Laughs will keep you going to the end of Blackball

Blackball is the story of Cliff Starkey (Paul Kaye), a young pretender whose brash ways cause chaos in the sleepy world of lawn bowls.

The ageing population of Torquay take its sport very seriously, particularly local reigning bowls champion Ray Speight, who has won the southern peninsula title for 23 years on the trot.

He has given his life to the sport he loves, and believes everyone should be as devoted as him.

He’s a stickler for tradition and believes the rules should be followed at all costs.

Ray hates Cliff. He thinks the young pretender is crude and loud-mouthed. He particularly dislikes the fact that Cliff likes to entertain the crowds with outrageous tricks and doesn’t, in his opinion, take the game seriously.

When the young gun challenges the old master’s supremacy, the battle lines are drawn.

Ray uses his contacts, as well as his extensive knowledge of the game’s rules, to get Cliff banned for life, but this doesn’t stop lawn bowling’s answer to Alex Higgins, who, with the help of brash agent Rick (Vince Vaughn), turns the game into an unlikely TV hit.

To add a little spice to the pot, Cliff falls for local sexbomb Kerry (Alice Evans), who just happens to be Ray’s daughter.

Blackball follows the tried and trusted formula for sporting films: the unlikely hero battling against all the odds to achieve an unlikely victory.

Because of this there is no sense of suspense, and it’s difficult not to lose interest before the rather inevitable ending.

Despite this there are a few laughs along the way to keep you hanging in there.

Comedy, 15. 2/5