Review of Seven Days in Utopia (2011) by Amanda O — 19 Jun 2012

"Seven Days in Utopia" is a an uplifting and positive movie about a golfer (Lucas Black) who has fallen from grace but finds his way back into the game. After bombing in a big tournament and suffering public embarrassment, Luke Chisolm heads out on a drive in a rage.

He doesn't care where he goes, he just wants to get away. He ends up wrecking his car and gets stuck in the small town of Utopia, Texas. There he meets a seasoned golfer turned rancher, Johnny (Robert Duvall), who has rubbed elbows with some of the greats.

Johnny takes Luke under his wing and promises him that if he stays in Utopia for seven days, he will learn to play the greatest golf of his career. Beneath the surface, this film has a strong spiritual message.

According to the movie, success is not determined by whether we win or lose. Johnny encourages Luke to "See, feel, and trust" in God who is inside his heart, guiding him every step of the way.

Luke has an awakening and discovers that golf isn't the most important thing in life. In one pivotal scene, Johnny asks Luke, "What do you want your epitaph to say?" It's a good question to ask ourselves.

Are the things we're chasing after worth putting on our gravestone or do we want to be remembered for who we are as a person? The movie has a great story and strong performances by Duvall and Black, but it does have some minor flaws, including several cliches and forced dialogue in some scenes.

Still, it's a good little movie with well intentions.