The Greatest Game Ever Played

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The Greatest Game Ever Played

PG

2005

1h 55m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

62%

Tomatometer

105 Reviews

82%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Blue-collar Francis Ouimet (Shia LaBeouf) fights class prejudice while mastering golf, a game guarded by the upper crust. Employed as a caddy at the exclusive Brookline Country Club, Francis fine-tunes his skills during off hours. His father, Arthur (Elias Koteas), disapproves, but a few admirers help Francis enter the 1913 U.S. Open. The underdog competes against British star Harry Vardon (Stephen Dillane) and finds common ground with his boyhood idol. The film is based on a true story.

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Critics Consensus

Despite all the underdog sports movie conventions, the likable cast and lush production values make The Greatest Game Ever Played a solid and uplifting tale.

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Steven D. Greydanus

Decent Films

Oct 10, 2005

B+

The most visually and emotionally dynamic film ever made about a game of golf — perhaps the most visually and emotionally dynamic possible film about a game of golf.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Oct 8, 2005

3/4

...the veteran British character actor is so good as Vardon I can't imagine another inhabiting the role so wonderfully. Dillane adds so many layers, so many idiosyncratic quirks, that the golfer comes to life the very first moment he takes the screen.

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Mark Holcomb

Village Voice

Oct 4, 2005

Ouimet versus Vardon probably was the greatest golf game ever played, and Paxton and Frost do it justice, but I wouldn't sit through another simulated hole of it for Tiger Woods's salary.

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Robert Roten

Laramie Movie Scope

Sep 7, 2014

B

The game is full of suspense, twists and turns. The characters are fascinating. The locations, sets and costume designs are all first-rate. The story is held back by the Disney formula, but is strong enough to overcome it.

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James Plath

Movie Metropolis

Jun 16, 2009

7/10

The characters model some wonderful behavior for youngsters%u2014things like tolerance, restraint, persistence, good manners, and good sportsmanship. Things that, sadly, seem to have gone the way of knickers.

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Jules Brenner

Cinema Signals

Jun 12, 2009

2/5

I don't want to just take their word for it! Show me what was so special about this guy's game!!

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 7, 2026

This movie was about a guy who went on to become the worlds greatist golfer

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Alex B

@ALEXANDRIA123 Aug 25, 2026

As a longtime golfer, I consider this movie with its music, direction, production, cinematography, an authentic characterization of the game of golf at that time in history is outstanding!! I believe the previous reviews understated the significance of the true artistry that was displayed in the storyline of this movie and will be one of my all-time favorites, regardless of Shia LaBeouf’s history of substance abuse. Additionally, I believe true golfers that have seen this 2005 movie would say it’s one of the best of its kind even though the majority of the actors were unknown!! Alex b

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Henry D

@Henry_Domke May 22, 2026

So many things contributed to this film’s success, but the editing and music stood out. The acting was excellent, even though almost everyone was unfamiliar to me. The romantic interest was nicely underplayed. The true story was powerfully told and built to a beautiful ending. Lorna said "It makes me so happy."

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Mar 25, 2026

The worldwide gross is $15,431,177.00.

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James B

@RT54975811 Jan 10, 2026

This was a really good movie. I love sports movies when they are done really well, and this one is really worth a watch. I thought this one was a pretty good movie.

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Youssef K.

@KingJoeyseph56 Dec 20, 2025

A very boring movie. Way too much dialogue. 🗑️😡

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Bill Paxton

Director

Shia LaBeouf

Francis Ouimet

Stephen Dillane

Harry Vardon

Josh Flitter

Eddie Lowery

Peyton List

Sarah Wallis

Elias Koteas

Arthur Ouimet

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80%

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Synopsis

Blue-collar Francis Ouimet (Shia LaBeouf) fights class prejudice while mastering golf, a game guarded by the upper crust. Employed as a caddy at the exclusive Brookline Country Club, Francis fine-tunes his skills during off hours. His father, Arthur (Elias Koteas), disapproves, but a few admirers help Francis enter the 1913 U.S. Open. The underdog competes against British star Harry Vardon (Stephen Dillane) and finds common ground with his boyhood idol. The film is based on a true story.

Director: Bill Paxton
Producer: Larry Brezner, David Steinberg
Screenwriter: Mark Frost, Mark Frost
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co: Walt Disney Pictures
Rating: PG (Mild Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 30, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 5, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $15.3M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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