75
San Francisco Chronicle by David Lewis
He (Connery) hasn’t made a film for the ages, but it’s on par with other decent historical sports dramas.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
50
The A.V. Club by Jesse Hassenger
What this one offers in abundance is facts about golf in its early days. How the movie escaped a Father’s Day release in the U.S. is a mystery.
70
Wall Street Journal by Joe Morgenstern
In its agreeably eccentric spirit, Tommy’s Honour evokes the Scottish comedies of Bill Forsyth; here it’s oddballs among the handmade, undimpled golf balls.
50
The Seattle Times by John Hartl
The plot tries too hard to incorporate elements that drift toward melodrama.
80
The Hollywood Reporter by Justin Lowe
This historical account offers an engrossing and accessible celebration of the game’s modern origins, enhanced by striking locations and a standout cast, led by Scottish actors Peter Mullan and Jack Lowden.
30
Austin Chronicle by Marjorie Baumgarten
Seeing what St. Andrews’ greens must have looked like in their native days before all golf courses became zealously manicured is refreshing. The film’s action, however, is rarely filmed in a way that highlights the action, and the story’s biographical elements lack dimension and drama.
70
Village Voice by Pete Vonder Haar
Golf's become such a ridiculously well-heeled pastime that it's refreshing to see it portrayed in its infancy, when clubs were carried like a bunch of kindling and the desolate greens of St. Andrews were more like the hazards of today's game.
50
A climactic contest takes place in arctic weather that would rival any New England Patriots playoff game. Had the filmmakers drawn more on this rowdy, hardy spirit, not to mention the hirsute gravitas of Peter Mullan, it might have done justice to its legendary subjects.
75
Although Tommy’s Honour has clearly been made by a golf obsessive who loves the links, it’s the rare sports biography that keeps its eye on the ball of character and milieu.
50
A vivid recreation of the early history of professional golf is the principle pleasure of Tommy’s Honour, a stately, slow and distressingly dull biography of 19th century Scottish golf hero Tom Morris.