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Winner of the Audience Award at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival, “The Long Game” is a thoroughly predictable, yet thoroughly fascinating period drama. Set in 1950s Texas, the film follows five Mexican-Americans who triumph against all odds, overcoming adversity, prejudice, and periodic self-doubt in their quest for the Texas High School Golf Championship trophy. It focuses on the true stories of young people.
Jay Hernandez stars as J.B. Peña, a World War II veteran who becomes the superintendent of Del Rio’s San Felipe High School, but rather than succeeding in academia, he plays J.B. Peña.・I want to improve my golf skills near a country club. . The problem is that JB is refused membership despite a strong recommendation from the club’s former manager, Frank Mitchell (Dennis Quaid), a professional golfer. As the club director bluntly explained, the other members “just aren’t used to seeing Mexicans.” At the golf course. ” If JB were to play there, he would be Frank’s guest.
In fact, the only people of color we see on the field are Polo (Cheech Marin), a wise-cracking groundskeeper who wears a cage-like suit to protect himself from stray balls, and Joe, five Mexican-American teenagers. (Julian Works) is the only one. Gene (Gregory Diaz IV), Felipe (Miguel Angel Garcia), Mario (Christian Gallegos), and Lupe (José Julián) work as caddies. Things aren’t much better outside of the country clubs, as most white people in Del Rio come across as condescending at best and racist at worst. A sign in front of a local business pretty much sums up the general attitude of the community. “No dogs allowed.” There are no Mexicans. ”
However, JB realized that the five caddies had developed a talent for the game as they competed on a one-hole course they had improvised on empty public land. I thought, “This might be something that high schools really need.” Student golf team, San Felipe Mustangs. And he should become their coach, with a little help from Frank.
Director Julio Quintana (Blue Miracle) is based on a screenplay he adapted from Humberto G. Garcia’s Miracle of the Mustang with Paco Farias and Jennifer Stetson, and the movie lacks clichés, especially when it comes to depictions. Don’t shy away from traditions and customs. It depicts a wide range of white racism, from the arrogant to the hillbilly, and the dialogue is peppered with sports movie aphorisms. (“Life is a lot like golf. Some days you’ll be smooth sailing on the fairway, and other days you’ll be lost in the woods.”)
But he and his excellent cast inject a disarming sincerity into even The Long Game’s funniest moments, such as when the young underdog Mustangs’ golf tournament qualifying series concludes; There is no serious question as to what will happen. — and their adult companions are a constant source of cheering attention both on and off the fairway.
Quintana, who began his career working with Terrence Malick on The Tree of Life and To the Wonder, received great work from director Alex Quintana and his brother, production designer Carlos Osorio. Both of them have greatly enhanced the periodity of the film. Flavor (strong enough to withstand some small intrusive anachronisms).
Julian Works stands out in Mustang because his character is the only one of the young men to have more than two dimensions. (Other Latin teenagers are similarly well-cast, but given far fewer roles.) This includes Joe Works interacting with his angry and disapproving father (Jimmy Gonzalez), and a nice man It helps that there is a scene where she has a romance with someone. a classmate with literary ambitions (a captivating Paulina Chavez);
While JB develops a mentor-student relationship with the Mustangs and maintains a loving and supportive relationship with his wife Lucy (Jayna Lee Ortiz), Hernandez is reserved and trusting. Despite his wartime trauma, Quaid maintains the perfect balance between bright-eyed mischief and grizzled seriousness. Meanwhile, Marin deftly provides some welcome comic relief as Polo points out that there’s no guarantee of acceptance for fighting for his homeland when he’s not white. In the post-war discriminatory society. Perhaps you need to win some golf tournaments first.
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