The Flick

While I don’t actually play golf I am fascinated by it, and for some reason I really enjoy movies about the game.  I had never seen The Greatest Game Ever Played before popping the disc into my blu-ray player, but this solid flick about a working class golfer working for an elite and private golf course as a caddie who in a competition as an amateur is an awesome family film.  He struggles with self doubt, loss, and an a disapproving father, but somehow never gives up on his dream.

The caddie with serious skill, Francis Ouimet (Shia LeBouf) looses the his first competition and decides that maybe golf isn’t in his future.  So he takes a day job until he is courted to play in the U.S. Open against his hero Harry Vardon (Stephen Dillane).  Together with his awesome caddie Francis takes the Open by storm.  

This flick is beautiful.  Director Bill Paxton sure knows how to make a period film.  The flick, which is set in 1913 is pitch perfect.  I was completely drawn into Francis’s world and could almost smell the beautiful green grass from the comfort of my living room.  A perfect family film that deserves repeat viewings.  The Greatest Game Ever Played is definitely a killer film. 

The Blu-ray

Audio/Visual – The 1080p transfer is beautiful.  The beautiful outdoor greens and awesome period set pieces made for an almost perfect HD experience, simply beautiful.  The Audio was also solid, the 5.1 DTS-HD audio sounded great.  

Special Features

Commentary – Director Bill Paxton and writer Mark Frost both contribute to commentary tracks and while Frost was alright to listen to, but I was completely drawn in by Paxton’s passion and love for his film.  

A view From the Gallery – This is a great little feature that combines cast and crew interviews with behind the scenes footage to tell the story of how the flick came to be.  Totally worth watching.  

Two Legends and the Greatest Game – Writer Mark Frost provides a visual history of the the real life Ouimet and Vardon using vintage photographs.  I enjoyed this feature quite a bit and recommend it to anyone that enjoyed the flick.

From caddie to Champion: Frances Ouimet – A television interview with real life Frances Ouimet at 70 years old.  I enjoyed this feature very much because it provides a wealth of information on the man and his career.  

Flick:       Rating:

Blu-Ray: Rating:

Tags: Bill Paxton, Blu-ray Review, Mark Frost, Shia LeBouf, Stephen Dillane, The Greatest Game Ever Played