Filming Begins on New Golf Movie


Principal photography is underway on an independent feature-length film about golf. "The Squeeze" will star Chris McDonald (previous credits include "Happy Gilmore" and "Requiem for a Dream") and Jeremy Sumpter ("Peter Pan," "Friday Night Lights").

Other cast members include Michael Nouri ("Flashdance," "The Proposal"), Katherine LaNasa ("The Campaign," "Alfie") and Jillian Murray ("Never Back Down," "Cougar Hunting").

The movie is being directed by Terry Jastrow - a seven-time Emmy-winner with 17 nominations as a TV sports director for Olympic Games and Wide World of Sports, and co-produced by George Parra ("Sideways," "The Descendants," "Silver Linings Playbook"); Anne Archer ("Fatal Attraction," "Patriot Games," "Clear and Present Danger"); Michael Doven ("Mission Impossible," "The Last Samurai"); and Brian McCormack ("The Lucky Ones").

The story involves 20-year-old Augie Baccas (played by Sumpter), a resident of a small rural town where he wins the city golf championship by 15 shots and breaks his own course record. Afterward, he is approached by a Southern gambler, Riverboat (McDonald), and bejeweled wife Jessie (LaNasa), who hear about the win on a local radio station while driving across the country from Mississippi to Las Vegas.

The pair turn off the highway and head for the local municipal course to find young Augie and convince him to abandon his dreams of qualifying for the U.S. Open and play for Riverboat in high-stake gambling matches.

Baccas agrees to the plan, angering his longtime girlfriend Natalie (Murray) as she watches him abandon his dreams and compromise his integrity. Augie uses his talent to win higher and higher stakes matches with Riverboat until the pair is run out of town. They head to Las Vegas where, competing for even higher stakes, Augie finds himself pitted against notorious Vegas gambler Jimmy Diamonds (Nouri), who has known connections to the mob.

Augie continues to win every match until Diamonds, fed up with the scam, breaks into Augie's hotel room and informs him that if he doesn't lose the next day's million-dollar match he'll end up at the bottom of a swimming pool wearing lead boots. Fearing for his life, Augie attempts to escape but is discovered by an angry Riverboat, who counters with a similar threat. Win or lose, Augie's future is dismal.

In a press release, the producers equate "The Squeeze" with "Tin Cup" meeting "The Sting," with a dollop of "Caddyshack."

Jastrow's creative team includes director of cinematography Taron Lexton, production designer Sephen Lineweaver, and costume designer Ellen Falguiere.

Independently financed, "The Squeeze" is currently being filmed in Wilmington, N.C., with subsequent shooting to take place Las Vegas.

For further details, visit http://www.thesqueezemovie.com.