L'as du golf

Crane driver Maurice Flitcroft (Mark Rylance), decides to follow his dream of playing golf at the British Open, which he achieves, hitting the highest score ever. Opinion on him is divided between the rather pompous golf community represented by a bespectacled Rhys Ifans and those that admire his spirit, in this unlikely true story.

This is a very sweet, almost Ealingesque comedy combining the fun on the golf course with the drama of the problems his and his family's dreams cause. Rylance is fun albeit quite twee, with Sally Hawkins providing solid support. It all builds to a charming climax before real footage of the real Flitcroft shows how much this is all apparently spot in.

The Phantom of the Open is a very enjoyable and uplifting watch.

It boasts a great performance from Mark Rylance as Maurice Flitcroft, a lovable character that you can't help but root for. Supporting performances from Sally Hawkins and Rhys Ifans are great too.

The story is one of those that is full of charm and has a nice little message in there too. We follow Flitcroft as he attempts to crack the British Open despite never having struck a golf ball in his life. It makes for lots of comic potential and as a result we get a decently funny film. The attempts to inject emotion into the film weren't as successful but still had a certain resonance.

My only real criticism is with the direction and the way the story was told. It maybe relied a little too much on narrative exposition and montage for my liking, and lost its way in the final third a touch, but for the most part was a solidly entertaining experience.

The Phantom of the Open is a light and breezy watch, with good comedy and a nice uplifting and heartwarming message. Most definitely worth a watch.

Such a charming film which I thoroughly enjoyed. The plot is so unbelievable and light-hearted it's amazing it's a true story. It's a wonderful message of following your dreams and the barriers that follow and family.

You really feel so connected to Morris and want him to succeed and follow the path he's carved out for himself. Rylance plays the role perfectly as his aloof and lovable character really shine across the film. The visual effects in some existential scenes was a really nice artistic choice and helps to hit home the passion Morris carries.

The comedy in this film never falls flat and I laughed out loud numerous times but this film also tugs on your heart strings as Morris' family life collides with his dream.

It's definitely worth a watch I know you will enjoy it.

Maurice Flitcroft is a crane operator at a shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, England. After never having played a round of golf in his life and with an estimation of his golf abilities that far exceeded them, he applies to play in the 1976 British Open. To his surprise, his application is accepted. In the opening round he shoots 121, the highest round of golf at a major tournament. This is his (largely true) story.

Several years ago I heard of Maurice Flitcroft and his golf notoriety. As someone who likes playing golf but isn't much good at it, his story appealed to me. The fact that this was also an up yours to sports administrators and put their noses out of joint also appealed to me and I have a dim regard for sports administrators. So, imagine my delight when I discovered that a movie had been made out of his story.

The golf side of the story is as entertaining as you'd imagine. What's more, he didn't just play at the 1976 British Open but managed to get in a few more times after that! This just makes it even more engaging.

I was expecting the non-golf stuff to be a bit dull and more there to pad out the time but it's actually quite interesting and engaging too. There's a good feel for the family dynamic and how Flitcroft's naïve optimism rubs off on his children. Makes for some heart-warming scenes, especially towards the end.

On that note, Mark Rylance is great as Flitcroft, imbuing him with a great sense of innocence and positivity, a man who believes that anything is possible and that you don't know until you try. His demonstrations of his massively inflated view of his own golf abilities are quite funny and something to behold.

This sense of innocence and of an average guy just having a go makes Flitcroft very supportable and very relatable.

Whilst the narrative is nothing new, The Phantom of the Open is still a truly delightful comedy drama that's extremely heartwarming, really funny and genuinely emotional.

Mark Rylance gives a terrific lead performance, super likeable and adorably naive. Sally Hawkins is reliably perfect as his wife who's equally likeable and the heart of the film, also having strong chemistry with Rylance.

Craig Roberts' direction is excellent, full of quirky and fantastical moments that fit the film really well. Both the soundtrack and the music by Isobel Waller-Bridge are both as joyful and fun as the film requires.