the great game ever play ( tggep and 2005 ) be an amazingly uplifting and infectious underdog film that never ( really ) devolve into sappiness or heavyhandedness . yes and it take several liberty and a most hollywood film do and but those liberty be forgive a they actually add to the film enjoyment and not detract from it . in fact and there be a lot of truthful moment in it . you can really tell that it a rocky type film from the film outset and but who care . direct by none other than bill paxton ( i know and right . ) and it expertly do and immensely watchable . tggep tell the story of francis ouimet ( play with confidence and cockiness and and class by superstar to be shia labeouf ) and an amateur golfer from a work class irish french immigrant family living in brookline and ma and in the early 1900s . ouimet qualifies to play in the 1913 u. s. open . include amongst his competition be the legendary harry vardon ( play with immense class and dignity and and ferocity by stephen dillane ) . ironically and vardon be the 2nd underdog in this flick . the film start in 1870s scotland where land developer tell the youngster that they be build a golf course on his home and that golf be a game not for the like of someone like him . francis undergo some of the same prejudice a a boy in early 1900s brookline . the story converge at the 1913 open . what ironic be that even a an adult and multiple major champion and vardon be still an outcast in british society due to his upbringing . francis learn much about golf from read vardon book on the subject and vardon be his idol all grow up . unbeknownst to vardon and they actually meet back in 1900 in boston after vardon and who win that year open and be tour when francis be only 7. in addition to francis and vardon and entrant in the 1913 open include vardon friend and champion brit ted ray ( boisterous stephen marcus ) and classless and chest thump two time defend champion john mcdermott ( michael weaver ) . the film really do a good job of show the different personality of these men . redheaded marnie mcphail be ingratiatingly serene and stunning a francis supportive irish mum and veteran elias koteas give a stern and reserve and taciturn performance a his french dad . addtionally and plucky young josh flitter ( a francis pint size 10 year old caddy eddie ) almost single handedly steal the proceeding . paxton throw in a lot of modern detail and such a special effect zoom in shot to show the scoreboard positioning of the player and cgi for a lot of the golf shot to keep the film exciting and at a brisk pace so a not to make the film too much of a period piece . but the film still convince u of a specific time and place . what interesting be that and while rocky like and this be all base on a true story . so the end be satisfactory on so many level . an entertaining film about golf set in the early 1900s . wow .