Film No. 35. 9th film shown Thurs 26/04/07
Jason Solomons said "A rarity this, a serious golf movie, with another rarity, a cool performance by Kevin Costner playing a washed up pro taking a shot at the big title. there's a purity of narrative as it follows the trajectory of a perfect golf shot. Bizarrely, the story prefigured the real life, self destructive hillbilly hero, John Daly"
5 comments:
Kevin Costner, lots of golf, misfiring rom-com between a "charming" loser and a ditzy therapist, down home Texan trailer trash, even more golf, Don Johnson, cod philosophy about "how can a washed out Texan driving range pro become the peoples champion at the US Open" and then yet more golf. Mr Solomons - You're having a laugh.
Before a human presence gets a chance to spoil this film, we see a really terrific opening montage of Tex-mex Pop Art - desert, dust, oversized numbers and letters, signs and symbols, and scuttling armadillos. Thereafter it becomes a 2 hour Kevin Costner wankathon.
Shrewd casting does allow his real-life golf prowess to lend the film some much needed credibility, as the comedy and romance never ring true, Rene Russo in particular having no chance in a thankless role.
The script is jam packed with genuine golfy terminology, and the in-crowd will delight in spotting all the golf pro cameos. In this sense, I think it IS a serious golf movie. If only the director had the courage to play it straight all the way, we could have had a potentially fascinating portrait of a Sportsman versus his worst enemy... his own mind.
Trivia note, pop fans: Mickey Jones makes a fleeting appearance. He was, of course, the stand-in drummer for the Hawks who backed Dylan on his infamous 'judas' electric tour of the UK in 1966. He temporarily replaced the fantastic Levon Helm, who went on to be a great character actor in his own right (last seen in Three Burials, as the suicidal blind man).
The sporting dream meets screwball comedy. But not in this film. Kevin Costner does his loveable loser. Rene Russo is ... awful. Complete with comic Mexican sidekick and Don Johnston as the panto villan. And then there's all that golf ... Mind numbing.
I love this movie and I own it. Very funny
I love this movie and I own it. Very funny
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