The Country Club (2023) Film Review
There’s one thing that’s quite noticeable about The Country Club, and what its directors seem to have considered from the very beginning, and it’s serviceable towards a better experience: They are not trying to make the movie you think The Country Club is. The poop and fart jokes on this one are plenty enough to step away from rom-com territory, and additionally during the credits we get what could possibly a first in the film industry: a “fart sound” credit. That’s recognizing your film won’t be as “friendly” as you think.
But Fiona Robert and Sophia Robert, sisters in real life, manage. Fiona has taken directorial credits, and her sister co writes. They star together in the film as well. They accomplish a decent product that may teach them some lesson about what they should improve in their storytelling skills and genre rules. But The Country Club is funny enough to leave you with a smile that’s more of admiration for a duo that dared to make the “Animal House” version of golf. Think Caddyshack with a smaller budget, and more colorful characters.
The story is simple. Elsa is a pretty good golfer. Her sister Tina, is aware of this. They’re just not wealthy enough to be part of a country club where Elsa can show her skills and perhaps be part of profitable competition. However, one invitation is misplaced and Elsa gets invited to a tournament in the town’s posh country club. The sisters don’t hesitate and decide to take the place of the real Elsa. Needless to say, they drive in their own car, but decide to Uber their way into the club in a huge car. This is only the first step.
Once they’re inside, The Country Club turns into something else. A movie that’s filled with gags executed by cliche characters that feel in the right place, but aren’t thoroughly controlled by the director. Sometimes they’re just too much and John Higgins‘ Roger goes over the top with a characterization that’s reminiscent of an SNL skit. Yes, that’s where we’ve seen him before.
Nevertheless, Robert regains control with a script whose second act feels weak, but then goes for everything in the third one. All storylines are supposed to end, and she manages to complete the circle of the main character’s journey. Honestly, the whole resolution feels vanilla, but it’s exactly what makes the film appropriate in its dosage of humor and genre standards. At least for me it felt like a breath of fresh air when the film slows its pace and goes back to being a fantasy tale with enough punchlines to make the rating system go berserk.
This is part romantic comedy and part slapstick comedy, and it works in the standards of premises that don’t need much development beyond a basic structure. It doesn’t go too far in extending its running time for the sake of jokes. Fiona and Sophia know when it’s time to stop typing and start thinking of how to give shape to their ideas.
If this the business card of the Roberts, then I’m there for what’s coming next.
