Review of Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004) by Mike S — 23 Feb 2011

This profile of golfer Bobby Jones, who was one of the preeminent athletes of the 1920s, doesn't quite come together the way it should. It looks great, with excellent cinematography. There's a good supporting cast.

I think Caviezel's performance in the title role and the script combine to hamper the picture. Caviezel portrays Jones almost as a addict. Jones says he plays golf because he loves it, but he's always scowling and tense.

It's more like plays golf because he's compelled to. It's hard to warm up to the character. And the script seems to move unevenly. Early on, it has a young Bobby playing well and getting better.

But when he starts competing in major tournaments, his doubts and his temper cause him grief. He matures and overcomes this, and the script goes searching for a new source of dramatic conflict and can't really find anything other than an obsession with golf that may be ruining Jones's marriage and health.

There's just not enough dramatic tension to keep the story interesting in the second half. The film is searching for a consistent narrative thread to tie it all together.