Maybe Next Year Review – On the Road to Victory | SYKO

Life as a Philadelphia Eagles fan has never been easy. We’ve come close to a Super Bowl title, but the Eagles would always end up disappointing us. For the city of Philadelphia, the Eagles will always be their team though they won’t always show it. It’s this type of hostile behavior that puts such an unfavorable label upon Eagles fans. Kyle Thrash’s latest film, Maybe Next Year, takes a look at the Eagles improbable championship season through the eyes of its fans. It’s a love letter to the fans that shows the world that Philadelphia Eagles fans aren’t as evil as you think they are. Their behavior doesn’t come from a place of hatred and malice but love and passion for their beloved team.

Now, Maybe Next Year is not a traditional documentary about the Super Bowl-winning 2017-18 Philadelphia Eagles team. Instead, that magical season is simply a side story to help tell the season-long narratives of various Eagles fans. The gonzo-style of documenting that Kyle Thrash uses humanizes these fans and shows that their fandom comes from a deep love for the team. Their passion comes from a real place rooted deep within them. There are no “talking heads” or informative storytelling in this film. It’s strict documentation of the Eagles’ championship season as told by four die-hard Eagles fans.

For some, the film also highlights some of their tragic stories. Jesse, for example, has a father who is dying and hopes that his father gets to see the Eagles win a championship before he passes away. Barry has a heart condition and must take pills to help alleviate the stress he puts on his heart when he watches games. It’s this kind of fandom that resembles seemingly every sports fanbase in existence. It just so happens that Philadelphia has higher standards for their team than other fanbases. If the team doesn’t work as hard as they do on game day, then you are a disappointment to them. It’s just the blue-collar Philadelphia way.

However, Maybe Next Year is primarily geared towards the fans that the film covers. As an Eagles fan living in Los Angeles, the film gave me perspective on that magical season through the eyes of fellow Eagles fans in Philadelphia. I found myself cheering along and being happy alongside my fellow Eagles fans. It was also cathartic seeing other fans dejected and depressed after the loss of MVP quarterback Carson Wentz during the Los Angeles Rams game. For Eagles fans who do live in Philadelphia, Maybe Next Year will be a stellar trip down memory lane.

Overall, Maybe Next Year lovingly showcases that the negative stigma about Eagles fans comes from a place of passion and love — not hate and cruelty. As a fan of the team, it also brought back fond memories of the storied 2017-18 season that none of us will never forget. However, it’s also a niche film that caters mostly to Eagles fans. Yet football fans will get to see a different side of Eagles fans that may resemble themselves or their fanbase. If anything, it may give them hope that their own “cursed” team (see: Cleveland Browns) may reach the promised land. After all, if the underdog Eagles can make it, then why can’t you?

Rating: 4/5 atoms