The Long Game

For as long as there have been movies, the "underdog" niche has been popular. What's not to like about watching someone (or someones) come from behind to show the rest of us that, in the right circumstances, anything is possible? Golf might seem at first like a poor fit for this category, but of course the real story is about discrimination. It works. Jay Hernandez is the glue that keeps the attention of the audience, and he basically steals every scene not otherwise nailed down. Quaid has recently started a "second career" as an older actor playing older parts. And he is good in all of them. The 1950s are a welcome distraction for viewers in an age where modern and now both seem somehow inauthentic and wrong. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

This is a wonderful family indie film. The second half of the movie is worthy of an Oscar. I laughed, I cried two or three times, had goosebumps, and really enjoyed the story. My only comment is it has a bit of a slow burn set up but it was still totally entertaining throughout. It was extremely well shot and directed, and oh by the way Cheech is a gem! I wish he had more lines he's such a natural. Actually my teenagers really enjoyed it too.

Finally; Although the setting is 1950's The Long Game still feels very current and topical in today's political environment. Cheers to a great team for pulling this off, I enjoyed it just as much if not more the second time I saw it!

It's 1956 Del Rio, Texas. JB Peña (Jay Hernandez) is the new principal at San Felipe High School which serves mostly local Mexican-American kids. His mentor Frank Mitchell (Dennis Quaid) tries to get him into the exclusive country club, but they reject him as a member. At the school, he encounters five teenagers who are caddies at the club, but would never be allowed to play there. He decides to form a high school golf team with those kids.

This is the standard underdog sports movie with a whole lot of social commentary. It is a little long and a little slow around the middle. Although I wouldn't know what to cut. It is trying to say a lot with a lot of characters. I do wonder about the climatic arrest. It's too convenient to happen at that moment and feels manufactured. Maybe it actually happened. This movie just needs a little less, but it's plenty good.

The Long Game is based on true events of a group of Mexican American caddies who are set out to learn the sport of golf. In 1956, South Texas region the boys create their own course because they are not welcome on the same course as white golfers. Jay Hernandez plays the superintendent of the local school district and he takes the kids under his wing along with Dennis Quaid to help nurture them into fine golfers and to compete against all the other golfers. Oscar Nunez acts as the principal of the high school, Cheech Marin as the groundskeeper, Jaina Lee Ortiz and Gillian Vignam are the spousal support system for the boys and Brett Cullen as the local judge who disallows the boys to compete on his grounds. This movie was the Field Of Dreams type of feel good film but for golf. The boys did win the championship in 1957 and some of them went on to compete in the PGA. Overall it was a good family movie, I would recommend it.

A superintendent and five high school students set out to show that everyone, even Mexicans, is welcome on the golf course. They start a golf team with a single goal: to win and reach the state championship. Along the way, they face racism and obstacles but do not waver in their goal.

This is an inspirational true story about a group of teenagers and their coaches going against the odds and societal norms. The film has a bit of comedy, emotion, drama, and golf. The film quickly gets to the main parts of the story, sharing details and backstory along the way. The film is not heavy on golf but has enough to keep golf and non-golf fans interested. The film sheds some light on how non-white American soldiers were treated during and after the war, which is eye-opening and heartbreaking. This is a great sports film, regardless of whether you are a golf fan.