Exhilarating underdog film, with more than one underdog!

Rating: 9/10 (23 January 2010)

THE GREATEST GAME EVER PLAYED (TGGEP, 2005) is an amazingly uplifting, infectious underdog film that never (really) devolves into sappiness or heavyhandedness. Yes, it takes several liberties, as most Hollywood films do, but those liberties are forgiven as they actually add to the film's enjoyment, not detract from it. In fact, there are a lot of truthful moments in it. You can really tell that it's a "Rocky" type film from the film's outset, but who cares? Directed by none other than Bill Paxton (I know, right?!), it's expertly done and immensely watchable!
TGGEP tells the story of Francis Ouimet (played with confidence, cockiness, and class by superstar-to-be Shia LaBeouf), an amateur golfer from a working class Irish-French immigrant family living in Brookline, MA, in the early 1900s. Ouimet qualifies to play in the 1913 U.S. Open. Included amongst his competition is the legendary Harry Vardon (played with immense class, dignity, and ferocity by Stephen Dillane). Ironically, Vardon is the 2nd underdog in this flick! The film starts in 1870s Scotland where land developers tell the youngster that they are building a golf course on his home and that golf is a game not for the likes of someone like him. Francis undergoes some of the same prejudice as a boy in early 1900s Brookline. The stories converge at the 1913 Open.
What's ironic is that even as an adult and multiple major champion, Vardon is still an outcast in British society due to his upbringing. Francis learned much about golf from reading Vardon's books on the subject and Vardon is his idol all growing up. Unbeknownst to Vardon, they actually met back in 1900 in Boston after Vardon, who won that year's Open, was touring when Francis was only 7.
In addition to Francis and Vardon, entrants in the 1913 Open include Vardon's friend and champion Brit Ted Ray (boisterous Stephen Marcus) and classless, chest-thumping two-time defending champion John McDermott (Michael Weaver). The film really does a good job of showing the different personalities of these men.
Redheaded Marnie McPhail is ingratiatingly serene and stunning as Francis' supportive Irish mum and veteran Elias Koteas gives a stern, reserved, taciturn performance as his French dad. Addtionally, plucky young Josh Flitter (as Francis' pint-sized 10-year old caddy Eddie) almost single handedly steals the proceedings.
Paxton throws in a lot of modern details, such as special effects zooming-in shots to show the scoreboard positioning of the players and CGI for a lot of the golf shots to keep the film exciting and at a brisk pace so as not to make the film too much of a period piece. But the film still convinces us of a specific time and place.
What's interesting is that, while Rocky-like, this is all based on a true story! So the ending is satisfactory on so many levels. An entertaining film about golf set in the early 1900s...Wow!