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Good bad movies are hard to come by, but thank goodness for director David Mahmoudieh’s “See You Soon.” He and co-writer, co-producer and leading lady Jenia Tanaeva have crafted quite possibly the best bad movie of 2019. This stupidly sweet, albeit conventional romantic drama about two downhearted souls falling in love is unabashedly unafraid to embrace fantasy and lean into cheesy, gooey sentimentality. Steamier and sleeker than a Hallmark Channel movie, but with just as many idealized scenarios, it’s “so bad, it’s good” escapism at its finest.

World-famous U.S. soccer player Ryan Hawkes (Liam McIntyre) is on the verge of taking his team to the World Cup. His hard work and good looks have landed him a high-powered agent (Harvey Keitel), a gorgeous fiancée (Poppy Drayton) and a slew of multi-million-dollar endorsements. He’s an arrogant athlete whose lapse in judgement causes him to drive home drunk and distracted by Instagram.

Vertical Entertainment has picked up domestic rights to “See You Soon,” the story of a U.S. soccer star who embarks on a romance with a single mother, Variety has learned.

The film’s characters’ lives intersect after the soccer player suffers a career-ending injury in the lead-up to the World Cup. It stars Liam McIntyre (“Spartacus: War of the Damned”), Harvey Keitel, Poppy Drayton (“Downton Abbey”) and newcomer Jenia Tanaeva. The company plans to release the movie on July 26. “See You Soon” is the feature directorial debut of David Mahmoudieh. Central Partnership is handling foreign sales. The sale was finalized at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

The film also stars Oleg Taktarov (“Predators”), Spanish soccer legend Carles Puyol and Larissa Malevannaya. Tanaeva wrote the script with Mike Cestari. The romantic drama is produced by Tanaeva under her Rising Moon Prods. banner and Monella Kaplan for eMotion Entertainment, with Alexander Mikhalskiy executive producing.

The film is about a football player who picks up a career-threatening injury in the run-up to the 2018 World Cup.

13 Films has announced a handful of deals on the rom-com See You Soon with Harvey Keitel, led by a sale to Shenzhen Enjoy Pictures in China.

Liam McIntyre and newcomer Jenia Tanaeva star in the completed film about a football player who picks up a career-threatening injury in the run-up to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Eagle Films has acquired Middle Eastern rights and Aone Entertainment will distribute in South Korea.

David Mahmoudieh directed See You Soon, in which...