For whom the golf is not just a sport.
I don't know the history of golf because I'm not a regular follower of the game other than knowing a few names from this generation. So Severiano Ballesteros is an unheard name to me until I saw this beautiful film. I'm glad I saw it for the many reasons like that.
All the films are not for just entertainment, some are the great historical account that makes it reach in a wider distance like this one. Every sports produced its own legends, and so this film is focused on golf. One of the best sport-drama I have ever seen and an important film based on the golf, specially dedicated to Seve fans.
An English-Spanish language film produced with the collaboration of Britain-Spain. It sets in a small coastal town of the northern Spain in the year 1967 where the 10 year old Seve introduced to us. Being born in a hardworking farmer family and after losing interest in the studies, how he develops a passion towards the golf is what the film portraits. At the young age he begins to think of the game of all the time and it becomes his life. With the support from his family and trained himself in the harsh conditions make him turn into one of the gifted golfer in the history.
This is one of the strangest screen presentations I have seen. It is nothing visual spectacular, or if you expect it to be a film that recreates his whole life, then you might end in a disappointment. Because it was a mix of the feature film as well as the documentary. His childhood days before he becomes a pro was awesomely cinematised and the rest was the archive footages from all the tournament he had competed.
"The one with biggest heart will win."
That's the part anybody must not miss it because some of the greatest shots he ever played and when he teed off a bad shot, how he came back to the game was so inspiring. His spellbinding techniques and as a humble human being, anyone who does not know would to begin to like him like I did. The blend in narration between the real videos and actors performed were amazing. A perfect screen exhibition for a great sporting personality.
Coming from an economically poor family did not stop him to pursue his dream. Everyone goes through a struggle while chasing such dream, and so Seve did despite very talented. It was a long journey that covered most of his life. With the interview clippings attached to it, lets us know his many unknown qualities of his family, friends, former teammates and opponents recalling their memories. Including some of his old interviews where he reveals how much he loved the game.
It was not your usual biographical-sport film, but surely a must see. Very cleverly written screenplay and obviously wonderful editing. Especially if you're a Severiano Ballesteros' fan, you'll definitely love to see him in the film. This is how you showcase a legend on the screen if making money from the product is not an agenda, but letting the world who is Severiano Ballesteros.
Actually, it was directed by a documentary filmmaker, so he excelled it. But the sad part is the film did not reach a wider audience or even the golf fans as it should have been. Mainly because the film did not see the worldwide release, but it is available in the digital format. So I hope my review made you a curious about it and I once gain hope you would recommend it to your friends.
9/10
