'Bagger Vance' Hits Hole In One

There are very few things in life that can make a chill move down a person's spine.

There are those moments when a singer hits the high note during "The Star-Spangled Banner," or the stories of Olympians, actors or even just a friend of a friend overcoming adversity to face triumph that makes the tiny hairs on people's arms stand on end.

And there comes a point in Robert Redford's moralistic movie, "The Legend of Bagger Vance," that will cause viewers to shiver, feel the chill in the air and feel pride.

It is a movie that, like those Olympians, triumphs over tragedy.

Based on the novel of the same name by Steven Pressfield, "Bagger Vance" is more about life and its experiences than it is about golf. It is more about how a man gets a grip on reality rather than his 9-iron. It is more about a man overcoming the holes that get in his way (sand traps, water hazards, etc.), to have the drive and tenacity to hit the right hole -- and sometimes a man gets only one chance.

Matt Damon stars as Rannulph Junuh, an all-star golfer in his prime from Savannah, Ga., who is called away to serve his country in World War I, only to come back to find that he's lost his game.

But an occasion (or two) arises that causes Junuh to put down the bottle: an exhibition game and Adele (Charlize Theron), a true beauty and a true Southern belle who has been in love with Junuh since before he left to go to war.

Adele must save her recently deceased father's golf resort from the hands of the money-grubbing mayor and his foes during the Great Depression. In a fit of rage (and pure genius), Adele believes that a match pitting Bobby Jones (Joel Gretsch, who rivals Damon in the looks department), Walter Hagen (Bruce McGill) and a local player (Junuh, of course) will save the day and her daddy's resort.

But what is Junuh to do with his game gone?

That's where Will Smith, who plays Bagger Vance, magically floats in. Playing the legendary guardian angel, Smith not only carries Junuh's clubs but also helps carry the movie.

Smith, who is genuinely likable in an out-of-the-ordinary dramatic role for the action star, imparts wisdom to Junuh that will not only help him find his game, but find his way.

Star interviews and movie clips

Like Redford's previous movies, "Bagger Vance" is a vision of grandeur, of style, of despair, of triumph, and a story of one man's journey in the game called life.

Damon is perfectly cast as the down-on-his-luck Junuh, and Theron portrays the 20th century southern woman with ease and an independence that is natural.

Newcomer J. Michael Moncrief, who plays Hardy Greaves -- a boy who idolizes Junuh -- is a joy to watch on screen and should be a worthy contender for Haley Joel Osment ("The Sixth Sense") and roles needing 12-year-old actors who have the wisdom and talent of a 40-year-old.

This fabled tale of a spiritual guide and his student is, like most movies centered on a sport, par for the course.

But in the end, "Bagger Vance" tees off and hits a hole in one.