n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Robert Duvall was 80-years-old when this movie was made. The mutli-award winner shows that he still has what it takes to give a sterling performance. In "Seven Days in Utopia," Duvall plays Johnny Crawford, a somewhat quirky character with a colored past. The semi-retired Johnny has been around. He has seen and done a lot, as he says to Luke Chisholm, played by relative newcomer Lucas Black. Johnny once was on the pro-golf circuit and is a recovering alcoholic. He's acquired a lot of wisdom over the years, and now in his old age he's happy to help Luke discover his game. The movie is supposed to be about Luke, who just blew a one-stroke lead in the Texas open and fell apart with a last hole that took him 14 strokes to finish. The young athlete has issues and struggles with anger at his father, a temper and lack of confidence. If he'll just give Johnny a week in Utopia, the old hand will help him discover his game. The film is based on a novel by David Cook, who also helped write the screenplay. It is set in Utopia, Texas, a small town not too far west of San Antonio. The entire cast give very good performances. Most are relative young actors and newcomers. However, two accomplished award- winning actresses, Melissa Leo and Kathy Baker have very good smaller roles as Lily and Mabel. Most of the movie is about the quirky ways Johnny has of training Luke. Fly fishing, painting, coin pitching, piloting an airplane and other oddities all have some connection to what Luke needs to learn about golf (and life). Without critiquing Johnny's unusual methods, or their likely effectiveness, I'll just say that this all adds up to an enjoyable and often amusing film. The film has clear moral and spiritual overtones, but it doesn't present them in a preachy way. Johnny's unusual methods help to teach Luke by their practical results. It's not just about golf – it's about life and what really counts. Without saying it directly, Johnny's message from his example and life's experience is that faith and trust in God are the common sense guideposts that enable one to focus, relax, choose what is right and have peace and calm. In other words, to focus on what's really important and not be distracted by other things. This is a movie as much for the future as it is for the present. Today there are many more types of addictions than existed in the past or were easily accessible. Electronic games, cell phone texting, Internet pornography, and other social media tools are among the things that may lead to addictions. Psychologists have identified the harmful effects of obsessive use and additions in these areas. All addictions enslave a person and don't enable one to focus on what's really important in life, to one's family, in one's relationships, and for one's personal wellbeing. So, we have ever-increasing social problems today.In a nutshell, this movie might be summed up as having two messages. A person will find peace and happiness in life through love. (Not romance, but love of family, friends and other people). And we get that – and stay there – by listening to the voice of conscience. (We follow it to focus so that we make the right choices). As the movie opens, we see a quotation from scripture, Isaiah 30:21. It reads, "And your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or you turn to the left."(RSV) The next verse tells the result of doing so. Paraphrased it means one defies the idols of the world that would enslave one.I think the setting is a nice slice of real life found in many places yet today. It's a nice family film, especially for the older kids and adults.

The movie was enjoyable to me. I didn't expect it to be anything but what it was, a family movie with a message (kinda/sorta). No sex, no murders, some family drama, a cute cast. No actor/actress had to overly 'emote' in this movie, it looked like it was relaxing for them to make, too. So what if it was predictable? So what if the ending was a 'little lacking in closure'. So what if there's a lead in to a religious site? I didn't mind. I spend very long hours managing my businesses, writing my books, mentoring my people... it can be quite stressful. It is not often that I find a movie or TV series that can reduce my stress and finally allow me to drift off to a deep sleep afterward. When I do watch something that doesn't aggravate me or cause me to have bad dreams or obsessively negative thoughts, I am a happy camper. This movie does that. Lucas Black is a sweet little boy (to this 66 year old), and he is cute. I liked that it was a 'normal people' movie, no sex from the get go, that is soooo overworked in the movie world. Did he win the tournament or lose it? By that final golf stroke, it really did not matter, that's the key point. Reality had set in and Luke (the main character) had had an epiphany meant only for him. He grokked that golf is only a game, and winning or losing it (if you discount the big-buck point of pro golf) doesn't matter to a hill of beans in a lifetime that should be spent in self-assessment and wonder. So I'm happy with the movie overall. It felt like a 'nice surprise' like when someone buys you a gift that you actually like (hey I'm not the only Virgo out there). As for Robert Duvall , he can do no wrong. He is a veteran actor who moved through this movie as though he were a well-balanced and deeply centered individual. I love the way he does understated 'looks'.But in reality, is it the actors or the DIRECTOR who brings out the best in the actors? I don't know, they never let ME be anything other than the prompter (bah humbug). Nice movie, nice 'cow' (I wondered why they called it a cow when it was so clearly a bull. I was raised on a cattle ranch and no way, even for jocularity, would we ever call a bull a 'cow'. That was kinda odd.) It was nice how the cowboy ended up liking Luke ... that was touching. Watch the movie, don't go to the website mentioned at the end unless you are a true Seeker, but even then, just grab your Bible and start reading it again. No worries for you 'there is no god' naysayers, there's no mention of God in the movie, only a Bible is shown a couple of times.

I usually get my movies from the public library where the pickings can be slim, so when I get the chance to grab a movie starring Robert Duval I don't pass it up. It is hard to believe he has won only one Oscar. Once again, as in The Disciple, among others, Mr. Duval appears among a stellar ensemble who don't appear to be stars at all, just natural actors. The story centers around Lucas Black's character, a young golfer, and the ranch(Utopia)run by Duval he goes to for reflection/meditation after a devastating loss. While there he meets the locals and receives life lessons from ex-golfer Duval. Prior to picking up the film I didn't pay attention to it's G rating; it was a Duval film so I didn't care. All the actors are superb and their characters true and interesting. The ending is a surprise. Watch it. By the way, Lucas Black is a super actor. I had a hard time placing him at first; his accent kept nagging at me. Then I realized it was the kid from Sling Blade all grown up. He turned out to be a good looking guy with a natural talent and charm. I highly recommend this film although as I said I was not really prepared for the ending.

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.