The subjects of this film are world-class athletes, and there is ample footage of their amazing exploits on the field. But LFG is no sports documentary. It is much more. This is a story of women getting cheated by their bosses and deciding to go after the bastards, at risk to their own careers.

Directors Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine had full access to members of the women’s national soccer team – the whole time we in the public were seeing the headlines about this history-making group of celebrity players, their cameras were rolling on seemingly everything that was going on behind the scenes. 

And what was going on was, and this is how all of the women phrase it, they were suing their employer, The United States Soccer Federation, for pay discrimination. While they were out kicking ass on the world stage, they were making  pennies on the dollar compared to the men’s team who were, to put it charitably, not doing nearly as well.

LFG is shorthand, the women tell us, for “Let’s Fucking Go.” Looking directly into the camera, they tell us their story in delightfully profane and unflinchingly honest terms. They were getting screwed over by the same organization that was profiting from their excellence. It’s infuriating.

Even if you don’t know anything about soccer, you remember Megan Rapinoe, the leader with the purple hair. She is at the head of the pack in this film, though her teammates get great coverage, too; Jessica McDonald, Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelley O’Hara, Christen Press, Sam Mewis all get lots of camera time and in the case of Jessica McDonald, we get a chance to see her with her son, struggling to make enough money with side jobs to provide for him.

The film sets things up with great footage from those recent glory days in the most important world tournaments, but soon settles on a countdown to the big day where the plaintiffs, who still have to train every day of their lives, must prepare for depositions and what they hope will be their big day in court.

The filmmakers create a palpable sense of tension. What will happen? Are they making progress or just pissing in the wind? It isn’t easy for documentarians to get interview subjects who are this adept at on-camera storytelling, but these women are all so (I know this sounds condescending to use this word, and I am sorry, I hate it, too) are so articulate at framing the narrative, that we really don’t need to see anything but their faces looking into the lens to keep the viewer engaged and enraged.

Will they be the ones to turn around a problem that exists in virtually every sector of the workforce at large or will they just be the most high profile victims of it? You’ll have to watch for yourself, but it will be time well spent. This is a great doc.

LFG streams on HBOMax beginning June 24th | 3 ½ out of 4 Stars| Reviewed by Kyle Osborne