The Long Game

The Long Game
Starring Jay Hernandez, Dennis Quaid, Cheech Marin, Julian Works
Directed by Julio Quintana

When it comes to sports movies, golf is unique in that it seems the most tied to real life experiences. Whether it's the fact that, even though you're on a team, you're playing on your own; or if its the deep meditative state you find yourself in when preparing to hit the ball; or the lack of enthusiasm from the crowd who gives small applause instead of rousing cheers; or the time spent thinking about your next move as you approach the next hole, it seems that golf is ripe for life lessons. "The Long Game" is one such movie, a true-life golf film about an underdog team of students that no one believed in who overcame adversity to do what no one else thought possible for them to do. While it's stereotypical and formulaic, it's done with tremendous performances, lovely cinematography, and surprisingly I didn't find myself bored at any moment - which is rare for a film about a sport I know nothing about, and care for even less.

In Del Rio, Texas in the 1950s, JB Pena (Jay Hernandez) is the superintendent of a high school, a former Marine, and desires to get into the most exclusive golf club in the city - but since he's of Mexican heritage, he needs a sponsor to get in, and finds that in fellow former Marine Frank Mitchell (Dennis Quaid). Yet that's not enough to get him in, and he becomes discouraged about it. One day while driving a golf ball goes through his window and learns it was five young boys from his school that did it, but instead of sending them to detention he forms the school's first golf team after seeing their dedication and talent. The only holdout is their leader, Joe (Julian Works), who doesn't want to play for a bunch of people who will make fun of them for their heritage. Eventually, though, Joe is won over by JB and with Frank as their assistant coach they play the ranks against the odds to qualify for the prestigious Texas State High School Golf Championship.

While films like this tend to fall under the weight of their own cliches, director/writer Julio Quintana and co-writers Paco Farias and Jennifer Stetson sidestep those cliches in a way that still makes them prominent, but not cartoonish. There's more to the story than an underdog tale of misplaced youths who come together over a shared love of the game with a sympathetic yet stern coach who pushes them to become more than they think they could while one of their own suffers stronger hurdles than the others yet knowing he'll eventually come back and lead the team to vic...well, actually I guess the film really is just that. It is riddled with cliches, but done so in a way that makes it endearing and not irritating. You know the outcome, but as they say, "it's not about the destination, but it's about the journey."

That journey takes hold when we see these Mexican youths that are looked down upon by their white, racist townsfolk who have to literally build their own golf course since they can't play at the real ones because they're just seen as caddies. Each character has their own charm and charisma, even though honestly I only knew one of their names. They gelled well together, and their acting talent made you feel like they've been friends for years. The comradere between them and JB and Mike is the bleeding heart of the film, and grounds it from becoming too overly generic.

If you're looking for an uplifting, moving, crowd-pleasing film about battling the odds and overcoming adversity to be able to do what you truly love, "The Long Game" is the film for you.

The Score: B+