Seve (2014)

From humble beginnings on his family farm, to charming the world with his artistic play style, Seve Ballesteros was not only a champion on the field, but a champion in our hearts. Seve isn't a film just about golf, it is an awe-inspiring journey that shows you what it truly means to follow your passions to the end of the world. Director John-Paul Davidsons' portrayal of Seve's formative years, alongside marvelous human-esque performances by Jose Luis Gutierrez (Young Seve), Jose Navar (Seve's Father) and Maria Molins (Seve's Mother), not only allowed us to better understand the character of Seve himself, but showed us the importance that family, passion, and dedication played in the pursuit of his dreams. Seve Ballesteros was an artist on the field, and throughout the film the audience is enchanted by the way he paints the green like a canvas. With his old trusty three iron and a rich history under his belt, Seve had a chemistry with the green more magnetic than any other athlete to date. Whether you're a golf lover, film buff, or a just kid with a dream, Seve is a movie you won't soon forget.

Seve: The Movie succeeds in creating a tribute to the great Spanish golfer Seve Ballesteros which both acts as documentary and a universal, engaging story of passion and perseverance. A mixture of conventional, archive-based documentary and dramatized biopic – Director John-Paul Davidson does a masterful job of fleshing out the past of young Ballesteros. Child actor Jose Luis Gutierrez convincingly takes on this role. While lesser films would have delved into melodrama, Seve: The Movie shows the failures as well as the triumphs to give a sense of realism to the making of one of golf's legends. Flitting between footage of its subject's triumphs at the British Open and US Masters, and a reenactment of his impoverished childhood as a farmer's son in Spain, the charismatic figure of Ballesteros shines through. Filled with passion, charm, and occasional humor, the film will have you cheering on this golfing pro whether you are familiar with him at the onset of the movie or not.

Must say, this is just a lovely piece of film-making. Old fashioned storytelling and sweet tale, set within a novel framework which really works.Chronicling Seve's life and using flashback sequences to informative childhood moments, we rise, fall and rise again with this charming character. There humour, a few stakes and a progressing well of sentiment that grows for our hero as the film hits a crescendo of key moments.A life well lived, blessed by genius and determination, cut short by tragedy but ultimately it's eternally hopeful and embracing of a transformative mortal journey that leaves an immortal footprint. Beautiful if a fraction long.

I found this such a refreshing doc, brim full of life (produced by its charismatic lead and nostalgic nods to the hero's past) and anchored in a bittersweet reality. It also isn;t afraid to take its time with a slow build that weans you off the drama before delivering a rousing archive-led conclusion. Really could;t recommend it highly enough. My husband and his father recommended it and it certainly played to a female perspective for good old-fashioned story- telling even if the protagonist is a boy's own hero. The music is also wonderful, similarly befitting from a natural simplicity and effortlessly tracking the character arc without ever laying it on too thickly. My takeaways from this movie are two-fold - I will be among the first in the DVD queue whenever it comes out and I will be taking a holiday to Pedrena with my hubby next summer. Stunning visually and an unabashed ode to what makes a remarkable human being