Seven Days in Utopia

I really enjoyed this movie. Nice faith message without being preachy. Really good characters & Robert Duvall is a treasure. Great part by Lucas Black.

Inspiring story of a golf player and part of his life's journey. Robert Duvall and Lucas Black play well.

"How can a game have such an affect on a man's soul? The way I see it, how can it not?" When Luke Chisolm's (Black) big chance at a golf tournament ends in a disaster he drives away wanting to give up golf. When an accident lands him in the town of Utopia he meets a rancher named Johnny Crawford (Duvall) who can teach him about golf, and much more. I have to admit that many of the "faith-based" movies that I have seen start off good then end up being very cheesy where everything works out perfect without any consequences or obstacles to avoid. This one was heading down that path but veered of sharply and ended up having one of the best endings I have seen in a movie. All that aside, this is a fantastic family movie that everyone will love and is a rare G rated movie that is good. While this is a golf movie, this is also so much more and Duvall plays a type of Mr. Myagi character in the way that only he can. I can go on and on about this movie but I will simply say...this is a must watch. Overall, one of the best sports movies to come out lately as well as one of the top ten of the year so far. I highly recommend. I give it an A.

*Also try - Greatest Game Ever Played & The Perfect Game

As I finished watching yet another ambiguous, artistic, morally grey, dramatic, and emotionally draining show, I saw this and figured why not. Yes, the script is VERY simple, the dialogue is sometimes dumb but overall, this movie was just a nice, easy to watch, feel good movie. It gave me a nice break from all the really dark and real content that is popular (not that either of those are bad). If you're looking for a basic movie that will simply entertain you, I'd say give this a shot. As I said, it's a feel good redemptive story with a great cast.

Some people, and some places change you. Seven days in Utopia is full of charm, specifically, small town southern charm. Utopia is a pretty good description of the depicted town. It's the kind of place that seems too good to be true. It gives off Heart of Dixie/Sweet Magnolia vibes. The cast is full of familiar faces. Actors with impressive credentials. They keep this movie from feeling too much like a Hallmark movie. While not widely considered the most exciting sport, this movie shows that golf can indeed be suspenseful and interesting. The storyline has similarities with The Karate Kid. A knowledgeable veteran in the sport trains a young man with potential by having him participate in ordinary activities that seem unrelated. It's a lighthearted, feel-good comeback story, but just beneath the surface is a much deeper message. It's a message about remembering what's most important in life. The conclusion of this movie was a pleasant surprise that cleverly drives this message home. I wanted to applaud because I found it refreshing, especially when compared to most faith-based sports movies. Because it's based on a book that has a sequel, the movie leaves some side storylines with plenty of more story to be told. But it concludes well enough to work as an enjoyable standalone movie. If I had to sum up this film with one word, it would be "likable." Likable characters, location, and story.