Salon Pictures’ feature documentary about the maverick soccer player Paul Gascoigne, known both for his sublime soccer skills on the pitch and his self-destructive behavior off the field. “Gascoigne,” which is directed by Jane Preston (“Graffiti Wars”), and produced by Salon’s Nick Taussig and Paul Van Carter, is built around an extensive interview with Gascoigne, and accompanied by archive material showing career highlights, and interviews with those who knew him, and those he played with or against. Gascoigne rose from poverty-stricken beginnings in North-East England to forge a stellar career with a ferocious free kick and the ability to dribble past entire teams. The film is not only a sports biographical documentary, but also a “compelling narrative-driven character study and cinematic portrayal of infamy.”
