The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

I'll tell you why so serious

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

This movie may be focused on golf but there's so much more to this movie than meets the eye;In this Film; there's love, loyalty, friendship, struggle, determination and it's all tied together beautifully through the beautiful game that is golf. Definitely a family movie at it's best, Well done to everyone that created this artistic masterpiece, I'm sure many will enjoy watching it.

I cannot believe it has been so many years ago that I first rated this movie (TEN! I would give it an eleven if I could!) but never wrote a review. First off, I will admit to some biases. I have played and adored golf for almost 60 yrs, since I was 7. Secondly, I was born and raised in the Boston area. Third, I DESPISE arrogant, holier-than-thou, self-righteous people, and am glad that among lots of western nations, the US is or at least was one of the least-conscious class societies. Fourth, Francis' incredibly loving mom reminds me of my mom. So if you share some of these things, and have never seen this movie, you may just LOVE IT!!! I found myself wanting to rip out the throat of INCREDIBLY ARROGANT Lord Northcliffe, played magnificently by Peter Firth. And best of all, this flick is based on a true event. Ouimet's (pronounced WEE-met) big upset win in 1913 US Open Golf. How big an upset was it? In 2005 when flick was released, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were two of top 3 golfers (1st and 2nd?) in world. This 1913 upset was as if the Massachusetts State Amateur champ defeated Tiger and Phil at US Open. I consider it THE greatest upset ever in sports. Even more than the 1980 (and 1960) wins by the US Olympic hockey teams over the Soviet Union.

Disney could not have done a better job with this movie. The superb screen writing was done by Mark Frost, who wrote the book on which the movie was based. The detailed set and costume design clearly suggest the year 1913. Director Bill Paxton got the very best out of his entire cast and the golf scenes suggest believable highly skilled players.Hooked on golf from age 4, a young Francis Ouimet would stand on the sidewalk next to the 17th fairway of "The Country Club" (located directly across the street from his house) and emulate all of the golfers' swings. By age 7 he was making 28 cents per round working as a caddy for "The Country Club" and before long had constructed a 3 hole golf course in his spacious back yard. Francis was part of the 1st generation of Americans to grow up loving the game of golf the likes of which included Gene Sarazen (credited with inventing the sand wedge); Walter Hagen (the 1st professional to actually earn a living playing golf); and Bobby Jones, the absolute greatest player of this era and easily in the top 3 of all time. In contrast Francis' father, played by Elias Koteas, hated golf and saw it as a game played solely by pretentious wealthy people. Francis' mother loved and supported her son's efforts as she realized his God given talent for the game. Stephen Dillane plays an outstanding Harry Vardon both in skill level and mentality. Stephen Marcus plays an excellent Ted Ray and while portraying the proper English mentality, has his moments during the film. I'm only critical of his golf swing in that he rotates both of his wrists to the right during his back swing. Anyone knowledgeable about golf knows this movement results in a nasty slice. It should be noted that Ted had a great non-politically correct seen with Amateur Wilfred Reid while Harry had one with Lord Northcliffe. It was refreshing to see their strong characters shine through in these scenes.Best of all we see the gorgeous and talented Peyton List in the role of Francis' girlfriend. On the one hand she must honor and respect her wealthy, snobby parents; on the other hand, she's wonderfully sensitive to Francis the human being who has tenaciously taken his stand and knows no bounds of status. Divine Providence versus free will - Eddie Lowery wound up as Francis' caddy. What are the odds? Yet, Lowery was the perfect fit to assist Francis. What caddy could have done better? It's a beautiful story and a true one. And who was Eddie Lowery; the personification of a child's enthusiasm and optimism. Divine Providence versus cold hard reality – the question is answered in Frost's book by the only person who actually witnessed the landing and role out of Vardon's tee shot on the final 17th. So much for Lord Northcliffe's reasoning. You be the judge. It should also be noted that Harry Vardon probably had the best of all golf quotes: Golf is master of us all !

When i first heard the title of this film, I thought it was about either: 1. Centre's Upset of Harvard in 1920. 2. The 1958 NFL Championship. 3. The last game of the 1960 World Series, 0r (a tie) Texas Vs. Arkansas, 1969 2.The sixth Game between Boston and Cincinnati in 1976 or 3. The "confrontation", Southern Cal versus UCLA, 1967. As You may have guessed, I prefer Football and baseball to golf. Having said that, and having seen this movie, I will say that this probably the best golf movie ever, and that the game it tells about WAS the greatest game of golf, ever. It was the greatest, not simply because an unknown 19 year old amateur, Francis Ouimet upset one of the greatest golfers who ever lived, Harry Vardon, (And another very fine golfer, Ted Ray as well), but because it marked a turning point in the history of golf in America, helping to make the game popular among all Americans. However, The greatest books about Sports- Beyond A Boundary, Friday Night Lights,, When The Colts Belonged to Baltimore, The Boys Of summer, and a few others, explore the social, ethical and spiritual context of sport, and so do the best movies about sports. This Is a great sports movie based on a great sports book, and it has both a socio - economic and an ethical subtext. The socio-economic context in the book and the film is CLASS , and class conflict.Golf began as a game for aristocrats. In the very first scene, aristocrats confiscate the young Harry Vardon's family farm to build a golf course. Twenty years later, the humbly born Vardon is the greatest golfer in the world. Vardon is a self-made gentleman who infuriates the British golf establishment by picking the uncouth Ted Ray as his co-representative for Great Britain at the !919US Golf Championship. Ouimet himself is an social outsider, a working-class youth who stuns the US golf establishment by his superb play, which culminates in a three way playoff who determine the championship. Ouimets eventual upset win created an international sensation, In addition, the book and the film have a moral context as well. They both celebrate the virtues of true sportsmanship; courage, loyalty, perseverance, and hard work. They also show that true aristocracy is a matter of merit, not birth. The humbly born Vardon and Ouimet- even the Falstaff-like Ted Ray, possess more truly aristocratic qualities than the aristocrats of the gold establishment.On top of all that, this is a well-acted, expertly directed, and superbly edited and shot film. In short, this is the best sports films, ever.