Beautifully done!

Rating: 8/10 (1 October 2005)

"The Greatest Game Ever Played" is beautifully done. It is perfect in many (if not all) aspects. A real winner. It is not for everyone though. Most young people will probably be bored by it, I mean golf isn't exactly the most exciting and action packed game ever invented. However, for those with longer attention spans, it is a very good movie that I really enjoyed.
My hat goes off to Bill Paxton for a wonderful job directing. He manages to make the sport of golf actually interesting. To tell the truth, I rolled my eyes when I saw this being billed as an epic. But it does fulfill the word, although it doesn't even remotely compare to the likes of "Ben-Hur" and "Lawrence of Arabia".
One of the biggest surprises about this movie is the performance given by Shia LaBeouf as Francis Ouimet. I was rather unsure about how good he would be, especially after seeing him on the Disney Channel's TV show "Even Stevens". But he was wonderful. LaBeouf's definite strength is in his facial expressions. He managed to show every emotion in just his face. If he continues to perform like this, I can see a long and successful career carved out for him.
Elias Koteas, he plays Arthur Ouimet, also gives a very strong performance. Just like with LaBeouf, Koteas' strength is in facial expressions. It's a very strong, and apparently heart felt performance.
In my mind, Stephen Dillane steals the show. His performance is captivating and seems to truly come from the heart. He perfectly captures the troubled character of Harry Vardon and I look forward to seeing more of him. Just with Koteas and LaBeouf, Dillane is very good at showing emotion through his face. I truly admire and enjoyed his performance.
What makes this movie so wonderful, in my mind, is the terrific chemistry the characters have. You don't know if you should be rooting for Vardon or Ouimet. THAT is the sign of a good movie.
If you think you can handle it, you can see this movie. But if you prefer the more action packed adventure flicks, than don't bother seeing it because you won't be doing it justice.