Normally you'd be pretty safe plannning a major event to clash with the likelihood of England winning a place in the final of the World Cup.

But not on the fateful day of July 30 1966. Against the odds, Bobby Moore's boys made it to the top of the pile and a titanic battle against the old enemy - West Germany.

Unfortunately for Bernie Rubens (Sulkin) its was also the day he was supposed to be celebrating his Bar Mitzvah - the day when a Jewish boy becomes a man.

He had it all organised - door security provided by the Kray Twins and the entertainment topped by Frankie "Give Me The Moonlight" Vaughn.

The trouble was most of these elaborate details only existed in Bernie's head...and a sequence of unfortunate events - crowned by England's World Cup fixture - conspired to render the day slightly different from the coming-of-age triumph he had in mind.

Writer-director Paul Weiland's largely autobiographical story is the sort of minor cause for celebration at which British cinema excels.

There's a wonderfully rich cast of characters, particularly Eddie Marsan's perpetually disappointed dad to Helena Bonham Carter's subtly archetypal Jewish matriarch.

Winning support comes in the form of Stephen Rea as a sympathetic doctor and Catherine Tate as Bernie's well-meaning but slightly batty aunt.

A major plus is the lovingly-realised period detail with real footage from the World Cup final beautifully segued into the movie's narrative.

Things may sag a little in the middle but it would be a hard man who was not moved when father and son eventually bond as England make sporting history.

Perhaps not one for everyone...but it will have them queuing round the block at the Golders Green Odeon.

Tim Evans