User Reviews

OK when the song was about born again...I know that this movie is about born again Christians...finding your faith and all that.

Till than I didn't quite realize it and actually enjoyed it for lazy Sunday afternoon movie. Like another reviewer mentioned....I was blindsided by this.

I am happy he has found his faith and others do too. Glad for it. But please don't push it in my face or when doing it at least be open about it.

To me it felt like watching the birdcage and having it described as a family film/musical drama.

Anyway i think if you are a Christian ...this must be one of the best ever Christian sports movies ever.

Young golfer Luke Chisholm (Lucas Black) runs away after struggling in a big tournament. His father is his demanding overbearing coach. He crashes his car in the small town of Utopia. He meets an old pro Johnny Crawford (Robert Duvall) who promises to find his game if he stays for seven days. He falls for beautiful waitress Sarah (Deborah Ann Woll), and comes to terms with his father.

This is Christian movie with a lot of touchy Zen like feel. It's the Karate Kid of golf movies with Robert Duvall as the new Mr Miyagi. It all adds to its hokey charm. Robert Duvall is solid, and Lucas Black has good enough presence. This is a simple story and it does exactly what you expect. The only surprise comes from the ending.

The movie ends by not showing whether the important putt goes in or not. It's an unusual way to make a statement. I'm fine with it. At least, it's unique.

If you are a fan of Robert Duvall you will no doubt watch this movie; that was my immediate and only reason for noting this title and making sure I got it when it came out on DVD. He is his usual philosophical character and that's what will satisfy the Duvall fan first and foremost. The movie is not outstanding and as with most of his movies, his character is as much predictable as it is not, but it's good enough and he plays it well; there are not bad parts, mostly it is even and thoughtful. Lucas Black, the lead role acquits himself well enough but his character can't but be overshadowed by the likes of Duvall. The story takes place in town obviously called Utopia; there really is such a town in Texas, you can check it out in Google Maps. I've been to Texas but did not have a chance to see the beautiful parts depicted in this movie. The cinematography in this movie is well done and at the beginning, striking even, taking full advantage of the experience and talents of the likes of David Mullen (director of photography). As for the story itself, it does not standout for me; perhaps too many people were involved and so it lacks the single-minded passion of a creator. It's a good thing the cast, direction and visual effects people were doing fine job, otherwise I would have been disappointed by the movie. If you're not a Duvall fan, you may not think much of the film.

I am an avid and pretty good golfer. Have played it for about 55 years now. Although the opening scenes in which Luke self-destructs on the 18th hole of the final round of a very important golf tournament for him -- when he foolishly listens to bad advice from his very bossy, caddying father -- was very contrived, at least something like that conceivably could happen. Later Luke drives through the countryside of the Texas hill country and decides to take the turn to a community called Utopia.

Then there is another very unrealistic scene. Luke is driving and stares at a guy (turns out to be Duvall/Johnny Crawford) in a field placing flagsticks in what does not look like (but is) a golf course. Doesn't look at the road ahead of him for about 4 seconds, then finally returns his gaze and discovers an enormous steer standing in the road directly ahead of him. Instead of abruptly down-shifting and braking, he turns off the road and slams his car into and through a sturdy wooden fence. Others here describe what happens in Utopia, quite a bit of which I liked. But at the end of the movie, after he gets into the Texas Open (an official PGA event) and has a chance to win it all, they don't even show the final putt!!! STUPID!!!

Just-turned-pro golfer Luke Chisolm has a disastrous first tournament. He has spent his entire life preparing to play golf, egged on by his well-meaning but unintentionally-cursing father. (I do not mean swear words; the language and action of the movie -- even the romantic tension -- is clean.) After the catastrophe, Luke goes AWOL, so to speak, and finds himself for a week in Utopia, Texas, population 373, "375 after the birth of the twins."

His life is forever changed in that week and in that town, as Luke encounters a radical challenge to his world-view. He gradually unwinds lies from his life, and although he learns to be a better golfer, he more importantly learns -- sometimes humorously, sometimes dramatically -- to be a better human being.

Unlike some of the other reviewers of this movie, Luke is open and teachable, and willing to engage with another perspective. That alone would make him a winner in my book. (No, this is not a spoiler. In fact, have some fun with your 10 to 13 year old: ask them what they think the outcome of the climactic scene will be before it is over. They, and you, are sure to be surprised!)

My wife and I went to see "Utopia" yesterday, and we returned today to see it with our four kids, aged 7 to 14. We all enjoyed it, but it tried our youngest son's attention span. Our son, you see, is an active, sporting youngster. "But how could he have gotten tired (you ask)? This is a golf movie, with tournament action!"

Saying that this movie is about golf is like saying a painting is about the canvas. This movie is about someone not too unlike us, needing more from life, and getting compassionate help from an unlikely source. I heartily recommend it, whether or not you are a golf aficionado.

The most stunning thing to me was the meta-story. Hollywood-level talent and production values really come to fruition by finally taking a more honest look at the positive side of small-town life and faith. It takes more effort, more genius, and more guts to write an inspiring story about the typical than it does to go to extremes and create the "shocker." What a refreshing change "Utopia" is, because at long last it may be possible to professionally cover a broader array of deeper subject matter on film.

(And to all you whiners taking a break from your angst to write flailing but miscued negative reviews, you can revel in the fact that you star in this movie too: you're the ones who symbolize the call to mediocrity, while confusing it with propriety. Perhaps instead of writing lazy reviews, your time might be better spent trying to figure out why living a life of meaning and excellence has occupied center stage nearly from the dawn of recorded philosophical history. The relevant works through the ages have been judged classics by smarter minds than ours. History notwithstanding, even modern works for kids on the subject can stay fresh too: the movie "Cars" is a smash hit because kids innately understand how fundamental meaning and purpose are to life. They have not had time to build a facade over their wounded hearts.)

Excellent movie......wonderful story line.......plus Robert Duvall ....what else could you want in a movie. Duvall is always near perfect in his roles. ....but... it really needed an ending. You just cannot have this kind of movie without any ending. I know some will say that is exactly the point....but ....this is a movie that one shares with its characters...makes the journey with the characters ....and then.....what? I'm sure there could have been a way to still deliver the message but allow the viewers and the characters to share an end to the story.

I'm not a religious person. I'm really not even spiritual. This movie had a clear religious theme which I was fine with. I'm not upset about the content. However the movie's ending makes this feel more like a commercial for faith than a real first run Hollywood movie like I expected considering a few of the actors. I think the movie is worth watching, but be prepared to be disappointed in how it ends.

I didn't know this movie was a religious one. The tag-line on netflix is "Talent can only get you so far. For golfer Luke Chisholm, that turns out to be Utopia, Texas -- where he's left stranded after blowing his pro debut." Naturally I thought that this would be a movie about a golfer having to deal with being stranded in a small town and getting over the fact that he just embarrassed himself in his pro debut. It starts out that way, then he meets an old man who has all the answers to golf but yet couldn't make it on tour, which obviously makes no sense, because if the dude knew how to play so well, he would have won some tournaments. The first half of the movie I'd give a 6/10. Was a decent sports flick and I love golf movies so I was interested. Then out of nowhere, it turns into a extremely religious flick. I don't like religious movies usually, explaining how God is awesome and if you believe then nothing else is nearly as important doesn't do it for me. This was worst than most. Then at the end, instead of an ending, you get the most ridiculous plug I've ever seen, and I've seen at least 1k movies. Basically instead of finding out what happens, the movie cuts off (which at this point is a blessing) and tells you to go to a website where some televangelist type dude can preach to you and plug his new book. Ridiculous. I'd be surprised if they make the second book (which I wont read) into a movie (which I wouldn't watch anyway) but you never know. If you love golf, don't want God shoved down your throat, and would prefer for your movie to end on screen; watch The Legend of Bagger Vance, The greatest game ever played, or Tin Cup.

Wife found this on Netflix, so I said what the hey and sat down to watch it with her. This movie follows a semi-professional golfer who threw tantrums in a professional match, got mad at his coach/caddy father, takes off in a tantrum, has a wreck in a small town and then has to stay there for a week waiting on his car to get fixed. While there he not only meets a local single, attractive girl as a romantic interest, but also a bully who he immediately has conflict with, and not to mention an ex-professional golfer who takes the role of his new coach in order to get his career back on track. As you can see, there are many well-used plot points there. And I'm sure you can also guess that the plot is pretty predictable. For instance, I told my wife that he was going to fall out of the boat when he was fishing (in order to learn how to be a better golfer, naturally), and when they were flying the plane and the engine cut out, I figured it was a joke by Robert Duvall's character (which is a pretty stupid thing to do since if someone who's never flown a plane before thinks they might crash due to making an unpowered landing, they could panic and do all sorts of things).

Naturally faking an engine failure and fly fishing make someone a much better golfer, not to mention developing the talent of painting a landscape with a big red arrow where you visualize your golf shot is going to go. Well after this and a bunch of religious preaching Robert Duvall gets the golf pro a shot in a small but important tournament where he immediately ties the big named golfer (Tae Kwon Oh, referred to as TKO... seriously?) for first place. It all comes down to making the very last shot, at which point the movie throws you for a loop by insulting you and saying that whether or not he made the shot isn't as important as being a Christian or some such nonsense, then gives you a website to go to in order to see how the movie ends, which from what I understand doesn't actually tell you if he made the shot or not. I instantly flipped off the TV with both hands, saying, "F you, movie!" If they can't even come up with a good ending, what the hell was the point in watching the whole thing? No, I didn't go to the website and don't plan to. From what I've read the website doesn't give you the ending of the movie either, just promises a sequel to this turkey.

I do have to give the movie one star for some good shots with some beautiful scenery, but other than that it was 90 minutes wasted.

As an avid viewer of cinema, I decided to watch "Seven Days in Utopia" on Netflix. I thought it was boring in itself, but the message of "see, feel, trust" is really useful in life. Also, it was a slightly entertaining deja-vu of 'The Karate Kid" (from the 1980s) and "Cars". My biggest gripe about the movie was that it left everyone wondering if he made the putt, and the narrator saying it didn't matter. Also, the studio set up didhemaketheputt.com as if the movie was based on a true story.

Overall, this movie was going to deserve a 7/10 for the valuable Christian message embedded in it, but got a 6/10 for the cheesy relationship between two of the main characters. If you like movies with Christian messages, such as "Letters to God" and "Fireproof", you will love this movie.

The book had a longer title, but it was essentially 'seven days in Utopia.' Clever in that the Texas town really exists and is called Utopia. Plus the theme is our human attempts to achieve our personal 'utopia' where everything is right. My golfing friend Jay loaned me the book, which I enjoyed, and now similarly enjoyed this movie.

You don't have to be a golfer, but I believe golfers will enjoy the movie more than others. Plus it has a prominent "faith" element, and some will be turned off by that aspect. But it is what it is, and I think it is a good movie.

Lucas Black is young pro golfer Luke Chisholm who has a giant melt-down on the final hole when all he has to do is make a par to win. Video of it is all over the airwaves. So ready to give up golf, that his dad had pushed on him so forcefully, Luke winds up in Utopia, Texas, population 375 now that a lady just had twins.

Robert Duvall is Johnny Crawford who we gradually find out was a pro golfer many years ago, in the Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson era, but retreated to small town life some years ago, he lost both his career and his wife because of his drinking. Luke in a moment of inattention crashes through one of Johnny's fences to avoid hitting a bull, and soon Luke finds himself stuck in Utopia.

Not all is bleak, as he also meets the pretty girl working at the local café, and aspiring to be a professional horse whisperer. But Johnny makes him a more important promise, spend 7 days with him in Utopia and he will find his golf game.

The basic premise is not unlike the 'Karate Kid' approach, the old master gets the student involved in a number of things seemingly unrelated to golf. Bass fishing, throwing washers, oil painting. But it is all part of the plan to get young Luke to control his emotions and control his destiny. 'S-F-T' ... see it, feel it, trust it.

Black and Duvall are great together. And in this fictional story golfer K.J. Choi plays T.K. Oh, the number one golfer. This is not a superb movie as superb movies go, but it is very pleasant and very watchable, and might even teach some audience members a new outlook on life and what is really important.

I saw it in the theater, my first visit to a movie house in 12 years!

SPOILER: Luke gets into the Texas Open the next week, plays calmly and well, and a great approach to the last hole nets him an eagle 2 to tie with T.K. Oh. In the playoff T.K. Oh misses his birdie putt on the first playoff hole, all Luke has to do is sink an 8-ft birdie putt to win. With Johnny he had learned a new face-on putting style and Johnny had told him, "You will know when to use it." He pulls that putter out of his bag and uses it for the birdie putt, it is rolling to the hole, as the camera pans up to the sky. We never know if he made the putt or not, because ultimately that isn't important.