ROLL M: The Legend of Bagger Vance |
The Legend of Bagger Vance (starring Will Smith, Matt Damon, Charlize Theron, Bruce McGill, Joel Gretsch; written by Jeremy Leven, based on the novel by Steven Pressfield; co-produced, and directed by Robert Redford; rated PG-13.)
Robert Redford, the actor-director who boasted matinee-idol good looks in his youth (actually, he’s still a fox), has tapped into a tried-and-true Hollywood formula for The Legend of Bagger Vance. It might have been called The Golf Natural or maybe Golf Course of Dreams. The theme is hardly original.
But Redford brings his usually dreamy watercolor touch to the movie, along with some usual characters. There’s Will Smith as the movie’s eponymous lead, who doesn’t even materialize (literally) until about halfway through the picture. Unfortunately, we don’t learn much about Bagger, a somewhat one-dimensional golf guru whose sole purpose seems to be to coach Matt Damon (as Rannulph Junuh). Junuh has “lost his swing” (read: he’s in a funk). Since watching his platoon buddies die in World War I, he has been on a poker-playing, boozing bender. Can Bagger help Junuh get back his swing(and, of course, his life), take on the pros (McGill and Gretsch as real-life golf legends Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones), and come from behind to gain honor for Savannah? Can you say “Rocky” clone?
Charlize Theron is probably the best thing this movie has to offer. She’s proving more and more with each picture that she doesn’t have to play second banana to an ape (as in her earlier turn in Mighty Joe Young). Her portrayal of Southern belle Adele Invergordon, who stages the tournament to rekindle interest in her daddy’s failing golf property, proves she’s an actress with a very promising future.
The same cannot be said for this movie, however. While I liked the story (I’ve always liked this story), Redford could have tightened up some of the golf scenes, which I found about as exciting as hand counting ballots in Florida – necessary, but tedious.
THREE OWLS OUT OF FIVE