The Long Game Review – Heartfelt Sports Drama Delivers Big Emotion

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Category: Film

Published on Wednesday, 10 April 2024 18:13

Written by Janet Walker

The Long Game, from Mucho Mas Media, brings to the screen a heartfelt, triumph over boundaries and station, sports drama as the Del Rio, Texas, Mustangs, a golfing team of Latinos, leave their imprint on sports history.

Immediately, as the film begins, we meet our five young Latinos, Joe, played by Julian Works, Gene, played by Gregory Diaz IV, Mario, played by Christian Gallegos, and two others, on their way to caddy at the all-white Del Rio Country Club. Depending on the white clientele for tips, the boys play the “gosh mister thanks,” with great enthusiasm, and the pretentious superiority is handled. 

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We meet JB Peña, played by Jay Hernandez, and his wife, Lucy, played by Jaina Lee Ortiz, as he is preparing for a meeting with the manager of the Del Rio Country Club, played by Richard Robichaux. While he is on his way, Joe and his buddies are golfing, and Joe bets he can hit the moving car. He swings and the golf ball shatters the glass. Pena jumps out of the car and spots one of the golfers.

He arrives late for his meeting, and we meet Frank Mitchell, played by Dennis Quaid, an old army buddy, who also works at the Del Rio. Be the end of the meeting, the manager, played by name, agrees to call the Mexican golf club, but the Del Rio members, as he explains, “just aren’t accustomed to seeing a Mexican play golf.” And he is rejected.

JB is also the school superintendent, and on the first day, he sees the same golfer and all five are now waiting as the principal, played by Oscar Nunez, and JB decide their fate. Joe steps up and takes full responsibility, and suddenly JB dismisses them, without a warning, or punishment.

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That afternoon he returns to where he knows the boys will be practicing and offers them a deal, either they join the new high school golf club, or they meet every Saturday at his house to cut his lawn to pay for the damages. Each of the boys, except Joe, agrees to play on the high school golf team.

As they all meet at the top of the homemade golf course the boys crafted out of the countryside, Frank, who had agreed to join JB for one day, is so impressed that he agrees to stay on as the coach. The practices were demanding, although not as grueling as the Texas heat, and soon Joe decides to join the team also.

With the High School State Championships JB’s goal, the team had to be invited to tournaments, and in 1956, the idea of a Latino playing golf, anywhere, except on his own course was impossible. JB, along with Frank, and his team of excellent golfers finally receive an invitation.

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Throughout the film, we see the Latino’s in Del Rio were experiencing mush of the same discrimination that other’s experienced in the deep south. We also meet the wise Pollo, played by Cheech Marin, who walks around the course picking up lost golf balls, and dispensing advice through humor.

Also, they seemed to accept, the only time Latinos were invited to the country club is as the help or the entertainment. They never walk into the club house as guests. Before the fateful display of golf skill, the boys were destined for a single choice, after we see a new world opened to them.

As they are poised to win the state championship, the race hate becomes more overt and finally, explodes, as the local judge, played by Brett Cullen, helps the police arrest the best golfer. This sets up the emotional finale.

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The Long Game, a true story of the Latino golfing greats from Del Rio, Texas, is an emotional triumph over circumstances and station. By the end, we see barriers shattered, and hope for a tomorrow free from discrimination.

With an ensemble cast that is familiar, The Long Game is well directed, and well-acted. The story moves along quickly, the pacing snaps. The emotion is strong and palpable, we can feel the hurt, the sting of discrimination, and the triumph.

The Long Game opens in theaters Friday, April 12, 2024. It is a must see.

Country: U.S.

Language: English, Spanish with English Subtitles.

Runtime: 112 minutes.

Director: Julio Quintana. 

Writer:  Julio Quintana, Jennifer C. Stetson, Paco Farias. Based on Mustang Miracle by Humberto G. Garcia. 

Producer: Javier Chapa, Ben Howard, Dennis Quaid, Laura Quaid, Marla Quintana, Joel M. Gonzales.   

Executive Producer: Canelo Álvarez, Jay Hernandez, Phillip Braun, Jason Michael Gerber, Sherrese Clarke Soares, Alexis Garcia, Jesse Mandujano, Humberto G. Garcia, Christian Sosa, John Williams, Veronica B. Jones, Jennifer Kuczaj, Simon Wise, Colleen Barshop, Vincent Cordero, Carlos Osorio, Juan Pablo Solano Vergara, Simón Beltrán  Echeverri, Brian Eddy, Jeff Grossberg, Jack Shemtov, Ricky Joshi, Jeff Moseley, Julio M. Quintana, Jennifer Kuczaj, Michael E. Hollingsworth, Matthew Dwyer, David E. Campbell, Tim Mahler, Carter Pope.

Cast: Jay Hernandez, Dennis Quaid, Cheech Marin, Julian Works, Jaina Lee Ortiz, Brett Cullen, Oscar Nunez, Richard Robichaux, Paulina Chavez, Miguel Angel Garcia, Jose Julian, Jimmy Gonzales.