Untold: Hope Solo vs. U.S. Soccer (Netflix) Story, Review, Trailer, Release Date, Songs, Cast  2024

Director Nina Meredith’s approach to the film was to open with Hope Solo’s family background, assuming that viewers are already familiar with her story. As soccer legend Michelle Akers puts it, “Hope Solo—who doesn’t know her name?” Meredith faces a challenging task, given the colorful and enigmatic nature of Solo’s background, particularly the complex story of her father. Jeffrey Solo’s life is shrouded in mystery: though his daughter believes he was never the same after returning from Vietnam, there are questions about whether he actually served there. He was rumored to be in the Witness Protection Program, had multiple Social Security numbers, and led an unsettled life, including a period of homelessness and kidnapping his children during his divorce. Despite this tumultuous history, Solo speaks of her father with affection, describing him as a supportive yet enigmatic figure.

Does a tumultuous childhood influence one’s behavior? And would a male player with similar talent face the same kind of backlash for actions similar to those of Hope Solo? “Untold” delves into these questions, while also examining Solo’s controversial moments. After an outstanding performance in the 2007 Women’s World Cup, Coach Greg Ryan made the surprising decision to bench Solo in favor of Briana Scurry, a revered figure from the 1999 U.S. team. The justification given was that the senior players wanted Scurry to have a final game in the semi-final against Brazil, during which Scurry conceded four goals, leading to the end of the American campaign. In a postgame interview, Solo criticized the decision, claiming she would have made the crucial saves that Scurry missed—an opinion widely shared. This outburst led to her immediate ostracism. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Solo’s criticism of the Swedish team’s defensive strategy, which led to their victory over the U.S., sparked another fierce backlash.