Published On: Fri, Sep 20th, 2013

“The Short Game” Has Big Appeal

By: Skip Sheffield

Like golf?

Even if you don’t you may like “The Short Game,” which features two Palm BeachCounty children who are star golfers.

Allan Kournikova, 7, of Palm Beach, and Alexa Pano, 7, of Lake Worth are two of eight world-class golfers aged 7 or 8 competing in the youngest class of champion golfers at Pinehurst, North Carolina in a documentary film by Emmy Award-winner Josh Greenbaum.

The title is a pun of course. These kids are equally good at short, middle and long games, and they are so darn cute. The others are Zamokuhle Nxasana, 8, of South Africa; Kuang Yang, 7, of China; Jed Dy of the Philippines; Augustin Valery, 8, of France; Sky Sudberry, 8, of Texas and Amari “Tigress” Avery of Riverside, California.

Greenbaum introduces us to each of the children, then shows them competing, under pressure.

Allan Kournikova and Alexa Pano get a lot of camera time, as do their home courses in Florida. The astounding thing about “Short Time” is how good these kids are, and how graceful under pressure. They are a virtual United Nations of golf, yet they are still children and subject to childish emotions. Sky Sudberry is so tiny she looks 4 or 5-year-old rather than 8. If she tires of the game of golf she could be a beauty queen.

Greenbaum also shows the parents and coaches and their roles in the grooming and training of the young athletes. Some of the parents are distinctly pushy. Others have superstitious quirks. A couple are completely clueless about the game of golf. To put the game in perspective we hear from old pros Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Chi Chi Rodriguez and John Nieporte and Bob Toski, who coached in Boca Raton.

The culmination of “The Short Game” is the final day of three days of the annual world competition at Pinehurst. I will not spoil the plot by revealing the winners. It is safe to say getting there is 90 percent of the fun. This short (100 minutes) fast-moving film is a wonderful advertisement for the challenges and joys of golf. You may leave with a mad desire to take up the game.

Four stars

 

“Thanks You For Sharing”

 

“Thank You For Sharing” is also a pun title with a double meaning, written and directed by Stuart Blumberg (“The Kids Are All Right”).

The “sharing” of the title refers to confessions addicts make to the group in 12-step programs. It also refers to sharing as in a loving relationship.

Affable Mark Ruffalo plays Adam, a New York City environmental consultant who is “five years sober” from a sexual addiction.

Sexual addiction is a concept much more difficult to grasp than alcoholism or drug addiction because there is no chemical cause. It is, to use an old-fashioned term, “all in your head.”

Adam’s sponsor is Mike (Tim Robbins), himself an ex-addict. Ex addicts can be judgmental and overbearing. Mike is both with his wife Katie (Joely Richardson) and son Danny (Patrick Fugit).

Mike encourages Adam to get back into the dating game and take a chance on love. He finds that with Phoebe (Gweneth Paltrow), a strong, self-sufficient survivor.

Neil (Josh Gad), an emergency room doctor, is a “newbie” who has been in denial of his sexual compulsions. When he gets arrested for groping a woman in the subway, Neil is given the choice to get help or kiss his career goodbye.

On one hand “Thank You For Sharing” wants to be a comedy. Chubby Josh Gad is a good physical comedian who makes his inappropriate compulsions funny.

On the other hand the film wants to be a drama about the demons of addiction. Those demons haunt Adam in his tentative relationship with Phoebe, who has secrets of her own.

Mike’s demons have made him insufferable to the rest of his family.

Neil doesn’t quite know how to behave when he finds himself physically and mentally attracted to Dede (Alecia Moore, aka pop singer Pink), a gregarious hairdresser.

While there are some mild laughs here, there are also uncomfortable moments. Mark Ruffalo anchors the film quite well dramatically, but “Thank You For Sharing” is neither profound nor a laugh riot.

Two and a half stars

 

 

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