Summary
The Long Game, Dennis Quaid’s 2024 film that flew under the radar, becomes a global Netflix hit.The Long Gametells the true storyof the San Felipe Mustangs, a group of five Mexican-American caddies from Del Rio, Texas who, rejected from a local all-white country club, overcame immense prejudice to become the Texas state golf champions in 1957. Quaid plays Frank Mitchell, a member of the exclusionary golf club, alongside a cast that also includes Jay Hernandez, Julian Works, Jaina Lee Ortiz, Brett Cullen, Oscar Nuñez, Paulina Chávez, Gregory Diaz IV, José Julián, and Cheech Marin.
Now, shortly after its streaming debut, Quaid’s under-the-radar film has become a globalNetflixhit. For the week of July 8-14,The Long Gameranked sixth on Netflix’s Global Top 10 chart with four million viewsand 7.4 million hours viewed. The new Netflix originals,Beverly Hills Cop: Axel FandA Family Affair, held the top two spots for the week, followed byPaw Patrol: The Movie,The Equalizer, andThe Super Mario Bros. Movierounding out the top five.
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.
The Long Game Is Dennis Quaid’s Second Overlooked Sports Movie To Become A Netflix Hit
The Hill Was Also A Netflix Hit
The Long Gameis Quaid’s second overlooked sports movie to become a hit on Netflix.The Hillwas also largely overlookedwhen it was released in theaters in August 2023, making only $7 million and receiving middling reviews from critics. FromHoosiersandRudywriter Angelo Pizzo,The Hilltells the true storyof Rickey Hill, who overcame a degenerative spinal disease to play professional baseball. Quaid plays Rickey’s strict father, Pastor James Hill, who actually dissuaded him from playing baseball out of fear of injury and wanted him to pursue preaching instead.
The Hillhas a strong 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes from audiences, who consider it a heartwarming tearjerker and a feel-good story for the entire family to enjoy.
The Hillreviewsrecognize that Quaid’s strong performance helps enhance the film, though its underdog story is only occasionally inspiring.The Hillholds a 44% score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics. However, after becoming available on Netflix,The Hillbecame a hit on the streaming service in January 2024, receiving 6.3 million views in its first week. Conversely,The Hillhas a strong 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes from audiences, who consider it a heartwarming tearjerker and a feel-good story for the entire family to enjoy.
The Hillis still streaming on Netflix.
The Long Gamepremiered at South by Southwest in 2023 and was released in theaters in April 2024. It, too, flew under the radar, making $3 million, less thanThe Hilldid a year prior.The Long Gamewas released on Netflix on July 12 and has found a second life on streaming. WhileThe Hillwas largely dismissed by critics,The Long Gamereviewsare actually quite positive, praising the film as an inspiring true story and an engaging underdog tale that triumphs despite its familiar narrative formula. It has solid 81% and 97% scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
Over his long career,Quaid has shown a propensity towards inspirational sports movies. He famously played the MLB pitcher Jim Morris inThe Rookie, but has also starred in the sports dramasTough EnoughandThe Express: The Ernie Davis Story. Considering his back catalog of sports movies, coupled with him continuing to make new ones,The Long Gamelikely won’t be Quaid’s last sports film to become a hit on Netflix.
Where To Watch Other Dennis Quaid Sports Movies
& What They’re About
The HillandThe Long Gamebecoming Netflix hits serve as a reminder to watch or revisit some ofQuaid’s past sports movies.The Hill, which tells the true story of baseball player Rickey Hill, especially serves as a reminder to watch or revisit 2002’sThe Rookie, which tells the true story of Jim Morris with Quaid playing the pitcher who debuted in Major League Baseball at the age of 35.The Rookieis streaming on Disney+.
WhileThe Rookieis widely regarded as a classic baseball movie, Quaid has also starred in some sports dramas over the years that aren’t as well-known.
WhileThe Rookieis widely regarded as aclassic baseball movie, Quaid has also starred in some sports dramas over the years that aren’t as well-known. Many years beforeThe Rookie, Quaid starred in 1983’sTough Enoughas a down-on-his-luck country and western singer who enters a toughman amateur boxing competition to help pay for his family’s bills and hopefully achieve his dream of singing on national television.Tough Enoughisn’t available on streaming or on any digital platforms for that matter, and is only available to buy physically on DVD/Blu-ray.
The Express
Max
A few years afterThe Rookie, Quaid starred in 2008’sThe Express, which tells the true story of Ernie Davis, the first African-American to ever win the Heisman Trophy. Quaid plays the Syracuse University football coach Ben Schwartzwalder who, searching for a running back to replace Jim Brown, is the one who discovers Davis and recruits him.The Expressbombed at the box office, though it is similar toThe HillandThe Long Gamein that it was praised as an inspirational, albeit clichéd sports drama.The Expressis streaming on Max.
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.
