Phantom of the Open
Ten Second Review: An antidote to King Richard, Mark Rylance shines in this heartwarming tale of shooting your shot being more important than it hitting the target.
I’d never head of Maurice Flitcroft. Admittedly I’m not a golf fan and his antics predate my years somewhat, but I couldn’t be more glad to have now heard his story.
A crane operator in Barrow in Furness, Maurice has done well by his family his whole life. He has always pushed them to succeed and dream big, but when he finally gets asked what his dreams are, he’s not quite sure. After seeing golf on the telly, he decides he’ll try that. After all, the British Open should be open to everyone…
It is often inspiring to hear stories of people working hard to achieve a long held dream. A person with skill and determination overcoming the odds to prove their talents or abilities to the world. It can be as moving and thought provoking as it is uplifting.
A lesser explored story is someone trying something new with no expectation of success but a hope for acceptance and a notion that trying is more important than succeeding. Maurice Flitcroft is that story.
This film is as charming as you’d hope, but it’s charm is not just carried through it’s production, which is delightful. It’s not just Mark Rylance and Sally Hawkins’ helming of the story through their excellent acting, or the creative and surprising filmmaking. What really builds this film’s charm is Flitcroft’s ethos.
“Why not?”
Most of us will never be world number 1 at something, does that mean never trying anything new? Does that mean never learning a new skill?
Phantom of the Open is not a story about succeeding, it’s a story about trying and it’s a story it tells very well. While it may not gain huge amounts from a cinema viewing, I would encourage you to go and support this story.
I hope, if you have a shot you’re hesitating to shoot, that you do. Missing has got to be better than never trying and always wondering. Pick up that new craft, make that dish you saw on Instagram, learn that new skill. If it sucks, that’s fine, practice is the road to perfection.
