A Water Hazard Runs Through It
The Legend Of Bagger Vance
A film review by Michael Redman Copyright 2000 by Michael Redman
** (out of ****)
At times we all would like a mysterious stranger to emerge from the mists and impart sage wisdom that sets our life back on the path. And wouldn't it be great if that guy had the coolness of Will Smith?
Rannulph Junuh (Matt Damon shot through the "Look Like Robert Redford" camera filter) has just such a stroke of luck. The promising suthuun golf pro turned shell-shocked ex-GI is enticed to play in a big-time tournament, but soon discovers that his game don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. Then raggedy man Bagger Vance (Smith) steps out of the night to put his driver one with the universe.
The film has the feel of director Redford's recent efforts: "The Horse Whisperer" and "A River Runs Through It". Mysticism mixed with a rough manliness and topped with feel-good ending.
Cinematographer Michael Ballhaus's work is so beautiful that it's tempting to ignore the movie's faults as he turns the game of golf into visual feast. Tempting, but not impossible. Sports as a metaphor for life has to tread a fine line between inspiration and corn. There's no tightrope walking here. Redford topples into cartoonsville.
The Savannah town council is so goofy it could have been pulled from "The Music Man". Junuh is "rescued" from a life of good-time drinking and poker playing with his buddies. Not too bad a briar patch and it's difficult to have much sympathy.
We never come to know much about any of these genteel folk. Vance himself is the only character that works and that's because he isn't supposed to be a normal human being. A black Zen Master in the Depression-era deep South: this is not an ordinary traveler.
(You can hear the casting discussion between Redford and Smith: "I'm supposed to do _what_?" "Well, you gots to shuffle like Steppin Fetchit, but the upside is that you can almost walk on water.")
It's a pretty pretty film and worth a viewing just for that and Smith's performance, but come on Bob, give us a story with people next time, huh?
(Michael Redman has written this column for a quarter century and for him, golf is a game of looking for white Easter eggs in the woods. Pros can send tips to redman@bluemarble.net.)
[This appeared in the 11/9/2000 "Bloomington Independent", Bloomington, Indiana. Michael Redman can be contacted at redman@bluemarble.net.] -- mailto:redman@bluemarble.net Film reviews archive: http://us.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Michael%20Redman
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