The Phantom of the Open

"Every dreamer deserves a shot."

2022 1h 46m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 137

DramaComedy

Synopsis

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Maurice Flitcroft, a dreamer and unrelenting optimist, managed to gain entry to The British Open Golf Championship qualifying in 1976 and subsequently shot the worst round in Open history, becoming a folk hero in the process.

“Every dreamer deserves a shot.”

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Cast

Mark Rylance
Maurice Flitcroft
Sally Hawkins
Jean Flitcroft
Jonah Lees
James Flitcroft
Christian Lees
Gene Flitcroft
Jake Davies
Michael Flitcroft
Mark Lewis Jones
Cliff
Johann Myers
Willie
Rhys Ifans
Keith Mackenzie

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Craig Roberts
Writers: Scott Murray, Simon Farnaby, Simon Farnaby
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 4 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Craig Roberts, shot by Kit Fraser. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Isobel Waller-Bridge. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Jonathan Amos shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Mark Rylance and Sally Hawkins and Jonah Lees carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Every dreamer deserves a shot.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt12572040 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Craig Roberts directs. Kit Fraser behind the camera. Isobel Waller-Bridge scores. Jonathan Amos cuts. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 4 years ago.
2Directed by Craig Roberts, shot by Kit Fraser. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Isobel Waller-Bridge. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Jonathan Amos shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Mark Rylance and Sally Hawkins and Jonah Lees carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Every dreamer deserves a shot.".
7IMDB entry: tt12572040 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 13 themes, including "underdog", "northern england", "based on novel or book", "sports".

The technical file

Cinematography: Kit Fraser
Original score: Isobel Waller-Bridge
Editing: Jonathan Amos
Production design: Sarah Finlay
Makeup / hair: Gemma Hoff
Runtime: 106 min · 1h 46m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: The Phantom of the Open (2022)

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Craig Roberts

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Community reviews

What people are saying

r96sk2022-03-24
★ 8/10
Much more heartfelt than expected - pleasingly so! <em>'The Phantom of the Open'</em> is a very sweet film, with Mark Rylance being the absolutely perfect lead for it - great performance from him! I also enjoyed the humour, with many lines amusing me - including one that was lost in translation... It's a great (based on a true) story, one I had somehow never heard of even as a sports (golf much less so, admittedly) fan; I did slightly recognise the name Maurice Flitcroft though. Even if you don't follow golf, it definitely works as a standalone thing and it doesn't heavily focus on the sport anyway; much more to it. Pretty neat to see Craig Roberts direct (his third, but first I've seen) this - I remember watching him act in TV's <em>'The Story of Tracy Beaker'</em> when I was a kid. Well in, Rio Wellard!
CinemaSerf2022-04-04
★ 7/10
Based on the true story of Maurice Flitcroft who was almost as bad a golfer as me, Mark Rylance is on super form. He works at the Barrow-in-Firness shipyard just as it's about to be wound down. Looking for something new to do, he alights on golf - a game he is singularly useless at. Having managed to enter the Open Championship and shoot a round of 121, just about everyone at the R&A wants to be shot of him - and so begins quite an engaging depiction of just how he tried to thwart them and play again. To be fair to Flitcroft, his golf did improve as his mantra of practice, practice, practice began to pay off. Sally Hawkins appears only sparingly, but is quite a good foil as his wife Jean and Rhys Ifans is also quite entertaining as the St. Andrew's man determined that our "phantom" should never pick up a club again. The narrative is amusing, but it also swipes at the cliquey, snobby, culture that prevailed at golf clubs unwilling to welcome a working class man. Clearly, Rylance was up for the part. He is enjoying himself and that is contagious. Maybe you wouldn't want to get into a golf buggy with him, or his slightly dodgy pal Cliff (Mark Lewis Jones) but a bit like "The Duke" (2020) it's a charming and characterful British film that does raise a smile.
Steve Parker2022-08-05
★ 8/10
PHANTOM OF THE OPEN is a hilarious true story of the world's worst golfer, Maurice Flitcroft (played by Mark Rylance). In 1976, Maurice tried to qualify for the British Open and shot the worst round in history. Despite his lack of skill, Maurice became a folk hero and inspired other dreamers to never give up. Craig Roberts directs the film with a light touch, making the most of the absurd situations Maurice finds himself in. Rylance is terrific in the lead role, infusing the character with both humour and pathos. The supporting cast is also excellent. The fact that the story of PHANTOM OF THE OPEN is true is astounding and, as the plot unfolds, it becomes increasingly jaw-dropping. This is a feel-good film with a message that will resonate with anyone who has ever had a dream. It's also extremely funny and very entertaining. Even if you're not a fan of golf, PHANTOM OF THE OPEN is sure to make you laugh. It's the perfect feel-good movie that will leave you feeling inspired. Highly recommended.