Review: Seven Days in Utopia
One of the most inspirational writers whose work I've enjoyed reading is Harvey Penick, a golf professional and coach from Austin, Texas. Penick began his golf career as a caddy at Austin Country Club, and went on to coach at the University of Texas from 1931 to 1963. He co-authored with Texas Film Hall of Fame member Bud Shrake Harvey Penick's Little Red Book. The "must-read" book contained insightful anecdotes that applied beyond the game of golf -- life lessons on mental focus as well as achieving goals.
Like Penick, Seven Days in Utopia -- opening Friday in Austin theaters -- employs a fictional character who serves up life and spiritual lessons through golf. Based upon Dr. David Cook's book Golf's Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia, this golf-related movie centers around two individuals who appear quite different at first: Johnny Crawford (Robert Duvall), an eccentric rancher with a passion for teaching golf and truth, and young golf professional Luke Chisholm (Lucas Black), who has crashed and burned on the golf mini-circuit. Chisholm's demanding father (Joseph Lyle Taylor) second-guesses and overrides his decisions, which doesn't help either. After Chisholm's bad shots on the golf course cost him a critical game, his father turns his back and walks away, as the young Chisholm explodes in anger on national television.
Narrowly avoiding a cow on the outskirts of Utopia, Texas, Chisholm winds up stranded after driving off the road onto Crawford's ranch and rural golf course where the old rancher offers life-altering advice on golf and faith. Through exposition, Chisholm discovers Crawford had his own glory and downfall in the world of golf amongst the masters, until the demon alcohol took away his success and ended his marriage. Through experience and faith, Crawford learned that one's significance is more important than success -- a lesson he imparts upon Chisholm.
Seven Days in Utopia is the directorial and screenwriting debut of visual effects coordinator Matt Russell (Live Free or Die Hard, Night at the Museum). Russell does an effective job at directing, from leads Black and Duvall in their third film together (Sling Blade and Get Low) as well as a strong supporting cast. Young actress Deborah Ann Woll portrays Sarah as a wholesome yet not naive young horsewoman, and veteran actresses Melissa Leo as the owner of the town's only cafe and motel owner Kathy Baker are well-cast.
Korean pro golfer K.J. Choi plays himself as Chisholm's chief competitor in Seven Days in Utopia. The filmmaker's claim to making the most technically accurate golf film appears well-founded, with a fair amount of time spent both on the putting green and links at the Valero Texas Open.
Despite the greatness of the directing and acting as well as lovely cinematography -- there were no drought conditions in lush Utopia, Texas -- Seven Days in Utopia fails in two ways. First is the overuse of every small-town Texas stereotype possible. Cowboy hats and boots abound, livestock wander aimlessly along county roads and cowboys fall into stock tanks and cow patties.
The second and more disconcerting is the overtly religious agenda of the film. I'm a firm supporter of strong character pieces that portray an individual's spiritual growth and faith, but the ultra-conservative slant of this film was unnerving. I wondered why Chisholm frowns upon Crawford's empty liquor bottle that was a "trophy," a reminder of his last bottle of alcohol and journey to a peaceful and significant existence. My suspicion of the conservative Christian message of Seven Days in Utopia was confirmed when Chisholm attempts to steal a kiss from Sarah and she rebukes him with, "No -- not yet."
Golf fans may find some minor enjoyment in Seven Days in Utopia, and the wholesomeness of this movie makes for a family-friendly outing. However, if you want to see a film about a character's struggle with and path to faith, I would suggest seeing the upcoming films Higher Ground or Machine Gun Preacher.
Austin/Texas Connections: Supporting actress Madison Burge (Friday Night Lights) is from Hutto, Texas, and Joseph Lyle Taylor is from Vidor. The movie was filmed in Fredericksburg and Utopia, Texas.