Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004)

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

Booby Jones is like The Greatest Game Ever Played a good, likable, and even inspirational sport biopic around golf. Bobby Jones remains one the greatest, if not the greatest golfer of all time. He retired at only 28. With a rousing Braveheart-like score from James Horner, plenty of golf, a couple of good rivalries, and some love interest, if you like sports movies to move you and to be about not just winning but winning with values and heart then this will fit the bill nicely.This is above all a film for those who enjoy being inspired by movies, you will get the lift and there is a palpable sense of real excitement in the golf in the last 30 minutes.All in all, a great way to spend 90 minutes, we really liked it; it's a well-made and well thought through film that is one to simply enjoy.

Like many amateur golfers, I am interested in learning more of the early history of our game. That's the primary reason why I rented this film.What better place to start than with this film. Hollywood did a fine job telling the story of one of golf's memorable amateur players: Bob Jones. And for sure many of us are also well acquainted with the Jones' legend: the only man to have captured golf's 'Grand Slam'.Way back in the Thirties, Bobby Jones won the U.S. and British amateur titles as well as their senior counterparts: The U.S. Open and the U.K.'s 'Open Championship'. Accomplishing all that is no small feat either. Bobby did that in a single calendar year.And almost immediately after he had climbed golf's pinnacle, Jones announced his retirement from tournament golf. He was 28 at the time.Some notable pros of his era, fellow American Walter Hagen and Scottish legend Harry Vardon both thought highly of the smallish man from Atlanta Georgia. They too both saw the making of golf legend, many times.Some matches they won. In others where they lost to Jones' magical shot making, even finishing runner-up was considered an honor. However, winning was not that easy for the mercurial first ever golf 'super-star'.The film devotes much time to exposing his mystery ailment: stomach troubles. The cure though was less than conventional. Bobby took a little whiskey from time to time. So, the film's producers claim.Early in his career the film also mentioned another health issue: Bob suffered from varicose veins. He was 'much too young for that', his father decried.Aside from the heavy exposure devoted to a young Jones' temper, the film cast a bright light even halo over Bobby Jones. That brilliance presided over both the golfer and the man. What I didn't like was the many close-up shots of Jones' helicoptering golf clubs after an errant shot. We get it: club throwing is not flattering behavior for a gentleman's game.There's no doubt that Bobby Jones was that. He was in fact a Southerner. And Southerners that I've met have always exhibited gentlemanly traits, both behaviorally and in their speech.The last line here belongs to one of the film's producers. One expressed his sentiments (paraphrased) this way."Golf is a backdrop. The real story is about an extraordinary man. Moreover, Bobby Jones left his indelible mark on both the golf world and all those who knew him."Nothing needs to be added there; I agree, wholly. Bobby Jones both the golf legend and as a fellow citizen are stories of renown. This film captured both the highs and lows of Jones' life on and off the course in a sensitive yet respectful manner. For their efforts I doff my cap to the producers, directors, crew and actors. And Jim Caviezel's reprisal of the golf legend did Jones proud.

What a wonderful film on a truly extraordinary individual! Not only was Bobby Jones a great golfer but he excelled more importantly in his personal life as well. As Keeler says in the movie:" There will never be another Bobby Jones"....He was right of course since he was speaking of the man's character more than his golf talents. Keeler also says at one point, quite prophetically too, that money would destroy the sport. He would have been right about any professional sport, but most particularly about golf where every victory (majors above all) are quickly translated into endorsement deals. The players have become walking billboards for all sorts of companies.....something they will not walk away from as Bobby Jones did. Highly recommended for the kids as they can witness sport as it was before athletic ability was measured in dollars.

I have seen this "movie" and it makes paint drying look like it is in "Fast Forward." Good looking movie...but really, really bad script... and gut wrenchingly laughable direction. This cost $20 million?More Important: Does anybody know why Bobby Jones Movie producers Dawson and Eldridge "borrowed" the title of the earlier Titanic Thompson book, TITANIC THOMPSON: STROKE OF GENIUS for their Bobby Jones movie? I mean, why would they want to do that when Titanic Thompson was a noted golfer/gambler/hustler who only played golf on occasion, and Bobby Jones was...well, he was the great Bobby Jones.What came over them? And who is this HOOTIE guy? Were Kim Dawson, Rick Eldridge and HOOTIE in cahoots? (No pun intended.)I have heard this HOOTIE guy is either the guy fired from AUGUSTA golf course management team, or, he was a cohort of "ALFALFA" in the OUR GANG comedies. Anybody know which one he is? And, did THE GOLF CHANNEL ever collect their money for running their ads for the movie? The ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL (http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2005/04/04/story4.html) ran a story saying THE GOLF CHANNEL had to sue the producers for about $300,000. Wow! I guess this was an embarrassment to past MASTERS winner, Arnold Palmer, who I hear owns part of that TV channel.And finally, does anybody know for sure how much money the Bobby Jones movie lost? Now, from reviews and box office performance, this is a BAD movie... but mercifully...viewing it gave me some much needed sleep.To sum up: BAD movie...made by talentless people!