Seve: The Movie

This is a lovely film that is both educational and moving.

'Seve The Movie' offers up a cinematic story telling of the real life Seve Ballesteros, focussing in the main on his childhood interest in golf (broadly speaking from the age of 10 to 16). It reveals enough of his upbringing, family and environment - and above all his single-minded drive to become a great golfer - to give us a good picture of Seve as a boy.

Mixed in with this story telling (a little intrusively at times) is real archive footage of the adult Seve's major golfing adventures. The irregular time jumps might not be to everyone's taste, and I found it uncomfortable at the start. However on occasion it added to the story (for example, cutting back between an important chip shot at The Open to a similar shot played when he was a young boy worked quite well). Could the story have been told better in a linear manner? Maybe.

The film is a little light in places; some of the childhood events are rather patchy in their dramatisation, and the movie is incomplete too - the period between the 16 year old Seve getting a chance to turn professional and his first Major win is almost entirely overlooked. However, there's enough on offer to compensate for this, and the impact of his father, mother and brothers on his path is particularly interesting.

Where the film really shines is in its conclusion, moving as it does toward more real life archive footage and becoming deeply moving. The love between Seve and his younger countryman Jose Maria Olazabal is as beautifully portrayed as it is painfully intense, with one very brief, intimate and powerful moment between them - a candid shot filmed by the BBC - needing no embellishment.

The concluding 20 minutes or so, in which we see the eventual fate of the young boy portrayed earlier in the film, more than makes amends for any gaps in the story. So although I would have liked a little more from the film, I certainly had enough to understand and to care.

Very much recommended viewing, especially for sport fans or anyone lucky enough to have seen Seve play.

I hardly ever give things 10 out of 10, bar Casablanca and Seven, but this film certainly achieves what it sets out to: an enthusiastically-told tribute to what must've been an amazing man. Slightly saccharine flashbacks to his childhood are offset by jaw-dropping footage, interesting interviews and an ending which keeps picking up in emotive punch.

Self-indulgence, however, is never a problem (despite a near two-hour running time) as the flashbacks actually end up serving the documentary footage well (the young Seve is a revelation, albeit in a highly specialised role) while the real Seve and his contemporaries add more gravitas, relevance, humour and pathos to the making of this great sportsman.

Rounded of with a thumping if samey score, this gets top marks for innovation. One or two less for overall enjoyment perhaps, but that's merely the limit of the story's limited confines. Different, dazzling in places, but they make the best of what's available. And no-one should be penalised for that.

The love of the golf fell upon the young, optimistic heart of Seve Ballesteros of Pedrena, Spain, signaling the start of a long affair of greatness. As a child prodigy, knowing with full confidence that he was going to be a champion someday, Ballesteros grew into one of the most beloved and inspirational European professional golfers of all time. Seve the Movie beautifully follows Ballesteros' path from skipping school to hit golf balls on the beach near his home, to traveling across the world for golf tournaments, winning trophies. Director John-Paul Davidson's creative direction is a driving force behind the tribute to the legend, as well as the ability to capture the real personality of Ballesteros through the young actor, Jose Luis Gutierrez, who portrays young Ballesteros in the film. Seve the Movie explores the challenges that Ballesteros was faced with in pursuit of his dream, as well as allowing the viewer to peek inside his genius mind behind golf technique. When talking about Ballesteros, a speaker in the film simply says, "He strode like a champion." After seeing Ballesteros' charisma and charm played out in the biopic, I know that statement is spot-on. In all, Seve the Movie informs, motivates, and most importantly, reminds the audience of this man's dedication to the sport he loved.

Seve Ballesteros changed the game of golf forever and inspired thousands through his never- ending strive for success. Seve the Movie tells the compelling and inspirational story of Seve Ballesteros life. Director, John-Paul Davidson, captured the struggles Seve encountered through combining dramatic recreations with archive footage. From seeing a young Seve on the beaches of Spain, teaching himself the game with a broken 3 iron strapped to a stick, to becoming one of the greatest golfers of a generation. This film will leave the viewer feeling inspired and ready to take on their passions. Overall this film truly shows how a passion and talent for something will flourish no matter what the obstacles are.

Seve the Movie was about professional golfer, Seve Ballesteros. The film recounted his early life, showing how became interested in golfing growing up in Spain. It shows the struggles Ballesteros faced while growing up on a farm and having to forgo his love of playing the game in order to further his education. Jose Luis Gutierrez plays a young Seve, and he was absolutely incredible in this role. Interspersed throughout the recreated parts of Ballesteros' story is archival footage of him playing in various tournaments such as the Masters and the PGA European Tour. There were also interviews, which I found helped the story along, as he talked about the moments from his childhood that the movie had just recounted in the previous scene. I have never before been interested in the game of golf, but Seve's story was so incredible and so inspirational that I might have to try to participate and maybe even watch a few tournaments. This movie is a must-see for everyone, but particularly if you love the sport.