Glad I trusted Ebert on this one!

Rating: Null/10 (28 February 2001)

I have a lot of faith in Will Smith and Matt Damon. They seem to keep their integrity even through the worst settings (Smith in the *Fresh Prince of Belair* series and *Men in Black* and Damon in Spielberg's *Saving Private Ryan*). So when I saw they were both in this movie, I had to see it. Then I read some professional reviews from various magazines, etc., and heard almost nothing but that the movie was pretentious, slow, pointless, self-indulging, etc. Thank God I happened upon Ebert's review amongst all these negative ones. He nearly stood alone in judging it to be a movie with a lot to offer, and so I took the chance, and I think he was right. (If I were to do a review of movie reviewers, he'd get two thumbs up from me--very even-minded, not given to knee-jerks, even if I don't always agree with him.)
Though a long movie, I didn't notice the length. I have to admit, I stumbled through the choppy beginning as Charlize Theron struggled to hold up scenes on her own. I began to fear that all the other reviewers were right, but when the golf got started, so did the movie. It was a very nice movie about personal resolve and achieving excellence, and was wisely philosophical as well (through the mouth of Smith's Bagger Vance character).
By the way, I don't know anything about golf, but I read another user commentator who swears the movie was 100% historically accurate in depicting the state of golf at the time, even if there didn't seem to be quite as much racial prejudice on and off the golf course as you would expect during the Depression. The two golf competitors, played by Bruce McGill and Joel Gretsch, were both amazing supporting actors, making the golf competition that much more of a rich experience. The movie also had it's share of humor: the entire scene with Damon's character, Junuh, playing cards with his black drinking buddies; and when Junuh turns to Vance during the tournament and declares, "You're one hell of a caddy."
I'd probably only give the movie a 6, if I thought such unqualified ratings very valid, but if you go to movies to find at least a few great moments, as I do, this movie is sure to bring you out of the rough with a number of inspiring master strokes on director Robert Redford's part.