Jack Lemon walks out onto the fairway and has a heart attack. During this surprisingly un-traumatic experience he relives (that is, narrates to us) a story about a mysteriously wise (perhaps mythical) caddy that comes to the aid of a broken man back during the great depression. The story is told in the style of mid-80's films (like "The Natural"): warm, big, movie-like. Nothing is all that real, but really swell nonetheless.

No artificial enemy torments our protagonists for tension (I found that refreshing). Well, there is a play at it early on, but most of the story's conflict rests squarely on Rannulph Junuh's struggle with himself. He's a first rate golfer, struck down in his prime (note the similarity to "The Natural") by war memories. The whole town of Savannah needs him to step up and play a big match against the two best golfers of the era.

Damon (as Junuh) plays fine enough, but you might think that Robert Redford would be a "Natural" for the part, in which case you wouldn't be surprised to learn Redford directs. Actually, the actor I think of as a young Redford came to my mind - Brad Pitt. And though Will Smith does a better job than anticipated of playing the wise old (er... young) caddy Bagger Vance, Morgan Freemon would have been the more obvious choice. Yeah, Pitt and Freemon - I'm sure of it. Aside from that, the other casting choices were excellent. J. Michael Moncrief stroking a better than par swing as the 10-year-old Jack lemon.

Schmaltzy, sure...
"God is happiest when his children are at play."
"Harmony of the ball and field."
"Let the swing choose you."

Rolling off the green on a few strokes, the picture lays the ball right in the hole a couple of times as well. Improvements could have been made by striking Junuh with a few more (and detailed) flashbacks of wartime misery. Also, I'd have woven that last dance into a thing of beauty rather than a loose end in need of tying. That said, in a gentle and warm kind of way, I enjoyed the film. Not over the top great, but decidedly above average.