Gettting closer, week 45=2005.
The year 2005 gave me a few choices that I considered:
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion; The Witch; And The Wardrobe.
Sky High
I passed on the two and decided to go with the film: The Greatest Game Ever Played.
I had seen the movie when it first came out and I was surprised how much I liked it. I wanted to visit the film again to see what I thought a second time around.
I have to mention before I get into the review, I do not play golf, and I do not know much about golf.
The Greatest Game is the story of an amateur golfer Francis Ouimet (Shia LaBeouf)With his small caddie Eddie (Josh Flitter) at his side, shocked the world as he competes in the 1913 U.S. Open against the likes of defending British champ Harry Vardon. Ouimet's rise to the top was not easy, with a hard-nosed father (Elias Koteas) and a tough life to overcome.
The film is directed by actor Bill Paxton. It runs a little over 120 minutes but never feels long. Paxton keeps things moving and exciting. He and writer Mark Frost do a fantastic job of not getting to involved in rules or scores of the game, they just give us the drama and how many strokes people are behind. This helps watchers like me who do not know golf very well. I found the golf exciting. Golf exciting! I know! But watch the film,,they pull it off. Shia, who I think these days over acts, is fresh faced and not poisoned yet by the over acting. He is fantastic. He plays off Josh Flitter very well and does not try to hog the screen.
Two other fine acting jobs done in this film I have to mention real quick:
Stephen Dillain, as Harry Varden, is fantastic in a tough role playing a competitor, but also is kind and soft.
Elias Koteas as Francis's tough dad, is wonderful. He is an underrated character actor. He may be best known for a part in Some Kind Of Wonderful, but he has been in Benjamin Button, The Thin Red Line, Shutter Island;to name just a few of his film. Here he plays a tough role of a father who is right, but probably knows by being right he is squashing his sons dreams.
Fun or not so fun facts:
Bill Paxton's son James plays the young Harry Varden
The real Francis Ouimet and Eddie Lowery remained life long friends. When Ouimet died in 1967, Lowery was one of the pall-bearers.
The film was Disneyized a bit with the last round not being as close as the movie suggest it was.
This was my second look at The Greatest Game Ever Played, I still really liked it. I would give it 4 and a 1/2 out of 5 Mickeys. I know it does not look to appealing but give it a shot, you may be surprised.
As always, thanks for your time.
The year 2005 gave me a few choices that I considered:
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion; The Witch; And The Wardrobe.
Sky High
I passed on the two and decided to go with the film: The Greatest Game Ever Played.
I had seen the movie when it first came out and I was surprised how much I liked it. I wanted to visit the film again to see what I thought a second time around.
I have to mention before I get into the review, I do not play golf, and I do not know much about golf.
The Greatest Game is the story of an amateur golfer Francis Ouimet (Shia LaBeouf)With his small caddie Eddie (Josh Flitter) at his side, shocked the world as he competes in the 1913 U.S. Open against the likes of defending British champ Harry Vardon. Ouimet's rise to the top was not easy, with a hard-nosed father (Elias Koteas) and a tough life to overcome.
The film is directed by actor Bill Paxton. It runs a little over 120 minutes but never feels long. Paxton keeps things moving and exciting. He and writer Mark Frost do a fantastic job of not getting to involved in rules or scores of the game, they just give us the drama and how many strokes people are behind. This helps watchers like me who do not know golf very well. I found the golf exciting. Golf exciting! I know! But watch the film,,they pull it off. Shia, who I think these days over acts, is fresh faced and not poisoned yet by the over acting. He is fantastic. He plays off Josh Flitter very well and does not try to hog the screen.
Two other fine acting jobs done in this film I have to mention real quick:
Stephen Dillain, as Harry Varden, is fantastic in a tough role playing a competitor, but also is kind and soft.
Elias Koteas as Francis's tough dad, is wonderful. He is an underrated character actor. He may be best known for a part in Some Kind Of Wonderful, but he has been in Benjamin Button, The Thin Red Line, Shutter Island;to name just a few of his film. Here he plays a tough role of a father who is right, but probably knows by being right he is squashing his sons dreams.
Fun or not so fun facts:
Bill Paxton's son James plays the young Harry Varden
The real Francis Ouimet and Eddie Lowery remained life long friends. When Ouimet died in 1967, Lowery was one of the pall-bearers.
The film was Disneyized a bit with the last round not being as close as the movie suggest it was.
This was my second look at The Greatest Game Ever Played, I still really liked it. I would give it 4 and a 1/2 out of 5 Mickeys. I know it does not look to appealing but give it a shot, you may be surprised.
As always, thanks for your time.