After capitalizing on two of the greatest underdog stories of the past 30 years with "Miracle" and "The Rookie," Walt Disney Pictures goes back nearly 100 years to tell the tale of perhaps the greatest dark horse of all time. The resulting film, "The Greatest Game Ever Played," might conform closely to oft-recycled underdog formulas, but it does so in both entertaining and uplifting fashion.

"Game" tells the true story of Francis Ouimet (Shia LaBeouf, "Constantine"), a "commoner" from Massachusetts who tore down golf's class barrier with his sensational performance in the 1913 U.S. Open. His final-round playoff against the two best golfers of the age - Brits Harry Vardon (Stephen Dillane, "King Arthur") and Ted Ray (Stephen Marcus, "Quills") - was regarded at the time as the greatest game of golf ever played and popularized the sport in America for the first time.

Ouimet faces barriers at every level. His father bars him from his house unless he gives up the "fool's game," club elites frown upon his ambitions, and other golfers sneer at him as unworthy. Yet through it all, with his 10-year-old caddy at his side (relative newcomer John Flitter), Ouimet perseveres to become one of America's first true sports legend.

Director Bill Paxton's ("Frailty") recreation of early 20th century America and its common people is surprisingly realistic - aside from the occasional Disney-movie dialogue that the studio just can't seem to avoid. Ouimet's family hardships, his father's desire to protect him from upper-class prejudice and his mother's remarkable understanding of his dreams are all genuine family entertainment (you even half-expect someone to chime in with a "God bless us, every one!").

Anchoring the story is LaBeouf's excellent portrayal of Ouimet; he shows a sterling dramatic resilience that recalls Tobey Maguire's overlooked work in 2003's "Seabiscuit." He has the composure required to play someone of the era and a knack for portraying the outsider. His relationship with his boyhood idol, Vardon, is also compelling but at times unclear; the constant flashbacks into Vardon's own childhood as a social outcast often cut in awkwardly. How Vardon rose to become a golfing legend may well be a theme worth exploring; but when juxtaposed with Ouimet's struggle, it interferes with a true understanding of either story.

Though a bit lengthy and overly steeped in genre conventions, "Game" ultimately soars because of how remarkable Ouimet's achievement really was. Only when one realizes how much of the storyline is actually based on fact is it possible to really appreciate the film and its characters. His struggle shows how elitism in golf has been around as long as the game has been played in the United States and should be an inspiration to those trying to tear down the game's outdated gender barrier today.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars