The Phantom of the Open

An extraordinary film, about a quite extraordinary bloke, who lived out his dreams, through countless excessive golf strokes, teed it up from the off, hole in one all the way, bunkered blinkered traditions, hats off, and fair play.

Such a charming film which I thoroughly enjoyed. The plot is so unbelievable and light-hearted it's amazing it's a true story. It's a wonderful message of following your dreams and the barriers that follow and family.

You really feel so connected to Morris and want him to succeed and follow the path he's carved out for himself. Rylance plays the role perfectly as his aloof and lovable character really shine across the film. The visual effects in some existential scenes was a really nice artistic choice and helps to hit home the passion Morris carries.

The comedy in this film never falls flat and I laughed out loud numerous times but this film also tugs on your heart strings as Morris' family life collides with his dream.

It's definitely worth a watch I know you will enjoy it.

Maurice Flitcroft is a crane operator at a shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, England. After never having played a round of golf in his life and with an estimation of his golf abilities that far exceeded them, he applies to play in the 1976 British Open. To his surprise, his application is accepted. In the opening round he shoots 121, the highest round of golf at a major tournament. This is his (largely true) story.

Several years ago I heard of Maurice Flitcroft and his golf notoriety. As someone who likes playing golf but isn't much good at it, his story appealed to me. The fact that this was also an up yours to sports administrators and put their noses out of joint also appealed to me and I have a dim regard for sports administrators. So, imagine my delight when I discovered that a movie had been made out of his story.

The golf side of the story is as entertaining as you'd imagine. What's more, he didn't just play at the 1976 British Open but managed to get in a few more times after that! This just makes it even more engaging.

I was expecting the non-golf stuff to be a bit dull and more there to pad out the time but it's actually quite interesting and engaging too. There's a good feel for the family dynamic and how Flitcroft's naïve optimism rubs off on his children. Makes for some heart-warming scenes, especially towards the end.

On that note, Mark Rylance is great as Flitcroft, imbuing him with a great sense of innocence and positivity, a man who believes that anything is possible and that you don't know until you try. His demonstrations of his massively inflated view of his own golf abilities are quite funny and something to behold.

This sense of innocence and of an average guy just having a go makes Flitcroft very supportable and very relatable.

Much more heartfelt than expected - pleasingly so!

'The Phantom of the Open' is a very sweet film, with Mark Rylance being the absolutely perfect lead for it - great performance from him! I also enjoyed the humour, with many lines amusing me - including one that was lost in translation...

It's a great (based on a true) story, one I had somehow never heard of even as a sports (golf much less so, admittedly) fan; I did slightly recognise the name Maurice Flitcroft though. Even if you don't follow golf, it definitely works as a standalone thing and it doesn't heavily focus on the sport anyway; much more to it.

Pretty neat to see Craig Roberts direct (his third, but first I've seen) this - I remember watching him act in TV's 'The Story of Tracy Beaker' when I was a kid. Well in, Rio Wellard!

The sensational sports-comedy drama tells the true remarkable tale that you will struggle to believe. With plenty of heart, and a lot of laughs, The Phantom of the Open is a story worth knowing.

Amateur golfer Maurice Flitcroft achieves his late-in-life goal of participating in the British Open Golf Championship, much to the ire of the staid golfing community.

Mark Rylance seemingly twists the image of the stern and serious Maurice Flitcroft to cleverly compliment the comedic effect. The Oscar-winning actor offers an innocent portrayal of the man who we as the audience sympathise with. This champions Flitcroft's journey, similar to Hawkins' loveble appreciation for her husband as Jean (Flitcroft). The transition from chain-smoking ship yard crane-operator to self-professed professional golfer is one that will have you scratching your eyeballs, however, is key in delivering a moral message to chase your dreams no matter what; one which Flitcroft encouraged with his two sons - whom provide excellent entertainment value with their breakdancing successes and their attempts at caddying.

The light-hearted nature of Rylance's Flitcroft softens the drama of the spectacle, altercations within the family sphere are resolved through understanding and compassion. The screenplay, written by Simon Farnaby who also stars, does the trip from Barrow to the British Open justice; the script is hilarious, though ensures to be thorough in its telling, a neat cyclical structure beginning and ending and ending a humerus BBC interview.

Maurice Gerald Flitcroft died in 2007 at the age of 77. A moment featuring a young Tiger Woods at the Flitcroft-inspired new golf tournament in Michigan celebrating the less-skilled golfing enthusiasts epitomised the legacy that Maurice had left. That legacy lives on.