Pjtaylor-96-138044 Review of The Phantom of the Open

The Phantom of the Open (2021)

Neither a bogey nor a birdie, this biopic just about makes par.

[6/10 · 29 April 2023]

Neither a bogey nor a birdie, this sports biopic just about makes par thanks to its breezy screenplay and likeable performances. 'The Phantom Of The Open (2022)' is what you'd expect from a feel-good flick of its kind. It tells the tale of a crane worker who, when facing possible redundancy, decides to take up golf by jumping in the deep end and entering the British Open as a 'professional'. The picture's bread and butter is its 'follow your dreams' and 'practice is the road to perfection' messaging, as it hammers home both of these themes at every opportunity. It's a little overbearing at times, especially during the forced 'all is lost' moment as the piece approaches its final act, but it works well enough for what it is. Some of the character conflict feels a little false, but it builds to a schmalzy ending designed to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Although the feature isn't as funny as some people have claimed it to be, it's an affable tale that provokes more than a few smiles. It's unremarkable, but not necessary in a bad way. It's essentially everything it needs to be. Even though it doesn't exceed expectations, it's entertaining enough for what it is. It's a good effort overall.