The Phantom of the Open
A charming slice of history, presented with humor, warmth and pathos.
Maurice Flitcroft (Mark Rylance) gets the inside scoop from his son Michael (Jake Davies), that the company he’s a crane operator for is about to make his position redundant. Encouraged by wife Jean (Sally Hawkins), he decides to pursue his dream of playing in golf in The British Open Golf Championship - despite never having played before. A series of form mishaps means he is accepted, and due to classism preventing his practicing on any courses prior to the tournament, he shoots the worst round in the history of the Open. In the process, however, Maurice becomes a folk hero - affectionately known as The Phantom of the Open.
The Phantom of the Open is a beautiful film - the sort of funny and heartwarming piece that they just don't make anymore, particularly in these days of big budget blockbusters and special effects. With such a small scale story, told with such emotionality, the film really worms its way into your heart. I was smiling throughout, and crying by the end.
Director Craig Roberts treats the subject matter with incredible nuance, easily treading the line between making this a smile and laugh inducing comedic piece with heart, without putting down the lead character. It’s a tightrope to walk, but Roberts does so - especially with the help of Mark Rylance, who imbues the somewhat bumbling main character with a sense of slow wit and deep thought that makes his at times outrageous decisions almost reasonable.
Mark Rylance and Sally Hawkins are equally incredible in their performance work, gifting the movie a bevy of beautiful little touchstone moments. The film feels like Happy Gilmore or Caddyshack, but with strong undercurrents of classic British rom-coms like Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Visually, the film is also a lot of fun, with a strong mix of nostalgia laden period content, whimsical fantasy sequences, and quiet, small, tender moments. What it all adds up to is a movie that feels driven, purposeful, humorous and engaging, while also buoyantly optimistic and heartfelt.
