Movies

The Phantom Of The Open movie review

Is it open season on a true golf lesson?

What’s it about?

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN tells the heartwarming true story of Maurice Flitcroft (Mark Rylance), a dreamer and unrelenting optimist. This humble crane operator from Barrow-in-Furness managed to gain entry to The British Open Golf Championship qualifying in 1976, despite never playing a round of golf before. He shot the worst round in Open history and drew the ire of the golfing elite, but became a folk hero in the process.

What did we think?

Anthony Sherratt says: PHANTOM OF THE OPEN is a wonderfully sincere film about one of sport’s quirkiest moments. Genuine characters capture your heart and the true-but-almost-unbelievable story tickles your funny bone. 

It’s a film lacking any pretension, instead focusing on the human capacity to not only dream but dream big. As such, it’s difficult to find excessive fault with a movie that contains lovely performances and even lovelier messages. 

A movie for everyone.

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Anthony has been reviewing movies for over 30 years (it may be longer now as he may have forgotten to add an extra year on). He lectures in journalism at the prestigious Queensland University of Technology and in addition to freelance writing, works with the charity Hands Across The Water. In a busy life, insomnia is his friend.
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