Paul McAllister (Eric Close) dreams of perfection. No, really. The Mulligan (based on the novel by Ken Blanchard and Wally Armstrong) opens with him dreaming about playing a perfect game of golf. Then he wakes up late, blames everyone but himself for it, and rushes to a charity tournament with other wealthy businessmen. There he plays a round that is far from perfect. He does make ESPN, though, for snapping his putter in a John McEnroe-esque (wrong sport, I know) tantrum on the ninth hole.
At lunch one of the hosts suggests that Paul meet his mentor, “The Old Pro” Will Dunn (Pat Boone). For all of his success in business, Paul needs a mentor for more than just his game. He rarely speaks to his estranged wife, Rebecca (Tanya Christiannsen), and their adult son, Jake (Andrew Brodeur), hates him. Bridging the disconnect is Paul’s secretary Harriet (Charmin Lee), who is in Rebecca’s prayer group. An added complication is that Paul’s new business partner Ted (Chip Lane) is a back-stabber. The additional plotline is the sandtrap that bogs down this already overlong movie.
Paul doesn’t realize it, but he needs grace. He needs a second chance, a mulligan. And he thinks mulligans are cheats. Wanted or not, the opportunity comes when Jake is in a career-ending motorcycle crash. While The Old Pro has suffered tremendous loss and sees God’s hand in tragedy, Paul has his doubts. But soon Jake moves in with him (leading to some awkward but tastefully amusing bathroom humor), and the men begin to bond.
Christian films all tend to be about the same, so it’s easy to complain about the hokiness and repetition. Yet we rarely make the same objections about home renovation shows, which are just as familiar and (dare I say?) comforting. We know these greens by heart, but their beauty never gets old. Hearing the gospel and the story of God’s love isn’t entertaining. It’s wonderful.
What elevates The Mulligan above many of the movies in its genre are the performances. Boone is effortlessly charming, and Close is a welcome and familiar face. All the old tropes are there (why is there always someone in a hospital bed?), but they’re developed and used to further the plot. Even if we find the game of golf dull, the story coasts on the stars’ charisma enough to keep us engaged. (Cinedigm. Watch on Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, and other outlets)
About the Author
Trevor Denning is an alumni of Cornerstone University and lives, lifts weights, and spends too much time in his kitchen in Alma, Mich. His first short story collection is St. George Drive and Other Stories.