Film Review - The Phantom of the Open (2022)

Golf. One of the nation’s biggest and most treasured sports whose origins, reportedly, trace back thousands of years to the Romans with its true beginnings up for much debate. For many, it began properly in 15th century Scotland and, if you’ve had the pleasure of watching the late, great Robin Williams describe on his Live on Broadway stand-up show from 2002, you’ll know that without prior knowledge you’d question why the game with weird sticks, gopher holes hundreds of yards away and sandboxes did strike a chord. Alas, the rest is history.

Maurice Flitcroft (Mark Rylance) is looking for more out of life: a crane operator by day, he believes he is meant for something better and not seeing his age as any hindrance on what he can achieve, sets his mind on becoming a golfer. Without any experience or knowhow, Maurice has the drive and determination of a thousand men and, after some quick-fire lessons, applies for the 1976 British Open and succeeds in getting accepted. He quickly realises his game is far off the professionals on the tour but decides that despite his handicap, he decides to carry on, spurred on by his family and his wife Jean (Sally Hawkins).

If you’ve been following the career of writer/director Craig Roberts thus far you might be surprised by the fact that he has taken on a film about golf but strip away the sport and the subjects of family, unfulfilled dreams, misplaced hopes, and the desire to succeed fall right within his wheelhouse. Many will suggest this to be the filmmaker’s most accessible or mainstream film to date but while the latter may be true, Roberts‘ keen eye for life and all its details, coupled with his heightened reality and off-kilter humour mesh beautifully with Simon Farnaby‘s wonderfully witty, uplifting script – based on the book he co-wrote about the real Maurice – and its welcoming tone.

Some of the dream sequences that worked so well in his previous film, the wonderful Eternal Beauty (seek out if you’ve not had the pleasure as it got a little lost in cinema closures/restrictions in 2020) pop their head in here and only add to the joyous, infectious nature of a film that’s both whimsical and magical all at once. It isn’t perfect – there are a few moments that don’t quite work as well as others and some of the sub-plots feel under-cooked – but this is Maurice’s story and, blimey, is it a cracker.

Of course, Roberts’ casting team has done him proud as from top to bottom the ensemble is immaculate, with Rylance leading the charge with another spectacular turn. He’s in the realm of false teeth again after his electric portrayal in Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up but that doesn’t detract from a vibrant, pithy performance that’s as funny as it is enchanting, helping to get us all wrapped up in 9-irons, putters and bucket hats, while Sally Hawkins proves again to be a national treasure as Jean with another illuminating, heartfelt turn.

If there’s any justice in the film world, this one will both find an audience and not be forgotten this time next year when we dive headfirst into the new horizons of Awards Season 2023 as it certainly is worthy. For now, we will settle for this exquisitely made and effortlessly charming comedy getting the punters into the cinemas once more and soaring on the wings of its central character’s infectious view on life – and we could all do with that right now.