Movie review
March 18, 2022 · 106 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The Phantom of the Open is a 2022 British biographical comedy-drama directed by Craig Roberts. It follows the true story of Maurice Flitcroft, a working-class crane operator from Barrow-in-Furness who bluffed entry into the 1976 British Open golf championship, shot the worst score in its history, and turned into a folk hero through sheer optimism and persistence. The film centers on family dreams, light class contrasts with golf's establishment, and personal reconciliation, delivered through straightforward humor and heart with no visible woke themes, identity-driven plots, activist dialogue, or representation signaling in the story, casting, or marketing.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Phantom of the Open.
Woke representation / casting
Casting uses white British actors for every principal role in line with the 1970s working-class Barrow-in-Furness setting and real people depicted. No patterns of identity signaling, quota-style choices, or emphasis on diversity appear in prominent positions. Selections follow story and historical logic without modern adjustments.
Woke political dialogue
No activist speeches, identity-focused conversations, or explicit messaging on gender, race, sexuality, DEI, or social justice topics exist in the film. Dialogue stays on family, dreams, golf attempts, and personal persistence in a comedic register.
Identity-driven story themes
The narrative tracks a working-class dreamer challenging sports elites and supporting his family's ambitions, with class differences visible in the 1970s British context. These elements come directly from documented events and play as optimistic comedy rather than identity politics or activist reframing.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Light comedic ribbing of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club's stuffy rules and elitism contrasts with the protagonist's background. This reflects period class tensions in British sports and stays humorous without evolving into modern activist critiques of patriarchy, whiteness, capitalism, or systemic power.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant. The film adapts a real person's documented life and events from the source book with standard biopic comedic touches. No identity-driven or DEI-style alterations to historical figures or canon appear.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
No anti-woke or right-leaning complaints treating the film as activist, DEI, or identity-politics content surfaced in reviews, news, or social media. Reaction stayed centered on entertainment value.
Creator track record context
Simon Farnaby brings mild liberal context from prior satirical and anti-Brexit work. Mark Rylance adds peace-activism history as actor and producer. Scott Murray and the other listed producers show no strong activist patterns. Overall influence on this project remains light and non-dominant on identity or representation themes.
Production
