History loves pioneers, doesn’t it? You know, those underthanked souls who fought taboo, precedence, and public sentiment to walk so that others may run. Like in today’s film, The Long Game, in which Mexican-American teens formed a high school golf team in the 1950s. Why, without their inspiration, we’d never know the names of [insert name here] and [insert name here]. Ok, so I can’t name any Mexican-American golfers, like, at all. Ever. The important thing is we as a nation now have a much stronger appreciation for Mexican immigrants in general.
Ok, so I don’t exactly see the impact of this history, but inspiring history it is all the same, I suppose. Look, I sure as Hell wouldn’t want to be a Hispanic kid on an American golf course right now, let alone the 1950s.
The kids are caddies, of course, and tipped far worse than their white peers, no matter the service they deliver. That’s how they end up being familiar with the swanky country club in border town Del Rio, Texas. After hours, they created their own 1-hole course where -one would hope- five teenage boys keep out of trouble.
Yeah, that statement will fly only for those who don’t know any teenage boys. Group leader Joe Trevino (Julian Works) decides not to bother with the “closest to the pin” contest, and instead aims for and nails the driver-side window of a passing car. And who is operating the car but JB Peña (Jay Hernandez), their new school superintendent.
Awkward.
How are the boys punished for such vandalism? “I want you to start a golf team.” Aw, man. Can’t I just get community service or jail time? Like it or not, San Felipe High is going to have a golf team … and it is going to feature a slew of folks who aren’t allowed on Texas private golf courses as anything other than caddy or maintenance crew. But with the guidance of JB and his war buddy, Frank (Dennis Quaid), the boys have the ability to change neither hearts nor minds.
The latter is evident early on when the boys nearly get dismissed from a tournament just for the crime of not being w
hite and, afterwards, are refused service at a diner … for not being white. The latter scene ends with golf balls pitched at glass windows. Don’t worry, San Felipe High, I’m sure you’ll be mistaken for some other Mexican-American school golf team.
I found much of this film frustrating, for it begins as JB’s selfish desire to belong to a club where they don’t want him and morphs into JB thrusting kids into a club where they don’t want them, either. As superintendent, JB’s consistent message is: “The only way these boys are going to advance in life is by playing by the rules.” I understand where that message comes from, and while it’s not wrong, it’s not quite right, either. This country is replete with folks who “played by the rules” and never advanced anyway because of discrimination or education or lack of economic opportunity or just plain bad luck. It’s also a very frustrating movie theme – who wants to see a movie where everybody acts by the rules? Geez. May as well go to church.
Propelled by at least four (4) different “Golf is Life” metaphors (one even delivered by Cheech Marin!), The Long Game was neither short on cliché nor a strict paint-by-numbers feel. I cannot deny the spirit of the film, nor the positive vibe that went into the production, and yet, there isn’t much here and calling this historical outlier a significant development in ending racial discrimination is laughable. Caddyshack did more for promoting golf as a universal good than The Long Game did. For that matter, so did Happy Gilmore and Tin Cup and The Legend of Bagger Vance. I could go on.
There once was Latino soldier, JB
Who wanted a “perk” for serving country
Oh, sure “here’s a gun”
And “get those Nazis, son”
“But don’t you dare try to hit off the first tee”
Rated PG, 112 Minutes
Director: Julio Quintana
Writer: Paco Farias, Humberto G. Garcia, Julio Quintana
Genre: Racism: still messed up
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Mexican-American golfers
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: The WASPs who continue to resent Mexican influence in the United States
