THE SHORT GAME

Name: THE SHORT GAME
Item: THE SHORT GAME
Author: Review

"God’s Plan Guiding Us to the Green"

Family Content: +1 Moderately questionable elements. (Discernment required for young children.)

Entertainment Quality:

	None	Light	Moderate	Heavy
Language
Violence
Sex
Nudity

Credits →

What You Need To Know:

THE SHORT GAME follows a struggling high school golfer named Jeremy and his attempt to win a golf scholarship at the State Championship. With help from his friend, Jeremy’s game improves. However, his autistic little brother, Ethan, sometimes gets in the way. One day, while playing a round of golf, Jeremy brings Ethan along and finds out he’s an outstanding caddie, giving the best possible advice. With a newfound appreciation for his brother and family, Jeremy has Ethan be his caddie for the State Championship to win a scholarship.

THE SHORT GAME is a touching, engaging, inspiring movie. However, the quality could be better. For example, there are inconsistent visuals, varying levels of acting, and a predictable storyline. Yet, cliches and formulaic storytelling can’t take away from the movie’s powerful message. THE SHORT GAME tells a great redemptive story about one man’s journey from avoiding his family to embracing them. It also contains multiple mentions of Scripture, conversations with pastors, and many discussions about Heaven. Ultimately, THE SHORT GAME is well worth watching, with only a light caution for younger children.

Content:

(CCC, BBB, L, V, M):
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:
Very Christian, biblical, moral worldview with multiple instances of family prayer, references to God and Heaven, scenes with biblical quotes, a church service occurs, and the movie strongly stresses family and redemption;
Foul Language:
Four relatively light obscenities, plus one character calls an autistic person an “idiot”;
Violence:
A golfer throws his club at his caddie, then smacks his hand, and the protagonist throws a basketball at his friend on a motorcycle;
Sex:
No sex;
Nudity:
No nudity;
Alcohol Use:
No alcohol use;
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:
No smoking or drugs; and,
Miscellaneous Immorality:
The protagonist lashes out multiple times to his family regarding his autistic brother plus some instances of speeding, reckless driving, gambling, and bribery.

More Detail:

THE SHORT GAME is a sports drama about a struggling golfer trying to obtain a scholarship by winning the State Championship, while juggling family pressure and caring for his younger autistic brother, Ethan. The movie opens with our protagonist, Jeremy, practicing his golf swing as Ethan watches. While practicing, Jeremy’s friend and teammate, Tommy, drives up to his house. As they chat, we learn that Jeremy has been struggling with golf for the past two years.

Jeremy won the state championship as a freshman but experienced a sophomore slump, followed by another disappointing season during his junior year. Now he’s a senior looking to win a golf scholarship. To add to the pressure, a girl named Carly is filming a documentary of Jeremy’s senior season, filming his first match against Jeremy’s rival, Bruce, who will go to any lengths to win.

Jeremy’s focus shifts toward the last match. Due to the team’s loss, he must compete in the State Championship solo. The stress causes Jeremy to want to throw away his achievements before his father gives him a pep talk. Jeremy decides to take Ethan golfing with him.

Once there, Jeremy discovers Ethan is an outstanding caddie, giving the best possible advice. With a newfound appreciation for his brother’s gifts, Jeremy asks Ethan to be his caddie for the State Championship in his attempt to compete for a scholarship. When his opponent, Bruce, and his father file complaints about Ethan during the State Championship, Jeremy must look within himself and choose between achieving his goal or supporting Ethan.

Thus, THE SHORT GAME has a great Christian, redemptive worldview showcased by Jeremy’s journey from dissociating with his family to embracing them. It also contains multiple instances of Scripture, conversations with pastors, and many discussions about Heaven. Ultimately, therefore, THE SHORT GAME is worth watching, with only a light caution for younger children.