Summary
Known for a number of comedy movies made with Tommy Chong, Cheech Marin had a memorable part to play inThe Long Game. Receiving significant praise from critics,The Long Gameis about five Mexican American golfersin the 1950s whoattempt to build a golf course in the South Texan desertand are advised by Cheech Marin’s Pollo on the discrimination they face when doing it. Theplot featured inThe Long Gameis based on a true story.
Interestingly,The Long Gameis not Marin’s first golf movie.28 years earlier, he appeared alongside Kevin Coster inTin Cup. The 1996 film has a star-studded cast with Kevin Costner playing the leading role of a former professional golfer who qualifies for the US Open and attempts to try and win over his rival’s girlfriend, Dr. Molly Griswold (Rene Russo). As a golf film with some key similarities to it,The Long Gamecomes across as a worthwhile follow-up to Marin’s appearance inTin Cup.
The Long Game Ending Explained
The Long Game had a happy ending, with the Mustangs winning the state championship, but the team and Coach Peña had a rough journey to victory.
2024’s The Long Game & 1996’s Tin Cup Are Both Cheech Marin-Starring Texas Golf Movies
Cheech Marin Plays Important Supporting Roles In Both Movies
InTin Cup, Marin’s character, Romeo Posar, is best friends with Costner’s character Roy ‘Tin Cup’ McAvoy and acts as his mentor and caddie. LikeThe Long Game,Tin Cupperformed incredibly well with critics, who praised various aspects of the film.Tin Cuphas an approval rating of 72 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, andThe Long Gamehas a similar ratingof 81 percent.
Some ofTin Cupwas shot in Kingswood, Texas at the Deerwood Clubhouse, and part ofThe Long Gamewas also shot in Texas, in the towns of Smithville and Bastrop.
At the time of the film’s release, critics touted Cheech Martin’s role inTin Cupand the energy he brought to the film; Janet Malsin ofThe New York Timesdescribed Cheech Marin inTin Cupas “gruffly funny,” which echoes sentiments about the comedian’s efforts to bring comic relief toThe Long Game.Both films also focus on the stories of underdogs: a comeback for a former pro inTin Cupand a golf team of Mexican players overcoming racism inThe Long Game. Marin’s performances in these films highlight the importance of supporting characters in sports dramas and his fondness for golf.
Cheech Marin Became An Avid Golfer In Real Life After Starring In Tin Cup
He Has An Affinity For Golf Outside The Movies.
Cheech Marin didn’t initially like golf, but after starring inTin Cup, he became an avid player. His golf movie roles must’ve inspired his game because, inJuly 2013, he visited the Predator Ridge Resort in Canada, where he scored his first ever hole-in-oneon the golf course. The hole-in-one was scored on hole eight of the course, and he used a Cobra 3 rescue club to do it, according to a video posted by the resort.
While inboth movies Cheech Marin’s characters do not play golf, seeing his enthusiasm for the sport makes his characters feel more believable. InThe Long Game, Pollo is a club groundskeeper who knows a lot about golf from observing the players on the green, and inTin Cup,Romeo has similar knowledge through working for his best friend, an ex-professional golf player, and watching him play. Cheech Marin’s insightful portrayal of these characters brings depth to these roles and celebrates the integration of golf as a sport onto the big screen.
The Long Game
Cast
In 1956, JB Peña and his wife moved to the small town of Del Rio, TX, partly for a job as a school superintendent, but mostly to fulfill JB’s dream of joining the prestigious, all-white Del Rio Country Club. So when JB is rejected on the basis of his skin color, he is devastated. But his world soon collides with a group of young latino golf caddies who work at the country club, and JB is inspired by the handmade course the boys built in the country to teach themselves golf. With little experience and even fewer resources, JB convinces the boys to start their own high school golf team, starting them all on a journey where they learn that it takes more than just golf skills to make history.
