The basic recipe for a rags-to-riches sports story calls for one generic poor guy, dreams of greatness and a dash of amazing athletic talent. Mix in a true-story element and the result is "The Greatest Game Ever Played."
The movie is about golfers Harry Vardon, played by Stephen Dillane ("The Hours"), and Francis Ouimet, played by Shia LaBeouf ("Constantine"). Both men rise from humble beginnings to become great golfers in a time when the sport was reserved for the upper class.
Throughout the movie, Vardon proves to everyone, including himself, that the less fortunate can indeed make great sports heroes. Obstacles are overcome, opponents are defeated, credits roll. What's exceptional in this movie is that the story happens to be a true one.
Harry Vardon was regarded as the greatest English golfer of his time. He grew up in a poor farm town and was forced to move off the land because, ironically, a golf course was built on his property. The film moves from such beginnings up to Vardon's five victories at the British Open and one at the US Open.
Francis Ouimet was born in Boston, across the street from a golf course. He worked as a caddy and gradually learned how to play the game. In a scene that sets up the rest of the movie, he meets Vardon when he is giving a demonstration in Boston. Ouimet learns how to swing a club from the golf superstar at the age of 5.
Ouimet becomes obsessed with golf even though his lower social class forbids him from ever becoming a professional. His father tells him over and again that he needs to stop wasting time on the golf course and find a job to earn money for the family.
Vardon and Ouimet meet again at the 1913 US Open, 15 years after their first encounter. Ouimet has been invited to play because his old boss wanted a local amateur to participate. The amateur isn't expected to last very long, but makes waves when he starts performing remarkably well. He plays so well that by the fourth round he is the only remaining golfer besides Vardon and Ted Ray, played by Stephen Marcus ("Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels").
Bill Paxton's first attempt at directing a sports movie results in a genuinely heart-warming product. He accurately captures the emotion and anticipation that comes with a tournament as formidable as the US Open.
Paxton's last directing effort, "Frailty," was dark and violent, but he highlights a new facet of his directing talent by keeping things light and family-oriented for the Disney crowd.
Mark Frost bases his story on that of a book of the same title. Unfortunately, the script lacks the character development necessary to evoke an emotional response from the viewer.
The most humorous element of the movie is Ouimet's caddy, Eddie Lowery, played by young Josh Flitter, who had small parts in "Hide and Seek" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." Eddie is a little chubby kid who spits out profound, amazing golf advice and pulls off an adorable persona, stealing the spotlight in every scene.
Paxton does a solid job of turning these events into a thoughtful and touching story. While some parts play a little slow, "The Greatest Game" compensates with creative cinematography and a captivating story. The cast lacks major star power, but Josh Flitter's character could generate enough buzz to help float the movie's success.
