That was an excellent one.

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

I was able to see this movie on Netflix streaming movies. It is based on a real person, and a real university in Nashville. But as the end credits state many situations in this movie are fictionalized and many characters are composites of more than one person.For example, in the movie when she starts a golf team in the 1980s she cannot find but one local golfer, so she goes to the phones and recruited internationally, getting players from all over the world. But here is what she says about her first season, " My first golf team consisted of two injured football players, two other guys and one girl who was permitted to play with us. I started out with that and they were all African-Americans. It continued on and then I started getting other interested players from other ethnic groups. Eventually, it evolved into having some international students."So in the movie they lump all that into one season, including the eventual national tournament win in 2005, her last year of coaching.None of that is to knock the movie, just to point out that it isn't really a documentary, rather it is a dramatization of her impact as a trailblazing coach, a female coach of a men's golf team.The lead is played by one my personal favorites, Taraji P. Henson (of 'Person of Interest') as Dr Catana Starks, and golf coach. Now deceased Michael Clarke Duncan has a good role as a janitor that helps Sparks get the attention the program needed. And Henry Simmons is Kendrick Paulsen Jr., the wealthy former athlete who is now athletic director and gives Starks a hard time, threatening to fire her.The golf is all amateurish, but it is there to tell a story. It was mostly filmed in and around the New Orleans area, including Dillard University and several golf courses. Good movie.

Taraji P Henson scores a hole in one with this fantastic movie!! The way she portrays Coach Starks is totally believable. The film tells the inspiring story of how Coach Starks pulled together a team of misfits and changed their lives for the better. It shows that people working together can accomplish great things, and it shows what one extraordinary person can do with lots of patience, perseverance, and hard work.Justin Chon was amazing as a 'bad-ass' Korean teenager who is not comfortable with his straight laced father, but eventually he comes to terms with himself. Tom Felton is another character who grows throughout the film. Coach Starks has a positive effect on everyone she touches.Her life does not appear to have been easy, but she makes the most of what she has. The fact that this is based on a true story makes it that much more refreshing.

Based on a true-life story, From the Rough is both entertaining and inspirational. If you like sports movies such as Hoosiers, Miracle, and Remember the Titans, you are probably going to like this one also. The screenplay is excellent, the cast is first-rate, and the production values are superb.The team comes together and overcomes long odds to compete in men's college golf against well-entrenched and better-financed programs. You don't have to be a golfer to follow the action and to appreciate the techniques used by Coach Starks to forge the winning formula. I recommend this to movie goers of all ages. Don't let the lack of a large marketing budget fool you; this movie is a hidden gem that you should make a special point to see.

From the Rough is an inspiring movie the entire family will enjoy. It tells the story of the creation of a men's golf team at a small African American college: Tennessee State. The coach is an African American woman who prods and inspires her eclectic group of golfers to achieve at a very high level. The AD at first offers her little help and no funds for scholarships, as he really doesn't think a golf team is what the college needs. Eventually, he approves the scholarships, but the coach has little luck attracting talent, since the school has never had a golf team before. She finally attracts a team by making calls to different parts of the world and each player's story is quite interesting. There are twists and turns throughout, as the new Athletic Director is a bit unsure of himself and doesn't make it easy of the new golf coach, who also coaches the woman's swim team. Very much a fun movie for the whole family!