Golf has never been my thing. The concept is simple but, as many know, in practise it's a painfully frustrating game. Thankfully, the cinematic version is far more agreeable and The Phantom of the Open
Movie review: Phantom of the Open - a rags-to-rags folk-hero story
Of course, this rags-to-rags folk-hero story is hardly breaking fresh cinematic territory— Eddie the Eagle and Cool Runnings are obvious examples of films that amusingly tell stories of sporting misfits who push back against the odds. But Phantom often breaks from that template with brief moments of magical realism that plug directly into Flitcroft's MO as a dreamer. There is a fairytale-like quality to Roberts' direction, which keeps things inventive and manages to avoid cinema's cliched water features and bunkers.
The result is a delightful film that is joyously warm and most definitely has its heart in the right place. Much like my golf game, Phantom will make you laugh … and unlike my golf game, Phantom easily makes par.
Cast: Mark Rylance, Sally Hawkins, Rhys Ifans
Director: Craig Roberts
Running time: 106 mins
Rating: M (Offensive language)
Verdict: Scores below par…which is a good thing.