When I first heard about this film, saw the people involved as well as the trailer, it just screamed classic British comedy that will be comfortable viewing.
Watching these types of films is usually quite relaxing and almost makes you proud to be British. The stories usually portray why we love a plucky underdog, why we triumph over adversity and why stories like this inspire the working class.
I'm happy to say that you get exactly what you expect.
For someone like myself who is surrounded by Golf both at home and in my local area, I was surprised that I did not know this story at all. Particularly when my hometown gets a nice little mention during the film.
In terms of structure, it's fairly formulaic with a few dream sequences that was a nice change of pace. But there were moments where I felt it was always on the verge of turning into a musical, which I think would have been a welcome shift in genre.
Despite the film making you root for the protagonist, there are decisions made that unintentionally makes you question whether he is actually a hoaxer or just an innocent dreamer. That being said, I feel it won't be a big enough distraction from the overall viewing experience.
That is helped a lot by the cast that features a lot of pairs of safe hands. Mark Rylance's humble screen presence continues to work and was the right man for this type of role. He is very easy to root for and his comedic timing makes it a solid comedy whilst managing to tug the heart strings towards the end.
That is also thanks to his on-screen chemistry with the always great Sally Hawkins.
Outside of them, there is solid support by Christian and Jonah Lees, Rhys Ifans and Mark Lewis Jones.
While it might not bring anything new to the table, it's execution makes for a charming watch. There is always something about these types of stories that attracts an audience and it will never change.
It's the film equivalent of 'light reading' that will lift your spirits with pleasing visuals, engaging performances and a feel-good vibe that gives it solid re-watchability.
Rating: 7/10
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