beckham. Her bedroom is lined with typical teen posters and magazine clippings of the soccer superstar, and at first glance we think she might have a romantic infatuation. But it’s soon clear that her idolatry extends more to his amazing athletic prowess, to which she aspires against the wishes of her first generation Indian parents, who just want her to become a "proper woman."

Jess spends most of her free time secretly playing soccer in a local park, where she’s spotted and recruited by Jules (beaming Keira Knightly), a member of a local women’s soccer team. Jules has a similar domestic conflict with a supportive father and a disapproving mother, who is more interested in having her find a boyfriend than follow her heart.

Jess joins the team and begins a very funny series of deceptions with her parents, leading to suspicions of lesbianism, a canceled family wedding and a romantic flirtation with coach Joe (Jonathan Rhys-Myers), a feeling shared by Jules, which creates a spirit of rivalry on and off the field.

There are numerous sports scenes in the film but early on it’s clear that this is not a film about the game of soccer. This story is about following your dreams, the difficult transition away from parental expectations and tradition, and becoming an adult. The film itself seems unconcerned with Jess’ fascination with soccer – the sport really could be interchanged with any. It’s curious that she seems to have a passion for the game, but we’re not sure why she’s so defined by soccer or from where her love for the game has emerged. But director Gurinder Chadha is acutely focused on the emotional shifts of her young women, not on the sport itself, and it pays off considerably.

There’s much to like in Bend it Like Beckham, starting with two great performances by young Parminda Nagra and Keira Knightly as Jess and Jules. They create dimensional, interesting young women – an oxymoron in American cinema – who not only make us believe their on and off friendship, but indicate at every turn that we could see a full film about either one of them, and the subject matter would still be compelling. These are the kind of kids you want to know. They have a sense of family and responsibility, yet are smart enough to know the importance of following their own maturing hearts in love and play.

There are rich supporting turns here as well. Notably, Jonathan Rhys-Myers as Joe, the girls’ coach and blossoming Anglo love interest for Jess. Rhys-Myers has always struck me as a rather preening and self-obsessed actor in his other work, including his effective and provocative turns in Velvet Goldmine and The Governess. But here, he has warmed up considerably, and the sincerity he brings to his role makes it easy to see Jess’ attraction.

And Juliette Stevenson, a British acting treasure and one of the very best actresses working today, with whom you’re probably unfamiliar, turns in another meticulously detailed and richly comic performance (much like her great work in this year’s Food of Love) as Jules’ befuddled mother. Watching her is like watching a genius comedienne, as she nails every line, nuance, mannerism and brittle human flaw of the neurotic contemporary women she seems to specialize in these days.

The film itself has a broad and winning way with its culture-clash comedy, and it nails home its family politics with some pretty broad strokes. On the downside, the story – of a second-generation child moving away from tradition – is nothing new. The narrative doesn’t yield anything too deep or revelatory that we haven’t seen before. And yet Bend it Like Beckham is so lively and fun, and the characters are so likable and fresh, funny in their own idiosyncrasies and desires, that the movie certainly feels like something new.

What works above all is that we care about Jess’ struggle as much as we’re entertained by it. And there’s a level of joy culminating in the cross cutting between a traditional Indian wedding and a climactic soccer match that’s just elating. The film concludes with a scene in an airport that feels just absolutely right in its sweetness and sincerity, and it really makes you feel good.