The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005) User Reviews

A great, great movie even for those (like me) who don't like golf!

[themcquade · 8/10 · 25 April 2006]

Bill Paxton has taken the true story of the 1913 US golf open and made a film that is about much more than an extra-ordinary game of golf. The film also deals directly with the class tensions of the early twentieth century and touches upon the profound anti-Catholic prejudices of both the British and American establishments. But at heart the film is about that perennial favourite of triumph against the odds.

The acting is exemplary throughout. Stephen Dillane is excellent as usual, but the revelation of the movie is Shia LaBoeuf who delivers a disciplined, dignified and highly sympathetic performance as a working class Franco-Irish kid fighting his way through the prejudices of the New England WASP establishment. For those who are only familiar with his slap-stick performances in "Even Stevens" this demonstration of his maturity is a delightful surprise. And Josh Flitter as the ten year old caddy threatens to steal every scene in which he appears.

A old fashioned movie in the best sense of the word: fine acting, clear directing and a great story that grips to the end - the final scene an affectionate nod to Casablanca is just one of the many pleasures that fill a great movie.

Impressed

[suessis · 8/10 · 26 February 2007]

I was extraordinarily impressed by this film. It's one of the best sports films I've every seen. The visuals in this film are outstanding. I love the sequences in which the camera tracks the ball as it flies through the air or into the cup. The film moves well, offering both excitement and drama. The cinematography was fantastic.

The acting performances are great. I was surprised by young Shia LaBeouf.He does well in this role. Stephen Dillane is also good as the brooding Harry Vardon. Peter Firth, Justin Ashforth, and Elias Koteas offer able support. The film is gripping and entertaining and for the first time in my life actually made me want to watch a golf tournament.

Good Show, Mr. Paxton

[WriterDave · 7/10 · 9 October 2005]

Actor turned director Bill Paxton follows up his promising debut, the Gothic-horror "Frailty", with this family friendly sports drama about the 1913 U.S. Open where a young American caddy rises from his humble background to play against his Bristish idol in what was dubbed as "The Greatest Game Ever Played." I'm no fan of golf, and these scrappy underdog sports flicks are a dime a dozen (most recently done to grand effect with "Miracle" and "Cinderella Man"), but some how this film was enthralling all the same.

The film starts with some creative opening credits (imagine a Disneyfied version of the animated opening credits of HBO's "Carnivale" and "Rome"), but lumbers along slowly for its first by-the-numbers hour. Once the action moves to the U.S. Open things pick up very well. Paxton does a nice job and shows a knack for effective directorial flourishes (I loved the rain-soaked montage of the action on day two of the open) that propel the plot further or add some unexpected psychological depth to the proceedings. There's some compelling character development when the British Harry Vardon is haunted by images of the aristocrats in black suits and top hats who destroyed his family cottage as a child to make way for a golf course. He also does a good job of visually depicting what goes on in the players' heads under pressure. Golf, a painfully boring sport, is brought vividly alive here. Credit should also be given the set designers and costume department for creating an engaging period-piece atmosphere of London and Boston at the beginning of the twentieth century.

You know how this is going to end not only because it's based on a true story but also because films in this genre follow the same template over and over, but Paxton puts on a better than average show and perhaps indicates more talent behind the camera than he ever had in front of it. Despite the formulaic nature, this is a nice and easy film to root for that deserves to find an audience.

Makes par

[StanleyStrangelove · 6 October 2005]

The Greatest Game Ever Played loses points for having a terrible title. But it is an inspirational "true" story from Walt Disney studios and so every inch of melodrama is squeezed from it accompanied by appropriately "swelling" music. Which is not to say I didn't like the movie. I did enjoy it for what it was.

As a person who golfs it was both interesting and frustrating to see how golf was played in the early part of the century but much more could have been done with the game of golf itself in the film. (I think that non-golfers who don't know the game will find it hard to keep track of who is ahead in the matches which is a problem in the film's editing.) Instead, the story concentrates on two sub plots. The conflict between Shia LaBeouf and his father Elias Koteas. Shia is a natural golfer but his father is totally against it. The other sub plot is the desire to win back the US Open cup for England. This pits world famous champion Stephen Dillane against influential lords who are portrayed as gross, oyster-slurping, upper-class snobs. There is also a small love story aside between Shia and Payton List. A standout in the film is little Josh Flitter who plays Shia's plucky caddy in a comic relief role which I found amusing but other may find annoying.

As for the film-making, the colors of the film are muted which gives it a nice look and since it's a period piece the costumes are interesting. Since golf itself is not very visually exciting the director chose to use Matrix style visuals such as having the camera fly behind the golf ball as it sails to the hole accompanied by a really huge swishing sound. There is one shot as if taken underneath glass looking up at a putt.

If you can forgive the melodramatic musical swells, you can find this film an enjoyable 2 hours and if you have any interest in golf it's one of the few movies about golf. If you are in the mood for an underdog film this one makes par.

Read it, roll it, hole it.

[lastliberal · 7/10 · 8 July 2007]

This is not a movie that I would typically watch at 2:30 in the morning, but I got into it and couldn't stop until it was over.

Shia LaBeouf demonstrated that he is not just a young actor here, but could handle more demanding roles. The fact that he has been handed those roles in the last two years is testament to his ability.

It was really his movie. Sure, there were others involved, but they pale in comparison to his role.

This was a time when gold was reserved for the privileged. This victory opened it up to the masses, much the way that Tiger Woods has opened golf to all races.

Like Harry Vardon (Stephen Dillane) said to Lord Northcliffe (Peter Firth): " ...if Mr. Ouimet (Shia LaBeouf) wins tomorrow, it's because he's the best, because of who he is. Not who his father was, not how much money he's got, because of who he bloody is! And I'll thank you to remember that." Go get charged up.

Another Outstanding Film Centered Around Golf

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 14 November 2006]

Wow, here is another great golf movie. That's at least three in the past few years that I've really enjoyed, that were well-done, beautifully-filmed and inspirational. The other two were "Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius" and "The Legend Of Bagger Vance."

This is a true underdog story, if there ever was one. To have an amateur defeat all the professionals and win the United States Open Golf Tournament is an unheard-of feat. I believe this is the only time in the 100 years it has ever been accomplished. How much of this film is fiction embellished for dramatic effect, I don't know. I do know that I plan on reading the book, and I know that in real-life, Francis Ouimet had a three-stroke lead in playoff with just two holes to go, unlike what we saw in the film.

Whatever. Francis Ouimet's victory over golf legends Harry Vardon and Ted Ray is fact. It is an amazing story and the filmmakers did a super job in presenting it here. It isn't something just for golf fans; this is a fun movie. Kudso to actor-turned-director Bill Paxton for an outstanding job.

Yes, a lot of this is just plain golf but there are subplots such as Ouimet's relationship with his father and with a pretty young woman who is obviously interested in him. It's also a touching story of someone giving a little kid a chance. The movie also deals with Vardon's demons of coming from the wrong side of the tracks and trying to make it in an elitist's sport, which it was at the time for both Europeans and Americans.

Shia LaBeouf is winsome as Ouimet as is Steven Dillane as Vardon. For those who don't know, Vardon was like the Tiger Woods of his day, maybe even more unbeatable. In the film, Vardon is pictured as a warm, nice guy; a genuine human being. the other major competitor, Ray (Stephen Marcus) is shown as somewhat of a brutish nasty guy.

The fourth main character of this golf story might be the coolest person in the film: a fifth-grade boy who winds up being Ouimet's caddie in the Open. He (Josh Flitter) brings a lot of humor and charm to the movie.

If all of this - a playoff with the huge underdog against two mighty pros and having come down to the last hole - were not true, you would think, "Oh, man, this is so hokey. Who could believe this?" That's what makes this true-life story fun to see finally captured on film. As with another sports film of 2005 - "Cinderella Man" - here is another excellent movie that got unjustly ignored when it came to awards. I guess nice films don't win awards.....just the hearts of their viewers.

Why alter history? It was a great story without revisionism

[Dave-189 · 6/10 · 10 October 2005]

Writing a movie script based on Mark Frost's excellent book was no doubt a daunting task; doing a movie about any golf game has to be a challenge. And this rendition of the 1913 US Open was fair but perhaps failed most in not holding to the truth.

First, Francis Ouimet didn't beat Harry Vardon by one stroke - he beat him by five (72 to 77). Second, Ted Ray didn't drop out of the final round as the movie depicted; granted, he did tell Vardon that he had basically given up, because of his poor play, but he was too much of a professional to walk off the course. He continued to play and carded a 78.

Another distortion was having Ouimet drop out of golf completely for two years - didn't happen. And, when he is asked two weeks before the Open to play, this was a fabrication as well.

Perhaps the greatest injustice, not to the movie but to the game, was to have someone utter the words that "this was the greatest game ever played." Okay, fine, up to 1913 this was the greatest game, but since then we've had 90+ years of thousands of games so this is just a memory. NO, THIS was the greatest game ever played, as-of 2005, not 1913. In the book we never read these words, so why implant them? And talk about missing opportunities for a great laugh: after the first day of competition, when Ouimet looked like quite a competitor, a club member suggested to Francis that he had proved his point and that he should drop out and let the pros take over. While Francis reacted in shock, Eddie Lowery responded by asking the man if he was drunk. When I read the book I was sure we'd hear that line - but no, the writers preferred to alter history rather than take advantage of a truthful and humorous episode.

Would I recommend the movie? Perhaps, as it is a fair rendition and gets the point across about this 20 year old overcoming all obstacles, even his own, to beat the greatest British golfer of all time. But I'd recommend the book even more.

A movie you can watch with the whole family.

[wtsimmons · 10/10 · 8 September 2006]

This movie gives golf a high mark, it was well acted and well directed. Giving you a view of history that some non-sports fans will enjoy. The historic factor alone gives it a high rating, the Brookline golf course was really done well. I am in the northeast and have seen Brookline as a fan, and as someone who loves the game. The movie was well done on all levels. A MUST SEE 5 stars. The acting was superb, Disney has another winner in its bag of Great movies. If for no other reason watch the film to give hope and encouragement to young people whom may not see the hope in their life. I would tell you that the setting, while in the late 1800's and early 1900's is very realistic. The costumes and dialect were right on the mark as well. Above and beyond the call of duty for a golf film. A Must see for fans and non-fans alike.

Once again, book drubs movie, but still a good view overall

[mulvi123 · 7/10 · 2 June 2006]

Having read the book last year, I finally saw the movie The Greatest Game Ever Played. I give it 3 stars (out of 4), but would only recommend it as (1) family fare (makes sense, it's a Disney movie); (2) to golfers who like the historical aspect of the story or (3) to those who might have read the book. To anyone else, the movie would largely be a snooze.

TGGEP, the movie, deviated from the book in many ways and made some of the key personalities (Wilfred Reid, to name one) disposable. But you can imagine what a task it is to cram 5 rounds of golf into just over one-half of the film. To his credit, Bill Paxton, the director, does a nice job with camera angles, special effects and capturing the personalities of the main characters including two of the real characters in the book, Ted Ray and Eddie Lowery.

I can understand why this movie bombed at the BO; golf is difficult to sell when its live and the drama is unfolding, its impossible to sell when watching a guy line up a putt that took place 90 years ago and for which you already know the result. But with the U.S. Open a few weeks away, again, it might be interesting for the historical aspect.

Credible performances all the way around keep the film from ending up out of bounds.

A brief word about Mark Frost's book. If you like golf and/or golf history and you haven't read it yet, do so immediately. It is an easy read and he wastes not a single word in describing the origins of professional golf, the players involved, class struggles, etc., and then wraps up nicely with a summary of the lives after the U.S. Open of the major characters.

Great Disney Sports Movie

[opusverus · 9/10 · 9 October 2005]

As a recreational golfer with some knowledge of the sport's history, I was pleased with Disney's sensitivity to the issues of class in golf in the early twentieth century. The movie depicted well the psychological battles that Harry Vardon fought within himself, from his childhood trauma of being evicted to his own inability to break that glass ceiling that prevents him from being accepted as an equal in English golf society. Likewise, the young Ouimet goes through his own class struggles, being a mere caddie in the eyes of the upper crust Americans who scoff at his attempts to rise above his standing.

What I loved best, however, is how this theme of class is manifested in the characters of Ouimet's parents. His father is a working-class drone who sees the value of hard work but is intimidated by the upper class; his mother, however, recognizes her son's talent and desire and encourages him to pursue his dream of competing against those who think he is inferior.

Finally, the golf scenes are well photographed. Although the course used in the movie was not the actual site of the historical tournament, the little liberties taken by Disney do not detract from the beauty of the film. There's one little Disney moment at the pool table; otherwise, the viewer does not really think Disney. The ending, as in "Miracle," is not some Disney creation, but one that only human history could have written.

Even Disney can't screw up a good story.

[glentom1 · 6/10 · 29 August 2006]

The story is great, the movie is bad. I didn't care for the casting, except for the actor who played Eddie the caddy and the actor who played Vardon.

I didn't care for the directing. The story of Ouimet is so good that it would have been great without all the weird camera work. For example, several times at an exciting point in the game, Paxton used weird flashbacks and cartoon like contrivances. And what was the point of the ladybug on the ball? Sometimes it got just plain weird.

I have other problems with the movie, but the playoff statistics were entirely incorrect. In the 1913 US Open playoff Ouimet shot a 72, Vardon shot a 77, and Ray shot a 78. (source: golfweb.com)

The movie ending shows Ouimet winning by one stroke. I give it 5 out of 10 just because the story is so good. I just don't understand why Disney felt they had to change history to make it a good movie.

a Truly Moving Picture

[tollini · 9/10 · 4 September 2005]

I saw this film on September 1st, 2005 in Indianapolis. I am one of the judges for the Heartland Film Festival that screens films for their Truly Moving Picture Award. A Truly Moving Picture "...explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life." Heartland gave that award to this film.

This is a story of golf in the early part of the 20th century. At that time, it was the game of upper class and rich "gentlemen", and working people could only participate by being caddies at country clubs. With this backdrop, this based-on-a-true-story unfolds with a young, working class boy who takes on the golf establishment and the greatest golfer in the world, Harry Vardon.

And the story is inspirational. Against all odds, Francis Ouimet (played by Shia LaBeouf of "Holes") gets to compete against the greatest golfers of the U.S. and Great Britain at the 1913 U.S. Open. Francis is ill-prepared, and has a child for a caddy. (The caddy is hilarious and motivational and steals every scene he appears in.) But despite these handicaps, Francis displays courage, spirit, heroism, and humility at this world class event.

And, we learn a lot about the early years of golf; for example, the use of small wooden clubs, the layout of the short holes, the manual scoreboard, the golfers swinging with pipes in their mouths, the terrible conditions of the greens and fairways, and the play not being canceled even in torrential rain.

This film has stunning cinematography and art direction and editing. And with no big movie stars, the story is somehow more believable.

This adds to the inventory of great sports movies in the vein of "Miracle" and "Remember the Titans."

FYI - There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past winners going back 70 years.

For lovers of golf and/or underdog sports dramas

[TheMovieMark · 6/10 · 30 September 2005]

Let me go ahead and clear this up - no, The Greatest Game Ever Played is not about the time I led my softball team to victory by knocking in the winning run with a triple. Instead, it's about golf. More specifically, it's based on the book that's based on the true story of Frances Ouimet.

The story is so simple that even a Tennessee Vols fan can follow it - boy loves golf, boy becomes caddy, boy begins to play golf, dad isn't happy because he thinks it's a waste of time, boy miraculously overcomes insanely enormous odds, movie gives audience a bunch of warm and fuzzy feelings, the end. I'll leave it to you to guess the outcome and whether the boy's father eventually accepts his son following his dream.

This is one of those movies that will absolutely thrill its target audience. If you love golf or Disney-produced underdog movies then you'll enjoy this one. For me, it's one of those movies that's good for one viewing. I enjoyed it, but it was a little slow-paced at times, and since I already knew the outcome of the match I wasn't completely enthralled with the tension that Bill Paxton tries to derive by following a golf ball on its arduous journey to the hole. However, others in the audience would clap wildly at every long putt that was sunk.

I have to point out that I didn't find the fat little 10-year-old caddy as cute as most everybody else in the audience. He had some funny moments, but his little one-liners grated my nerves: "easy peasey, lemon squeezey;" "okey dokey, pipe n' smokey;" "read it, roll it, and hole it." Sure, the audience guffawed with overdone laughter, but it just seemed to me that this was an attempt to create some new catchphrases for people all over the world to start using on golf courses. I pray that doesn't happen. Allow me to introduce my own catchphrase to whoever thought these annoying lines were cute enough to put into the movie: shovey wovey up your butty.

Hey, I never said I'm all that mature.

A disappointment to me

[Buff2001 · 3/10 · 30 September 2005]

I went to this movie with great expectations. That's never a good ides and was especially so in this disappointing film. First of all the only spoiler I can tell you is that there are no spoilers! If you have seen the trailers and know the true story, then that's it.

The golfing scenes take up way to much time and are a very poor knock of the scenes from Legend of Bagger Vance, my gold standard for sports movies in general and golf movies specifically. Photograohy is mediocre, the story line is very weak, trite and not well developed and the acting very average or worse.

With no star power I expected a great story line and directing. Unfortunately the acting, if you can call it that, was akin to a bunch of extras and C-level actors struggling for something that was simply not there. Too bad Bill Paxton did not appear in the movie instead of his son. Bill should give up directing and stick to acting! The sparse "love story" is given very little development and absolutely NO denouement. The "what happened to statements" printed at the end provide incomplete closure at best.

Your Feel-good Sports Movie; Extra Points For Being a Period Piece

[xiaoli7377 · 7/10 · 29 November 2020]

"The Greatest Game Ever Played" tells the story of the 1913 U.S. Open, when Francis Ouimet (Shia LeBeouf), the son of French/Irish immigrants, was the first ever amateur to win the event. Legendary British golfer Harry Vardon (Stephen Dillane), the winner of five British Open championships and the 1900 U.S. Open, is persuaded by his aristocratic colleagues to return to the U.S. to claim their championship for the British and to help solidify British dominance of the sport. Vardon was a poor boy from the Isle of Jersey himself, and is much more interested in playing the game and letting the best golfer win.

Themes of class struggle and an attempt at authenticity to the early 1900s era aesthetic boost the score of this movie for me. It truly is a real life David and Goliath story, and works as a non-fiction version of "Rocky", but it also relies too heavily on sports movie cliches such as moments of despair, montages, and the underdog nobody taking on the world champion of their respective field. It also has some goofy early 2000s CGI that has aged poorly.

Fans of golf, history nerds, and those looking for a family-friendly, feel-good sports movie will have fun with this one.

Way big feel good biopic!

[jobeblanc · 10/10 · 7 August 2006]

I'm not a sports fan - but I love sports flics! So, why ... what is a great sports flic ... this one. And the storytelling style, is very fine.

If you are looking for a reliably fantastic 2 hours of entertainment, "Greatest Game" qualifies mightily. Here is a movie that moves. Bill Paxton has gone to the same Director school as Ron Howard - a.k.a. Richie Cunningham, "Happy Days". That is not bad. Look at the immense body of fine work that Ron did after moving behind the camera.

Bill like Ron was a great actor, but will be a superstar director if "Greatest Game Ever" is the indication of things to follow.

Wonderful cinematography - fantastic direction - fine acting, especially by Elias Koteas, Shia LeBeouf, Marnie McPhail, Josh Flitter, Stephen Marcus, Justin Ashforth.

This is a must see film not just as "feel-good", nor "sports film", this is very good cinema.

Extremely Good Film with Envisioned Direction and Good Performances

[elect_michael · 7/10 · 16 January 2022]

7 stars of 10. Most Film Historians consider this to be an extremely good Movie, and I completely agree. It is Directed by Bill Paxton who brought a clear and focused vision to the Direction that flat out works. Most remember Bill Paxton as an extremely good Actor, and he was; but he also Directed 2 Movies, and I think we all wish he had Directed more as both that he Directed are extremely good: this Film and 'Frailty' from 2001. He was 2 for 2, but we unfortunately lost Bill Paxton almost 5 years ago at a very young age as he was only in his early-60s when he passed.

The Film Stars Shia LaBeouf alongside Stephen Dillane and Josh Flitter. Dillane is such a good and capable Actor, and his Performance in this Film is no exception; he delivers a Performance that flat out works, with the intricacies and subtleties that we have come accustomed to from him, a very good performance. Josh Flitter was only 10 years old when this Film was released, and he does a fine job, delivers at a very young age.

All of the supporting cast also deliver good Performances; Peyton List, Marnie McPhail, Stephen Marcus, Peter Firth, Michael Weaver...they all Perform good in this Film. If I were forced to pick the stand out delivery of the supporting cast it would be Elias Koteas, he simply knocks it out of the park (as he so often does) in a part that less capable Actor's would've over-reached and or over-performed; but Koteas does neither and delivers the part in a needle threading performance, bringing a quiet intensity that is so hard to do without over-reaching. He's such an amazing Performer, a complete understanding of the craft; not surprising as most truly great Performers in Hollywood know this about Koteas.

LaBeouf was still a Teenager when this Film was released in 2005, and he puts on an extremely good Performance also. I love the subtleties and the tensity that is quietly created in the scenes with LaBeouf and Koteas, and Paxton captures it wonderfully. LaBeouf Performs very well throughout the Film. It's amazing to remember that LaBeouf is still only in his Mid-30s right now. Most Film Historians consider this Movie to be extremely good, as I do; but most Film Historians would not consider this Film to be 1 of the 10 best Films that LaBeouf has starred in during his Career to this point, I disagree as it is 1 of the 10 best Films he has Starred in to this point in his career.

LaBeouf has often been a mess off the screen as we all know, but he's a very complex Actor; and many suggest that part of the reason he is able to peel the onion of the craft of Acting so deep on screen is because he's a mess off the screen, and there very well and likely may be some truth to that.

What would Film Historians consider to be the 10 best Films that LaBeouf has starred in to this point of his career? I believe if I asked 100 of the most respected Film Historians around the World, there would naturally be different orders, but this would be their consensus; and they would consider the top 4 to be Masterpieces:

1. The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) 2. Honey Boy (2019) 3. Tru Confessions (2002) 4. Fury (2014) 5. Pieces Of A Woman (2020) 6. American Honey (2016) 7. Borg Vs. McEnroe (2017) 8. A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints (2006) 9. Disturbia (2007) 10. Transformers (2007)

I disagree with that order, strongly; Tru Confessions and Transformers in Film Historians Top 10?!? Really?!? Not me, I don't think so. Who am I to disagree with Film Historians? But...here is my Top 10 Films starring Shia LaBeouf, and I consider the top 6 to be Masterpieces:

1. Honey Boy (2019) 2. The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) 3. Fury (2014) 4. Borg Vs. McEnroe (2017) 5. American Honey (2016) 6. A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints (2006) 7. The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005) 8. Pieces Of A Woman (2020) 9. Lawless (2012) 10. Constantine (2005)

The Film takes some Liberties in the Personalities of some of the Characters, but it stays pretty true to the real story compared to most Hollywood true stories, and I think it was important to Paxton to not stray off the truth too much, and I appreciate that, and it's sometimes hard to do in Hollywood. The only real complaint from Historians is the personality of Ted Ray; Paxton makes him into a good guy, which he was, but his personality is 'mean' (for lack of a better word) and most historians say he was an extremely nice person; The great John McDermott might also be portrayed a bit more abrasively in this Film also than he really was; those are the only real complaints from historians, small ones really, and 'personality' issues, not true to story issues. Ray was a truly great player as is portrayed in the Film, and Vardon was the Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer or Jack Nicklaus of that era, which is portrayed correctly. Selfishly, I wish they would've shown a young Walter Hagan, Hagan was just starting out at the time and ended up being one of the best players in history, ended up being the Harry Vardon of his era; anyway, the young Hagan finished in 4th place and missed the famous Playoff (shown in the Film) with the 3 of them by 1 stroke, they show it on the Leaderboard in the Film, but never show Hagan. Just a small selfish thing, if you'll allow me to make a small complaint about a Film that I do indeed consider to be extremely good.

Feel-good movie like "Seabiscuit"

[rosemary-1 · 10/10 · 18 September 2005]

Although I'm not a golf fan, I attended a sneak preview of this movie and absolutely loved it. The historical settings, the blatant class distinctions, and seeing the good and the bad on both sides of the dividing line held my attention throughout. The actors and their characterizations were all mesmerizing. And I was on the edge of my seat during the golf segments, which were not only dramatic and exciting but easy to follow. Toward the end of this movie, "Seabiscuit" came strongly to mind, although "The Greatest Game Ever Played" is far less complex a story than that film. In both cases, the fact that the events really happened deepened my interest.

Patience

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 13 July 2019]

Are you into Golf? How exciting is the game for you? Now I would not say that I am a fan of the game itself. As in I don't really watch the tournaments and I don't play it myself. Having said that, the way the movie portrays and shoots and displays everything is quite exceptional.

So you get sucked into this world, but of course it is more than that. It is real life and it is people that existed and things that happened (more or less, creative freedom and all that). Good actors elevate it and it does feel like a Disney kids movie to a degree. Which I don't say with any bad sentiment, rather the opposite, as in quality wise. Still we know how these movies work and unless you are under a certain age, you will probably not be too surprised or enamoured by it. Good movie, nothing more, nothing less

Wonderful

[Pickwick12 · 8/10 · 18 September 2005]

I saw this film in a sneak preview, and it is delightful. The cinematography is unusually creative, the acting is good, and the story is fabulous. If this movie does not do well, it won't be because it doesn't deserve to. Before this film, I didn't realize how charming Shia Lebouf could be. He does a marvelous, self-contained, job as the lead. There's something incredibly sweet about him, and it makes the movie even better. The other actors do a good job as well, and the film contains moments of really high suspense, more than one might expect from a movie about golf. Sports movies are a dime a dozen, but this one stands out.

This is one I'd recommend to anyone.

Predictable and simple - but cute and enjoyable!

[estellejonsson · 7/10 · 14 December 2020]

This movie was really cute. A good treat- something you will only watch once but still enjoy. Good acting and family friendly!

Greatest game or not, this is a great movie

[misterembryo · 8/10 · 28 September 2005]

As you know "The Greatest Game Ever Played" is about golf. I used to snicker at the over-dramatic title, but through great visual display credited to director Bill Paxton (better known for his acting in Twister and hilarious supporting roles in Aliens and True Lies) we find out that this has much more meaning than a game.

Though the movie is about golf, it seems as though the sport is just the framework for what is really going on. What is really going on is a story of individuals being told they can't fulfill their dreams, be it age or social status. A conflict between a son's wishes and a father's demands. An English golf legend looking to bring the title home with the country breathing down his neck.

Shia LaBeouf (Even Stevens) plays Francis Ouimet, a caddy with a God-given talent who was never permitted to play golf in the first place. Despite the resentment of the upper class "gentlemen," it was undeniable that Francis had a gift. What posed a greater threat was the discouragement of his father played by Elias Koteas (Sugartime, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) who felt that playing a mere game will never improve their poor living conditions. With the continued support of his mother, Francis eventually comes face to face with his idol, the golf legend Harry Vardon (Stephen Dillane).

More impressive than the game itself, was the movie's cinematic achievement. This proved that storytelling is successful through pure cinema. The entire movie could've been told without dialog. There are scenes in the movie that build strong suspense and powerful emotion with only pictures. In one particular scene, Francis Ouimet swings and the entire crowd turn their heads to watch the ball fly into the distance, all but the face of Harry Vardon looking intensely at Ouimet without a flinch. The ways in which the golfers visualize the course offer more aesthetic enjoyment.

A pleasant supporting cast completes the whole. Peyton List plays the love interest and looks worth playing for, and Josh Flitter plays a lovable caddy that keeps Ouimet focused as the pressure bogs him down. Golf fan or not, you'll appreciate the film for its beauty and its reminder that cinema can be a great medium to tell any story.

Fabulous Golf Story From a Non-Golfer

[JulzGaye · 25 October 2006]

I had no idea that Paxton was such a talented director and every one of the actors did a fabulous job.

This film is one I didn't hesitate to add to my library. It is one that I will definitely enjoy again in the future and share with my family and friends.

To those in Hollywood that think you cannot sell a film without sex, violence, and F-Word fillers, THINK AGAIN! This is what the majority of Americans want to spend their most precious commodity (time) and money on.

What a treasure find this film is!

Basically - two long golf games ...

[Vic_max · 6/10 · 3 November 2006]

This was a nice movie. Basically it consists of watching a couple of long golf games. Shia LaBeouf and Josh Flitter (who comes in later in the movie) are a likable team and are fun to watch as they are up against some very high-end players.

There is some character development/background but most of the movie consists of watching golf play. It is very similar to watching a boxing movie - you just sort of sit and watch them do their thing and compete for a while. It's kind of interesting but not for everyone.

One interesting aspect of the movie was the graphic depiction of how stress and pressure was affecting the players' minds. I haven't seen this done very often in sports movies so it was a nice touch.

If you're a Shia fan or golf enthusiast, this movie would probably be of interest. Not for everyone.

I was expecting more

[dickerhoffs · 5/10 · 22 October 2005]

The director to me did a lousy job with special effects that did nothing to display the talents of those great golfers. Dumb ladybug scene. Camera attached to golf ball. There seemed to be a lot of scenes that did not add anything to the story and wasted time that could have been devoted to more historically accurate events. I guess as a golfer I wanted to see more of the game and equipment and realism, which to me would have been more interesting than the opera scene for instance.

Since I was a little bored with the movie I started looking for things that may not be accurate. Someone please tell me I did see a cell phone tower in the background poking above the tree line of last scene as Francis walked toward the horizon. I agree with comment on President Taft being called President (although if they said "the" president, then it is another goofup) even though Taft was not in office at that time after President Wilson had taken over. I do not think they would have played in pools of water on the course either. The locker room scene showed phillips head screws (+) in the hinges of the locker door. That head design was not invented until the early 1930s by Mr. Phillips. Did they really have leaderboards back then? My wife turned to me in the movie and said did you hear someone in the movie yell "your'e the man"? I did not, but wondered if anyone else did. If the director could not edit out the cell tower it would not surprise me if he left in the comment of an extra who wanted golfing idiocy/immortality. The course appeared to rather well manicured and too green for a course of that era also. Mr. Vardon showed Francis how to hold the club but no mention of the interlocking fingers they kept showing in the movie not any mention of his earlier stage meeting.

I guess my engineering background took over on this one but it was fun trying to find goofups. Anyone else see some also?