Grade: B-

Verdict: A pretty good movie about a great man. And not just for golfers.

"Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius" opens with the green only golfers know. The early-morning green of rolling fairways and smooth putting greens, dew-kissed and beckoning.

That's one of many expert grace notes scattered throughout this respectful biography of Robert Tyre Jones Jr. -- Bobby Jones, the gentleman golfer who dominated the grand old game in the '20s and early '30s yet never turned pro. He played for the love of the game, which would've made a fine title if it hadn't already been used on a not-so-good baseball flick starring Kevin Costner.

Backed by the Jones family, the picture is a handsomely made, straightforward account (if bordering on hagiography) of how a tow-headed kid, with the help of a supportive dad (Brett Rice) and despite a disapproving granddad (Dan Albright), became the greatest golfer in the world. He's played by Jim Caviezel, who's already proved he can handle a godlike presence thanks to his agonized portrayal of Jesus Christ in Mel Gibson's mega-hit, "The Passion of the Christ."

However, there's no scourging here -- unless you count the colorfully caustic comments made by Walter Hagen (Jeremy Northam), the flashy professional who became Jones' constant rival. If Jones was the epitome of good-natured grace and decorum, Hagen was the personification of boisterous greed and showmanship. In the movie, he's introduced riding in the back of a convertible, a flask in hand and a lipstick mark on his cheek.

The competition between the two provides what little conflict the move musters. Overall, "Bobby Jones" is a lovely looking, lovingly made tribute to Jones, his patient wife (Claire Foriani), his family, his friends, his fans and even O. B. Keeler (Malcolm McDowell), the Atlanta Journal sportswriter who played a faithful Boswell to Jones' Samuel Johnson.

What the film never figures out is, how do you find the drama in the life of an exceedingly decent man? Yes, Jones smokes, drinks, swears, even throws his clubs. But in a cinematic world accustomed to the excesses of "Requiem for a Dream" or "Scarface," these "vices" seem like eating too many ice-cream sandwiches.

In many ways, "Bobby Jones" brings to mind 1942's "Pride of the Yankees," starring Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig, another good man and superb athlete struck down by a pernicious disease. The Cooper movie chose to make the disease a focal point, giving us that memorable moment in the film when Cooper/Gehrig says, "Today, I'm the luckiest man in the world."

This film isn't inclined to show us what happened after Jones contracted a terrible and rare crippling disease, the spinal disorder syringomyelia, that would put him in a wheelchair. Perhaps director Rowdy Herrington ("Road House") realized it would make a long, sometimes slow film feel even longer and slower. Or perhaps the family wanted Jones remembered in his breathtaking prime. Yet one of his most memorable sayings was what he told sympathizers who approached him about his illness: In both golf and life, you play the ball as it lies.

Though nothing like Jones physically, Caviezel is wonderful. He catches the great golfer's steely determination, sturdy optimism and reflexive generosity. While he shows us a remarkable man, "Bobby Jones" isn't an especially remarkable movie. But flawed as it may be, it respectfully honors a man who deserves to be honored.

And about that swing: Looked good to me.