The Legend of Bagger Vance

This one made quite a stir when it first came out, but at the time the previews didn't interest me at all. I became vaguely interested when I read a review that mentioned it was a modern take on the Bhagavad Gita. In fact, the name "Bagger Vance" is almost certainly tied to "Bhagavad". The protagonist is Rannulph Junuh, as in R. Junuh = Arjuna. When I saw it was on TNT this morning, I decided to give it a try. Very nicely done. It's a bit slow... and a bit heavy on golf, but still enjoyable.

Junuh (Matt Damon) is a local golf-hero who went off to WWI and lost himself. He disappears for 10 years, and when he finally does return, he has no interest in his former life. Then he gets sucked into a golf tournament, and Bagger Vance (Will Smith) shows up and offers to caddy for him. On the one hand, there's a touch of "wise black dude" syndrome...on the other, there's no sense that Smith's character knows all this because he's black, and in the Gita, it's clear that Krishna can take any form he feels like. I think if there hadn't been so many movies where the one non-white character was the font of all wisdom, this wouldn't bug me. It just gets overdone.

Anyway, back to the movie. Even though most of the movie is focused on a golf game, it's not really about golf. It's about the "game you can never win but can only play," i.e. life. Arguably, it's about golf as meditation, but that's too narrow. It's about life as meditation, as practice; about being aware of each and every moment in that life and responding as needed. It's about being in the game and participating rather than making a show of it. It's about being in the game for the game, and not for your ego or for the people watching the game.

Good movie. Good interactions between the characters. I find the context of a golf game slightly odd, but it was good in spite of that `/^ ... Actually, what I found odd was the extreme excitement people were expressing at this golf tournament, though I can sort of see it since Junuh was a local and the other players were the best of the best. *shrugs* I'm not really into sports, so I can only relate in an abstract fashion. Still, it's one I'd recommend for when you're in a thoughtful mood. If you want something fast-paced and exciting, this isn't it...on the other hand, it might do you some good if you constantly crave speed and excitement. `/^

I'll post one exchange from IMDB to give the flavor:

Bagger Vance: What I'm talkin about is a game... A game that can't be won only played...
Rannulph Junuh: You don't understand...
Bagger Vance: I don't need to understand... Ain't a soul on this entire earth ain't got a burden to carry he don't understand, you ain't alone in that... But you been carryin' this one long enough... Time to go on... lay it down...
Rannulph Junuh: I don't know how...
Bagger Vance: You got a choice... You can stop... Or you can start...
Rannulph Junuh: Start?
Bagger Vance: Walkin...
Rannulph Junuh: Where?
Bagger Vance: Right back to wehre you always been... and then stand there... Still... real still... And remember...
Rannulph Junuh: It's too long ago...
Bagger Vance: Oh no sir it was just a moment ago... Time for you to come on out the shadows Junuh... Time for you to choose...
Rannulph Junuh: I can't...
Bagger Vance: Yes you can... but you ain't alone... I"m right here with ya... I've been here all along... Now play the game... Your game... The one that only you was meant to play... Then one that was given to you when you come into this world... You ready?... Stike that ball Junuh don't hold nothin back give it everything... Now's the time... Let yourself remember... Remember YOUR swing... That's right Junuh, settle yourself... Let's go... Now is the time, Junuh...

It's worth mentioning that in the Bhagavad Gita, the context was a war rather than a golf game. Most modern readers seem to interpret that war as a metaphor for life, and in this case they've used golf as the metaphor rather than war.