Tag Archives: Sports

Rudy (1993)

20 Sunday Jul 2014

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When Rudy was young, he had one simple dream,
To play on the great Notre Dame football team,
But small as he was, people doubted his scheme
And thought the lad unrealistic.
He works at a steel mill to save for tuition,
Encouraged by one friend to scorn opposition.
When tragedy strikes, he appeals for admission,
Perhaps a bit too optimistic.
 
With help from a priest, he attends Holy Cross,
A close junior college, and gathers no moss.
He maintains the football field with his kind boss
And makes his ambitions well-known.
Befriending a tutor, his course grades get better,
And through three long years, he remains a go-getter
Until he receives that improbable letter
And transfers as Notre Dame’s own.
 
He tries out for football and shows little skill
But makes up for it with his heart and his will.
Each time he is tackled, he rises up still,
And merits the coach’s respect.
He gets on the prep team but can’t play a bit.
He can’t even dress for the sidelines and sit.
When Coach is replaced, Rudy’s tempted to quit,
But sage advice helps him reflect.
 
He doesn’t give up, and the players proclaim
That Rudy should dress for the season’s last game.
So with family there cheering for Notre Dame,
He runs on the field with the team.
As they play Georgia Tech, Rudy’s friends gain a lead,
But Rudy sits out till their chants intercede.
At last, Rudy plays and is lauded indeed
For chasing his difficult dream.
______________________
 

Rudy is the ultimate underdog story. With its determined and likable hero, real-life drama, stirring Jerry Goldsmith score, and excellent acting, it reaches heights of inspiration most films only dream about. Just as Rudy was born to wear that Notre Dame jacket, Sean Astin was born to play Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger. His understated but tenacious performance gives Rudy the necessary appeal to make the audience share both his grief over setbacks and his excitement for successes. It’s a role that, I think, deserved an Oscar nomination.

So many other inspirational sports films are about whipping a team into shape to win a big game or a championship at the last moment. Here, though, it’s all about one character, the titular Rudy. He’s not an underachieving athlete who needs to grasp his own potential or a troubled all-star who must overcome a debilitating trauma; rather, it’s about a simple dreamer, someone who knows his limitations but isn’t afraid to chase his goals despite them. He admirably jumps up after being tackled repeatedly, devotes constant time and effort, and exhibits such an earnest hunger for his Notre Dame aspirations that the final realization of his dream is eminently satisfying and brought my VC to tears.

Ned Beatty plays Rudy’s Fighting Irish-loving father, whose pride at the end is palpable, and Jon Favreau has an amiable debut as Rudy’s tutor friend, who unfortunately spews the majority of the film’s profanity. Charles S. Dutton also brings some benevolent experience as the stadium groundskeeper Fortune, who gives an extra punch of tear fodder in the finale.

The film was AFI’s 54th most inspiring movie on their 2006 Cheers list, but I believe it should have been much higher. How can you not smile when someone’s efforts are rewarded so stirringly? Yet it’s also realistic; Rudy doesn’t turn into a professional quarterback and is only played because Notre Dame had nothing to lose, but it’s the dream to which his whole life was leading. Some might say that Rudy’s behavior borders on obsessive or that his brief moment of glory wasn’t worth it, but for anyone who has had a dream, Rudy serves as the culmination of hopes and hard work, a cheer-worthy crowd-pleaser that reminds us that dreams can come true.

Best line: (Father Cavanaugh, when Rudy asks him for further help) “Son, in thirty-five years of religious study, I have only come up with two hard, incontrovertible facts: there is a God, and I’m not Him.”

 
Artistry: 9
Characters/Actors: 10
Entertainment: 10
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 8
Watchability: 9
Other (language): -1
 
TOTAL: 45 out of 60
 

Next: #172 – Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

© 2014 S. G. Liput

159 Followers and Counting

 

Rocky III (1982)

04 Friday Jul 2014

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Three years after Rocky’s win against Apollo Creed,
He’s still the champ and has the cash to finally succeed.
He’s no more just a bum; he’s Philly’s fighting favorite son
And can afford a charity match that’s turbulent but “fun.”
 
When Rocky’s famous statue’s being unveiled for a crowd,
A challenger named “Clubber” Lang intrudes a bit too loud.
He says he wants a match with Rock and will destroy the “fool,”
And Rocky wants to fight him too and take him back to school.
 
But something Clubber says makes Rocky ask his trainer Mick
If his past fights were set-ups, won through Mickey’s careful pick.
Though Mickey chose opponents Rocky certainly could beat,
He did it to protect him from the torment of defeat.
 
This Clubber is too hungry, too robust and young and strong,
For Rocky to face off against and share the ring for long.
Yet Rocky doesn’t listen, and he doesn’t train his best,
And when the fight arrives, poor Mickey clutches his own chest.
 
Mick’s heart is giving out, and this unsettles Rocky so,
That he can’t hold his own tonight and loses by K-O.
He cannot bring himself to tell his trainer that he failed,
And Mickey dies in Rocky’s arms, believing he prevailed.
 
Apollo comes to Rocky with an offer unexpected,
To train him that his pride and his career be resurrected.
He takes him to his L.A. gym where his own path began,
And Rocky relearns boxing through Apollo’s training plan.
 
But Rocky’s heart’s not in it; he’s afraid to fight because
Perhaps he wasn’t quite as skilled as he believed he was,
But Adrian, his wife, insists he salvage his career,
But he himself must do his best and conquer all his fear.
 
From then on out, he labors hard to raise his strength and speed.
Before long, he can outrun his new friend Apollo Creed.
The night arrives for Lang and Rocky’s rematch for the title;
While Rocky looks determined, Clubber’s looking homicidal.
 
As Rocky holds his own and Lang’s strong punching doesn’t work,
The former champ is trying to provoke, annoy, and irk.
Soon, Clubber’s rage is blinding, and then Rocky lets it rip
And knocks him out to retake the world boxing championship.
 
When all is said and done, when there’s no media or talk,
Apollo seeks a friendly rematch with his rival Rock.
_________________
 

Perhaps Rocky IV would have been a more patriotic film for Independence Day, and I certainly like it as well (it has some of the best musical montages of the whole series), but I prefer Rocky III over any of the other sequels. It’s pretty much the usual plotline with Rocky Balboa facing a big fight, which he ends up training hard for and winning at the end, but this third film throws in some variables that make it special.

Perhaps the biggest emotional punch is the death of Burgess Meredith’s gruff trainer Mickey Goldmill. Since he was already old at the start of the series, his heart troubles are certainly believable, and his death scene really is heartbreaking. The other thing that sets this film apart is Mr. T as Clubber Lang. Though he was nominated for a Golden Raspberry for Worst New Star, I think he’s the best antagonist of the Rocky films. While Rocky IV’s Drago was practically a machine and Apollo Creed was moderately sympathetic, Clubber is so in-your-face belligerent with his patented “I-pity-the-fool” delivery that it’s that much more satisfying when he is finally defeated. I also appreciate how Apollo becomes more of a friendly rival, helping Rocky to “rise up to the challenge of [his] rival.”

The training scenes aren’t the best of the series, but Hulk Hogan has a fun cameo as Thunderlips, “the Mountain of Molten Lust,” and the final fight with Lang is a stand-out. Unlike almost all the others in which Rocky’s hard head just takes a pounding to basically outlast the other guy, here he actually uses a strategy to make Clubber so angry that he tires himself out so that Rocky can overcome. Rocky’s actually active and more conscious by the end of the fight so that there can be a nice little post-fight scene with Apollo. Also, Survivor’s ”Eye of the Tiger” perfectly bookends the film and earns placement in my End Credits Song Hall of Fame. Rocky III may be rather predictable, but it’s formula done well.

Best line: (Rocky, referring to Thunderlips, the wrestling champ) “Wow, he’s awful big. Hey, Mick, how much do you think he eats?”
(Mickey) “About 202 pounds.”
(the announcer, introducing Rocky) “Weighing in at 202 pounds…”

 

Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 9
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 8
Watchability: 9
 
TOTAL: 42 out of 60

 

Next: #188 – Twister

© 2014 S. G. Liput

146 Followers and Counting

 

Hoosiers (1986)

29 Sunday Jun 2014

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In Hickory, it’s Indiana basketball that’s king;
And no one in the town supports a change in anything.
Thus, few are pleased when Norman Dale is hired as their coach,
And his divergent methods earn inspection and reproach.
 
His coaching days were years ago and ended poorly too.
He sees this as his final chance to try and follow through.
In time, he earns his team’s respect, but not so much the town’s.
Most citizens respond to him with gossip, boos, and frowns.
 
But fellow teacher Myra Fleener warms to Dale a bit,
Since Norman lets the mourning player Jimmy not commit.
Dale also helps one player’s father, Shooter, who’s a drunk,
Assist in coaching, only if he’s sober as a monk.
 
As victories don’t come in force, the town’s soon had enough
And wants to vote to oust the coach, who’s too headstrong and gruff.
When Jimmy comes to say he’ll play but only for Coach Dale,
They take a second easy vote that lets the doubters bail.
 
From then on, Hickory’s on fire, achieving great acclaim,
With underdogs and Shooter standing up to win each game.
Though Shooter still falls off the wagon and must stay in bed
And Dale is often banned from games, the Huskers forge ahead.
 
At last, they win the sectionals and onward still to state,
And Dale insists the giant crowds should not intimidate.
The small town players pray and play the best that they can do,
And Jimmy wins the championship of 1952.
___________________
 

To cap off the Gene Hackman trilogy started with The Poseidon Adventure and Superman, I have arguably his best film, Hoosiers. It’s a powerhouse crowd-pleaser that is often considered one of the best sports films ever. A sleeper hit that far surpassed expectations, Hoosiers has such a winning blend of drama and underdog success, sprinkled with romance and small town charm, that it had to make my list.

Gene Hackman is exceptional as Coach Norman Dale, who never doubts that he is right, even as the town criticizes him left and right and referees banish him for all his angry contentions. Barbara Hershey is a good match for him as Miss Fleener, though she’s a bit young (18 years his junior), and her character gives some sincere reasons for the appeal of small town life, its stability and faithfulness. Dennis Hopper even earned an Oscar nomination for his touching portrayal of town drunk and basketball expert Shooter Flatch. The actual team of eight is full of likable, realistic young men who do quite well in their playing and their interactions, such as Everett Flatch’s reconnection with his father and Strap’s recurrent prayers. However, the film fails to make them all stand out. I could pick out Ollie, the short one, as well as Strap and Jimmy from their usual actions, but most of the boys just blended together without clear distinctions.

The townspeople of Hickory may be stubborn and fickle in their “support” for Dale (or lack thereof), but there are a number of details that make the town something special cinematically. Religion is presented positively and without denigration, such as the high point when an underdog wins a game only after Strap silently prays for him. The redemption of Shooter is also well-handled, and though he succumbs to temptation, it’s clear that his son means enough to him that he is on the way to recovery. In addition, Jerry Goldsmith’s music is one of the great under-appreciated film scores, complementing the game montages perfectly with real basketball sounds incorporated.

While it is unrealistic in its brief depiction of integrated schools in 1952, Hoosiers is mostly clean and undeniably inspirational, rising above most other sports films. My VC (who is not a basketball fan, nor am I) loves this movie with a passion, particularly the score and the characters, and would probably have it in her top 50. It’s not quite there for my list, but it’s still a rousing drama that is sure to leave many viewers smiling and misty-eyed.

Best line (and last line): (Dale, as the camera focuses on a picture of the team) “I love you guys.”

VC’s best line: (Dale, during a game) “Buddy, 41 is killing us—he’s just killing us, all right. Stick with him. I mean, think of chewing gum. By the end of the game, I want to know what flavor he is.” (Buddy, later in the game) “It was Dentyne.”

 
Artistry: 9
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 9
Visual effects: N/A
Originality: 8
Watchability: 8
Other (brief language): -1
 
TOTAL: 42 out of 60
 

Next: #193 – To Sir, with Love

© 2014 S. G. Liput

144 Followers and Counting

 

Remember the Titans (2000)

30 Friday May 2014

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T. C. Williams High School is about to be desegregated,
All for PC reasons no one in the town is for.
When Herman Boone is named head football coach, he’s widely hated
By white men for replacing William Yoast, whom they adore.
 
Boone is black, and Yoast is white, and neither one enjoys the fuss;
Yoast could leave, but he remains to still help flinty Boone.
As the black and white team members gather for the practice bus,
They are told to sit together and to share a room.
 
Summer practice is a bear as Boone exacts a rigid pace,
Saying they must all be “perfect,” just to make the team.
Except for one, they’re distant from those of the other race,
But Boone demands they mingle, making workouts more extreme.
 
Yoast is suspect of this tactic, but it seems to do the trick.
Julius and Bertier become especially close friends.
Although they’re now a unit, eager for some butts to kick,
The town is still indignant as the summer training ends.
 
Though the Titans win some games, Boone knows he’s fired if they should lose.
Bertier is left alone by his white friends for his pal’s sake.
Yet, as the team keeps winning and the Titans make the news,
A few begin to think their enmity was a mistake.
 
While high on recent victory, Bertier endures a sudden crash
That makes him paraplegic and prevents continued play.
He watches as the Titans and their toughest rivals clash
In the final championship, in which the Titans win the day.
 
Boone and Yoast went on to coach their team for several years to come;
Bertier played in the Paralympics and won shot put gold.
Although he died in ’81, he helped his team become
A colorblind success for every high school to behold.
____________________
 

Remember the Titans is one of those inspiring football movies that everyone can root for, even though they already know the inevitably inspiring end. By mixing in the racial tension of the 1970s, the film creates a more difficult conflict to rise above than most sports films. Normally the main conflict has to do with the underdog team surmounting hardships to achieve victory in a final game. While that is certainly present, particularly in the down-to-the-minute Hollywood ending, the Titans end up winning every game they play. The real struggle is not with the opposite team but with the prevailing mindset of the day, of blacks and whites disliking and distrusting each other such that a united team seems impossible. The animosity is well-balanced between the two sides, and while the continued racism of the characters becomes increasingly frustrating as most just don’t “get” it while a chosen few do, seeing such divides fall in the wake of friendship and brotherhood can’t help but bring a smile to one’s face.

Denzel Washington gives one of his best performances as Coach Herman Boone, as does Will Patton, whom I never would have thought of as a football coach based on his subtly smooth voice in other roles (see Entrapment and No Way Out). Washington’s exchange about football being fun (or not) is a great scene that is not nearly well-known enough. I also liked Hayden Panettiere as Yoast’s football-crazed young daughter and Ethan Suplee as Louie Lastik, who seems like the only one without a shred of prejudice, and the rest of the cast fill their roles well enough, though many don’t make as much of an impression.

If you like football movies or films about overcoming prejudice, Remember the Titans is a must. I know it’s because it is a Disney film, but I applaud the fact that the filmmakers exhibited racial tension without a bunch of profanity or even using the N-word, as so many other such films do. In addition, it boasts an excellent soundtrack of ‘60s and ‘70s pop music that serves as a welcome shot of nostalgia, especially when the characters themselves start singing. In addition to the Titans’ famous theme song, I was touched at how they changed the song “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” into a poignant sendoff at a funeral. It may fool with some of the particulars of the true story it is based upon and oversimplify the issues at hand, but it shows that football, almost as much as love, faith, and the like, has the power to bring people together and break down barriers.

Best line: (Boone) “Think you got a future in football?” (Lastik) “Heck, no! I figured as long as I’m going to be in school, I might as well hit some people while I’m at it.”

 
Artistry: 8
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 8
Visual Effects: N/A (there was one car crash, but not much else)
Originality: 6
Watchability: 8
 
TOTAL: 39 out of 60
 

Next: #223 – Fiddler on the Roof

© 2014 S. G. Liput

116 Followers and Counting

 

Rocky II (1979)

26 Monday May 2014

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Against Apollo, Rocky fought;
Did he win? He did not.
Apollo wants another shot
Since Rocky did so well.
 
But Adrian wants Rocky just
To take it easy, as discussed.
He promised, so he feels he must
Quit boxing for a spell.
 
Proposing to his wife-to-be,
He spends his money zealously.
A brand new house that’s far from free
And much more Rocky buys.
 
Commercials aren’t his cup of tea,
And work grows scarce unluckily.
He’s soon reduced to poverty
And heeds Apollo’s cries.
 
His trainer Mickey warns the fight
Could make Rock lose his own eyesight
But trains him once again, despite
Rock’s wife’s ignored objections.
 
When Adrian gives birth unplanned,
She falls into a coma, and
Her husband stays there close at hand,
Affirming his affections.
 
When she awakes, they see their son;
Although Rock’s training had begun,
He lacked the drive to get it done,
Till she tells him to win.
 
He trains with Philly’s full support
With workout styles of every sort.
He soon is ready for his sport,
For his match to begin.
 
He trades blows with Apollo Creed,
Employing his new strength and speed,
Refusing ever to concede,
Though Creed may still prevail.
 
Yet by the end, their power drains,
And both collapse from all their pains,
But Rocky rises and remains,
The newest champ to hail.
__________________
 

Coming three years after the original hit Rocky, Sylvester Stallone returned to his Oscar-nominated role in this sequel, which was even more of a success. The original Rocky is widely considered one of the greatest sports films ever, but as inspiring as it was, Rocky himself was denied the victory. He deserved another chance, and this film gave it to him in outstanding style.

Stallone himself directed this one, as well as Rocky III and IV, and he had the formula down from the start. We all know the basics: Rocky Balboa must fight his way up to a climactic fight to take down an intimidating foe. Yet the magic of Stallone’s performance is in the details, such as Rocky’s clumsy but endearing manner of speaking and proposing marriage, his desire to provide for his family, his faithful vigil at his sick wife’s bedside, and his request for a pre-fight blessing from his parish priest. Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed remains a formidable foe for Rocky, and his motivations for a rematch are sympathetic, even as he goads and insults Rocky into fighting again. Burgess Meredith and Talia Shire also excel as Mickey and Adrian, though I wish the latter looked a little less awkward and uncomfortable in her interactions with Rocky.

The training sequence, again set to the iconic Rocky theme, is as utterly entertaining as all of them, and its final scene, with Rocky climbing the art museum’s steps along with half of Philadelphia, is probably the best of them all. Rocky II is as predictable as all the Rocky films, but it continues the story of its immortal characters with just the right amount of drama, without resorting to killing off characters like the next two sequels did. It’s a crowd-pleasing knockout of a film sure to leave every viewer smiling by the end.

Best line: (a reporter, after the initial fight) “Rocky, do you think you have brain damage?” (Rocky) “I don’t see any.”

 
Artistry: 8
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 8
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 6
Watchability: 8
 
TOTAL: 39 out of 60
 

Next: #227 – The Legend of Zorro

© 2014 S. G. Liput

115 Followers and Counting

 

We Are Marshall (2006)

01 Tuesday Apr 2014

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Marshall University’s a West Virginia school
That bore an awful tragedy that no one could foresee.
Their football team just lost a game, but everything seemed cool
Until their chartered plane flew home and crashed so suddenly.
 
The school’s whole team (except for four), the boosters, staff, and coaches
Are sadly killed upon impact, consumed in flame and ash.
The whole town mourns in utter shock. As their school year approaches,
They all assume the football program perished with the crash.
 
Nate Ruffin, their team captain, thinks they ought to play, however.
He rallies Marshall’s students to demand a football team.
So President Don Dedmon seeks a coach to put together
Another team. His efforts, though, are fruitless, it would seem.
 
But Wooster’s coach Jack Lengyel contacts Don to fill the need
And help the hurting town to cheer for football once again.
Assistant coach Red Dawson doesn’t think they can succeed
But overcomes survivor’s guilt to help recruit more men.
 
In order for their team to grow, they need some freshmen players
So Don asks for an exemption from the NCAA.
It takes a trip to their headquarters before anyone cares,
But finally Don gets permission for freshmen to play.
 
The team Jack puts together with the constant aid of Red
Cannot compare with what they lost, despite how hard they train.
When Jack seeks help from a rival coach, he lets Jack go ahead
And study his successful techniques, feeling Marshall’s pain.
 
The new young team’s first loss is hard, and tensions start to rise,
But Jack inspires his whole team to honor those long gone.
While most in town support the team, a couple realize
They’re stuck in mourning what they lost and need to now move on.
 
When Marshall plays Xavier, the whole town views the game,
And, playing hard, the team from Marshall manages to win.
Although they lose most games that year, they later win acclaim.
They honored everyone who died by never giving in.
____________________
 

We Are Marshall is a seemingly formulaic sports drama that nonetheless creates the appropriate amount of heartache and inspiration to rise above the sum of its parts. The initial crash, though offscreen, is traumatic in its effect upon the characters: mothers, fathers, fiancées, sons, daughters, and guilt-racked survivors.

The mourning community is populated by skilled actors, including Ian McShane as a grieving father, David Strathairn as Don Dedmon, and Matthew Fox as Red Dawson. Being a huge fan of Lost, I found it enjoyable to see Fox, who played a different Jack throughout the hit series, in another role.

While Matthew McConaughey received praise for his portrayal of Jack Lengyel and recently won an Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club, I didn’t care for him at first. His folksy quirkiness is at times more annoying than likable, but he grows into the character nicely by the end. Still, in Lengyel’s scenes with Red, I can’t help but feel that Matthew Fox seems to be more of an Oscar-worthy actor than McConaughey.

The film has some memorable and often funny training montages to great ‘70s music, as well as a number of cameos by various notable coaches and other famous people. Another thing I liked was the fact that Lengyel never promised miracles and never delivered any. Yet, despite all the pain Huntington, West Virginia endured, Marshall’s Thundering Herd went on to achieve great success, titles that would have never been won had the town just given up after the crash. While there is no real mention of God amidst the tragedy, some scenes in a church reveal the town nevertheless sought comfort in the Lord.

We Are Marshall may not be a perfect film, but it possesses some undeniably powerful moments, such as when a rival college’s players are shown with crosses on their helmets in solidarity with Marshall, plus a rousing ending that proves that a tragic loss need not define one’s future.

Best line: (Jack Lengyel) “Ya see, Red, it doesn’t matter if we win, or if we lose. It’s not even about how we play the game. What matters is that we play the game. That we take the field. That we suit up on Saturdays and we keep this program alive. We play the game, and, Red, I’m tellin’ ya one day… not today, not tomorrow. Not this season probably. Not next season either, but one day you and I are gonna wake up suddenly; we’re gonna be like every other team, in every other sport where winning is everything, and nothing else matters. When that day comes… well, that’s when we’ll honor them.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: 5
Originality: 5
Watchability: 6
Other (brief language): -2
 
TOTAL: 33 out of 60
 

Next: #280 – A Bug’s Life

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)

05 Wednesday Mar 2014

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Francis Ouimet is a caddy
At a Massachusetts club,
Where he’s used to high-brow members
Giving him a haughty snub.
 
Francis witnessed Harry Vardon
When the caddy was a boy.
Meeting such a famous golfer
Made golf something to enjoy.
 
Over years, the lad has practiced;
Now it seems he has a chance
For a coming tournament,
But he’s scorned at in advance.
 
Even Francis’ father makes him
Swear to stop golf if he fails.
When he doesn’t qualify,
Francis sadly enters sales.
 
Two years later, he again
Is offered up a chance to play.
This time it’s the U.S. Open,
But he answers with a nay.
 
Yet, when Francis quickly hears
That Harry Vardon will compete,
He decides to break his promise
And to challenge the elite.
 
When his caddy cannot come,
Young Eddie Lowery volunteers.
Though he’s just a chubby kid,
He pep-talks Francis through his fears.
 
Harry Vardon quickly moves
With friend Ted Ray into the lead.
Many people think, with them,
A win for England’s guaranteed.
 
But the snobs who watch and judge
Are soon surprised by Francis’ gains.
In the end, he does quite well;
In fact, a three-way tie remains!
 
Vardon calms his own unease
Of being good enough to play.
Ray thereafter “drops the ball,”
And two will putt the final day.
 
Francis and his hero vie
To win the title, calm the dread,
And, upon the final hole,
Francis wins one stroke ahead.
 
Everybody’s shocked but cheered;
An amateur has won such fame!
Francis’ father now respects
His son’s success and love of the game.
______________________
 

The Greatest Game Ever Played is typical underdog sports fare, which manages to still be quite unique because, rather than the usual football or basketball or baseball story, it’s about everyone’s favorite sport, golf. Directed by Bill Paxton, this film offers an interesting view of the game, often using different camera angles, such as presenting a putt through the “eyes” of the ball. Plus, the production values and cinematography recreate 1913 much more convincingly than the effects-laden past of Peter Jackson’s King Kong.

The acting is also wonderful, particularly Shia LaBeouf as Francis Ouimet, proving that, yes, he can indeed act. His relationships with his parents, Eddie, his wealthy girlfriend Sarah, and his hero/rival Harry Vardon are all well-developed and touching in different ways. While his father’s disparagement of his talent is disconcerting (I guess he thought only things that make money are worthwhile), his final come-around at the end is utterly touching and brought a tear to my VC’s eye. While the continual arrogance of the aristocrats who insist golf is strictly a “gentlemen’s game” gets old fast, I appreciate the way the filmmakers humanized Francis’ opponents Harry Vardon and Ted Ray. They could have easily been made unlikable competitors, but both were given their own eccentricities and troubles that make the audience root for them as well.

It isn’t the most exciting film, but golf isn’t the most exciting game either. This, along with Tin Cup, makes up pretty much the entirety of The Golf Channel’s movie lineup, but Greatest Game is not just a great golf movie; it’s a great movie, period.

Best line: (Harry Vardon, to the head pompous “gentleman”) “Let me tell you something. I came here to win a trophy. And on the face of it Ted Ray or I should carry it off. Not for you, not for England, but for sheer bloody pride at being the best, that’s why we do this. And if Mr. Ouimet 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. And I’ll thank you to show the respect a gentleman gives as a matter of course.”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: 5
Originality: 4
Watchability: 6
Other (brief language and early slowness): -3
 
TOTAL: 31 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #304: The Castle of Cagliostro

© 2014 S. G. Liput