Shipyard crane operator Maurice Flitcroft (Mark Rylance) is contemplating a career change. When he chances upon a game of golf while watching TV one evening, he’s launched into a new world. Literally. Director Craig Roberts plonks Flitcroft into a surreal dream sequence in which the character ascends an Astroturf staircase in his dressing gown and slippers. He’s flung around the world like a golf ball, dizzy with the sense of possibility.
This whimsical comedy-drama tells the true story of Flitcroft, a daffy father of three, who blagged a spot in the 1976 Open championship, setting a new record for the tournament’s highest ever score. Roberts finds humour in golf’s topsy-turvy rules: the higher the score, the worse the game. The amateur player is a clear threat to anyone within hitting distance, but he also represents a challenge to the elitism of the sport. Undeterred by failure (and a lifetime ban), he re-enters under a fresh alias, donning a French accent and a moustache.
“An open championship should be open to everyone,” says Flitcroft, who has his eyes on the competition’s £10,000 prize. Back in the day, he promised his wife, Jean (Sally Hawkins), champagne, caviar and diamonds. At the age of 46, he’s determined not to let her down. Isobel Waller-Bridge’s fizzy, hopeful score bolsters the optimistic mood. Despite the inherent silliness, the actors play it straight. There’s an earnestness to Rylance’s performance, which encourages us to find inspiration in the underdog.
