Handsomely crafted biopic set in the 1920s about the life of legendary golfer Bobby Jones (Jim Caviezel), who, though getting off to a sickly start, defied the odds, overcoming physical hardships and personal demons, to rise to the pinnacle of the sports world. Though the unfocused narrative spends too much time in tedious tournament sequences, the well acted film, directed by Rowdy Herrington, is an inspirational celebration of the ability of the human spirit to triumph over adversity and succeed without abandoning personal principles. Sporadic crude language. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) 2004
Full Review
Though it may sound like a contradiction in terms, the best sports movies are, at their core, rarely about sports. Whether manifested in the balletic brutality of the boxing ring or in the edifying endurance of runners, the visual poetry of athletic competition has long provided filmmakers with the perfect metaphorical canvas upon which to celebrate the triumph of the human spirit.
Such is the case with "Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius" (Film Foundry), a handsomely crafted biopic about the man many consider the greatest golfer ever to play the game.
Following his performance as Jesus in Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," Jim Caviezel stars as the titular titan, who, during the 1920s took his place alongside such sports icons as Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey.
The film opens after Jones' retirement from tournament play, as he returns to the venerable golf course of St. Andrews in Scotland -- site of both the high and low points of his storied career. He is met with a hero's welcome by the locals who claim him as their own.
The movie then rewinds to an Atlanta suburb, where viewers are reintroduced to Jones -- this time as a runty 8-year-old (Devon Gearhart) swinging a sawed-off golf club, already consumed by a passion for the game. Though a sickly child, through perseverance the dogged duffer transforms himself into a teen phenom (Thomas Lewis), entering his first tournament at age 14.
However, early hopes of greatness melt into bitter disappointment, when, by the ripe old age of 21, Jones (Caviezel) has not yet won a major championship.
Overcoming his own hot temper, self-imposed perfectionism and a debilitating neurological disorder that forces him to play through grueling pain, Jones drives himself to win an astounding 13 titles, four of them -- the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open, British Amateur and British Open -- within a period of four months in 1930, earning him the title of Grand Slam Champion, a record still unbroken.
Full of measured magnetism, Caviezel brings a mix of dignified grace and subdued intensity to the role. Malcolm McDowell plays O.B. Keeler, an erudite sportswriter who discovers Jones as a budding star and follows him throughout his career as both fan and friend. Claire Forlani shines as Mary, Jones' supportive wife, whose Catholicism stands out against the predominantly Protestant Southern backdrop. Jeremy Northam plays Jones' rakish fairway foil, Walter Hagen.
While his home life with Mary fuels the film's emotional core, it is Jones' friendly rivalry with Hagen that offers the clearest insights into Jones as a man of rigorous moral convictions and personal honor. Hagen's braggadocio and self-aggrandizing haughtiness brings Jones' virtue into sharper focus. Hagen plays for money; Jones plays for the love of the game.
What makes Jones such an interesting character study is that his legendary golf career was only one aspect of a remarkably multifaceted life. The film shows Jones as a devoted family man and scholar, as well as a sports hero, earning degrees from both Georgia Tech and Harvard before passing the bar. It also paints him as a man conflicted by fame and haunted by a sense of predestined greatness, which, though driving him to excel, takes a devastating toll on his health and personal life.
Cinematically, "Stroke of Genius" has a richly textured period look reminiscent of the diffused elegance of "Chariots of Fire." The windswept shots of St. Andrews are especially striking, capturing the lyrical beauty of the rugged Scottish coast.
Storywise, however, the film bogeys the hole. Slow-paced and unfocused, the poorly structured script suffers from overly repetitive tournament sequences, which, in addition to being tedious to watch, prevent the narrative from building to an emotionally satisfying crescendo.
While a closing coda informs viewers that during World War II Jones allowed Army livestock to graze on the luxurious greens of Augusta National Golf Club (a private course he built in the 1930s), no mention is given to the fact that African-Americans were not admitted as members until 1991.
Still, as directed by Rowdy Herrington, "Stroke of Genius" is an inspirational reminder that there are things more important than winning championships and that what matters in life -- to borrow the immortal words of Grantland Rice -- is "not that you won or lost, but how you played the game."
Due to sporadic crude language, the USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested.
Movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic
merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating,
the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief
synopsis of the movie.
The classifications are as follows:
- A-I -- general patronage;
- A-II -- adults and adolescents;
- A-III -- adults;
- A-IV**
- L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
- O -- morally offensive.
** Discontinued classification. All archived movies that were originally in the A-IV category are now classified as L.