See this movie only if you really feel you have to!

Rating: 4/10 (5 November 2000)

They say you don't have to be interested in golf to see/enjoy The Legend of Bagger Vance. They say it's not a "golf movie."
They're right: It's not a golf movie, but it's definitely a sports movie. Every step of the (dull and senseless) plot is utterly predictable, if you've seen at least one sports movie.
The breakdown: Sports great falls from the top of his game, loses girl. Unknown Jesus figure helps hero "find his swing." Hero has to redeem himself, recover his game, and win back his girl-- all while playing (for some unknown reason) in "the biggest match of his life -- of all time!" against the worthiest adversaries of his game.
The screenplay was absolutely horrible, but very funny at times. Unfortunately, the humor was completely unintentional. The acting by the supporting cast was pretty shaky. The cinematography and music were embarassingly cheesy.
Partway through the film, I realized that it wasn't going to get any better, and I decided to focus on the eye candy, namely Matt Damon (and Charlize Theron is undoubtably a reason for any man to see this film). The acting of the three leads wasn't too bad. Will Smith was fairly charming as the title character, and Damon and Theron were fine in their own right, but chemistry between them was lacking.
This movie failed to hold my interest as a golf movie, a sports movie, a love story, or a tale of redemption.
Go see The Legend of Bagger Vance -- just leave your mind at home.