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Critics Consensus: Despite all the underdog sports movie conventions, the likable cast and lush production values make The Greatest Game Ever Played a solid and uplifting tale.
Critic Consensus: Despite all the underdog sports movie conventions, the likable cast and lush production values make The Greatest Game Ever Played a solid and uplifting tale.
All Critics (112) | Top Critics (30) | Fresh (70) | Rotten (42) | DVD (12)
Ouimet versus Vardon probably was the greatest golf game ever played, and Paxton and Frost do it justice, but I wouldn't sit through another simulated hole of it for Tiger Woods's salary.
I know it's all about how well they construct the journey, but I just kind of felt like, okay, we know exactly what's going to happen here.
[An] overloaded movie.
As sports movies go, it doesn't get more exciting than this.
A sweet-natured, prettily photographed and at times genuinely exciting drama, bogged down by some thinly written characters and syrupy music.
The film will have to settle for a bogey rather than a par.
The game is full of suspense, twists and turns. The characters are fascinating. The locations, sets and costume designs are all first-rate. The story is held back by the Disney formula, but is strong enough to overcome it.
The characters model some wonderful behavior for youngsters%u2014things like tolerance, restraint, persistence, good manners, and good sportsmanship. Things that, sadly, seem to have gone the way of knickers.
I don't want to just take their word for it! Show me what was so special about this guy's game!!
Greatest Game succeeds because it has enough history and authenticity to please golf enthusiasts while maintaining enough heart and human drama to appeal to the rest.
If you're not willing to stand in the rain during a major tournament, you're gonna get bored with these movies.
[Director Bill] Paxton's narrative is confusing at first, but the film is entertaining overall.
The Greatest Game Ever Played is an excellent family-friendly, underdog, sports-themed film in the Disney tradition. I thoroughly enjoyed the cast; the young Shia LaBouf was perfect for the role. Sure, it's clichéd at times; the class conflict/social structure theme permeates the movie and is too heavy-handed at times. It's a period drama which may not be familiar to viewers not schooled in golfing history. In the early 1900s, golf was new to America and dominated by British champions such as Harry Vardon. Furthermore, the game belonged to the upper crust of society, those who inhabited exclusive country clubs. However, both Vardon and Francis Ouimet (LaBouf's character) arose from humble beginnings and signaled changes to come. It's predictable in the Disney tradition but positive and uplifting nonetheless. The golf itself is interesting, but this isn't Rocky in terms of sports excitement. The film even has several fine comedic moments, especially those featuring Ouimet's caddy, a plucky fifth-grader. In short, it's an enjoyable film, and you don't have to like golf to appreciate it.
Super Reviewer
Good film! Shia LeBeouf was good, and Stephen Dillane was perfectly cast.
Why had I not heard of this film before? It would have gone completely under my radar, if it weren't for me catching it on TV, when randomly zapping through some channels. I'm surprised it hasn't received more attention than it has, because it's quite a remarkable and inspiring story, about a young boy from an unprivileged background, who blows everyone away as he defeats his own idol in the 1913 US Open. Being a golf player myself (or was at least, I haven't played for years now), it was very interesting learn a bit of its history, and to see what the game looked like at its humble beginnings, almost a century ago. Shia LaBeouf, who in my opinion is a very underrated actor, excels in his role and brings some of his finest acting to date. Better yet, it also reminded me of all the good times I've had during my golfing years, and made me wanna pick up my clubs again and head out on the grass fields. It's only handicap (pun intended), is its rigid adherence to the big book of sports-movie clichés: An underdog from a poor background, who fights against the odds. The unsupportive father, who thinks he's wasting his time and should get a "real job". The upper class snobs, who mocks his every breath, until they are forced to recognize his incredible talent. The list could be made very long. Other than that though, it's an uplifting true story that, however ironic it may sound, goes well below par in its final score.
Cast: Tyler Brody Stein, Shia LaBeouf, Elias Koteas, Josh Flitter, Max Kasch, Stephen Dillane, Peter Firth, Peyton List, Jackie Burroughs, Luke Askew, Len Cariou Director: Bill Paxton Summary: With a pint-sized caddie (Josh Flitter) at his side, amateur golfer Francis Ouimet (Shia LaBeouf) shocked the world at the 1913 U.S. Open when he outplayed defending British champ Harry Vardon in what was dubbed "The Greatest Game Ever Played." But Ouimet's rise to the top wasn't easy, with a hard-nosed father (Elias Koteas) and a hard-knock life to overcome. My Thoughts: "I didn't think I would ever enjoy a golf movie, but I did. I don't like the sport personally, I find it to be a complete bore. But my reasonings for choosing to watch this film was based on the fact that it stars Shia LaBeouf. He was quite good in this too. Francis's father believes they are but common folk so Francis should expect to be just that. He believes Francis is striving for something he is not meant to achieve based on what society has labeled their family as. So I think the father really wasn't against his dream, he just didn't want his son to feel any despair if he failed. Of course the story is predictable, but that shouldn't stop you from seeing it. I really liked the character Eddie played by Josh Flitter. He is a funny little kid. The acting is great and so is the directing by actor Bill Paxton. It is a golf film worth seeing.."
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