Dennis Quaid’s Under-The-Radar 2024 Movie Becomes A Netflix Global Hit

The Long Game, Dennis Quaid’s 2024 film that flew under the radar, becomes a global Netflix hit. The Long Game tells the true story of 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 during the 1950s. Other than Quaid, the film’s cast 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 global Netflix hit. For the week of July 8-14, The Long Game ranked sixth on Netflix’s Global Top 10 chart with four million views and 7.4 million hours viewed. The new Netflix originals, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F and A Family Affair, held the top two spots for the week, followed by Paw Patrol: The Movie, The Equalizer, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie rounding out the top five.

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 Game is Quaid’s second overlooked sports movie to become a hit on Netflix. The Hill was also largely overlooked when it was released in theaters in August 2023, making only $7 million and receiving middling reviews. However, after becoming available on Netflix, the sports film became a hit on the streaming service in January 2024, receiving 6.3 million views in its first week. From Hoosiers and Rudy writer Angelo Pizzo, The Hill tells the true story of Rickey Hill who overcame a degenerative spinal disease to play professional baseball.

On the other hand, The Long Game premiered at South by Southwest in 2023 and was released in theaters in April 2024. It, too, flew under the radar, making $3 million, less than The Hill did a year prior. The Long Game was released on Netflix on July 12 and has found a second life on streaming. While The Hill was largely dismissed by critics, The Long Game reviews are actually quite positive, praising the film as an inspiring true story and an engaging underdog tale that triumphs despite its familiar narrative formula.

Over his long career, Quaid has shown a propensity towards sports movies. He famously played the MLB pitcher Jim Morris in The Rookie, but has also starred in the sports dramas Tough Enough and The Express: The Ernie Davis Story. Considering his back catalog of sports movies, coupled with him continuing to make new ones, The Long Game likely won’t be Quaid’s last sports film to become a hit on Netflix.

Source: Netflix

The Long Game (2024)

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.

Director

Julio Quintana

Release Date

April 12, 2024

Writers

Paco Farias , Humberto G. Garcia , Julio Quintana

Cast

Dennis Quaid , Gillian Vigman , Jay Hernandez , Jaina Lee Ortiz , Brett Cullen , Oscar Nunez , Cheech Marin , Julian Works

Runtime

112 Minutes

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