Blackball (2003) on Netflix
Cliff Starkey bowls by his own rules in Torquay, to his local club's disapproval. The Doohan brothers' tour of England sends him chasing a place on the national team.
- Netflix2.8/5
- IMDb5.6/104,692 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes41%
Trailer
Plot summary
Cliff Starkey is a naturally talented but rebellious young lawn bowls player. He lives on the Lynx Estate in Torquay with his friend Trevor and his grandfather Mutley, a painter and decorator, and plays by his own rules, to the disapproval of the local club and its elderly members. Cliff wants to play for his country. Ray Speight, a veteran player and thirteen times champion, heads the local lawn bowls association, and the two men come from different social backgrounds. When Cliff learns that the unbeaten Australian brothers Carl and Mark Doohan are touring England, he plans to get himself selected for the national team.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Blackball (2003)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Blackball's fictional plot is based on the real-life bowls player Griff Sanders, who was known as "The Bad Boy of Bowls".
- The film spoofs Bjørge Lillelien's infamous commentary on Norway's 2-1 defeat of England at football in 1981, a theme David Baddiel and Frank Skinner had first riffed on Fantasy Football League.
