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Steve Carell on Par for Rick Reilly Golf Comedy 'Missing Links'

by Ethan Anderton
October 26, 2009

While I admit that I do still love the curly haired comedic force that is Will Ferrell, his recent foray into nonsensical off-the-wall sports comedies (e.g. Semi-Pro) is beginning to lose its appeal. Thankfully he's moved on and seems to be passing the reins over to Steve Carell, as THR's Risky Biz Blog reports that the actor will star and produce Missing Links, a comedy set in the world of golf about a player angling for a better place to drive his balls. Okay that sounded dirty, but we've all seen 40-Year-Old Virgin so I think we can handle it. Writer Jay Lavender (The Break-Up) adapted the script from a novel by ESPN’s Rick Reilly.

More specifically, Reilly's novel "tells of a group of bumblers who, after playing for years at a run-down municipal golf course in a working-class Boston neighborhood, concoct a series of schemes that they hope will lead to them teeing off at a nearby elite club." Reilly is no stranger to the sports film as he's responsible for co-writing the George Clooney directed football period picture Leatherheads, which was quite charming in its own right, despite performing fairly poorly at the box office in 2008. Risky Biz also points out exactly what I was thinking in that there seems to be only one great golf comedy every decade for the past 30 years.

The 80's brought us Caddyshack, the 90's brought us Happy Gilmore, and coming up we've got both Ron Shelton's Q School and Missing Links on their way. I'm sure we'll see a great golf comedy this decade, too.

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Lindsey

I hope that Steve Carell will be taken a bit more seriously than Will Ferrell. While movies like Anchorman, Old School, and Elf are decent--Steve has proved himself the superior talent. Can we say The Office and Little Miss Sunshine? He has range.
lee , Scotland

your forgot about the 'Bobby Jones' Movies a areally good and inspirational golf story! and also 'the greatest story ever told' both true storys. ok it not comedy but still good stuff!
Trip

Golf fans, check out a good golf documentary called "The Back Nine". It's about an amateur who tries to turn pro at 40 years old...
branden

#1 while I am a huge Carell fan, he hasn't proven himself that much as being a great lead. Sure he was hilarious in Anchorman, Bruce Almights, and Little Miss Sunshine, but outside of 40 Year Old Virgin he hasn't done that great. Get Smart was entertaining, Dan in Real Life was unique, but he still has a long way to go to prove that he can really lead a movie. I guess Tin Cup wasn't really only a comedy, but I really liked that back in the 90s.
Sean D.

I read this book a few years ago and it is hysterical. Reilly knows how to command the written word and weave a story that is intricate, funny, and moving as well. If anyone can pull it off on the big screen it'll be Steve Carell. I, for one, cannot wait for this movie to come out!
Lindsey

I agree that Steve isn't much of a lead. I'd rather watch an excellent side character in a quality movie like Little Miss Sunshine than a crappy lead like Ferrell in Land of the Lost. What I hope Carrell doesn't do is follow in Will's footsteps. I long for some awkward indie roles in the future! P.S. I actually like Will Ferrell sometimes, he just hasn't proven himself exceptional to me yet. (Elf was close.) P.P.S. I have no firm opinion on Missing Links as of yet.
Curroneus

What about Tin Cup - pretty great Golf comedy in its own right....
Aaron

Carell was also good in Dan In Real Life, which is a very underrated movie. I personally can't wait for this movie to come out. I don't think it will be as good as Caddyshack, that will be a hard feat to accomplish, but I think it has the potential to top Happy Gilmore. #6, what are you talking about? Ferrell hasn't proved himself? He was extremely hilarious in ELF and The Producers, and I'm pretty sure he has won a Golden Globe. Not to mention the successful comedies he has co-written like Anchorman and Talledega Nights, and Step Brothers wasn't bad either. Steve isn't much of a lead? You know he's been nominated 4 times for an Emmy in his LEADING role in The Office right? And as I stated earlier, he was great in his leading role in Dan In Real Life. A lot of people forget the Carell help write the extremely successful comedy 40 Year Old Virgin with Judd Apatow, which he also stared in as a LEAD, and defintely one of the most hilarious(in a good way) performances of the decade.
Aaron

My bad on the last post, Ferrell has only been nominated twice for a Golden Globe.
Lindsey

I meant a lead in a film. Dan in real life is the only one he's done something interesting with other than The 40-Year-Old Virgin, which was surprisingly amazing and meaningful. But I would hardly count Evan Almighty a success in any way. I'm not saying Steve won't be a consistent film lead in the future, but he isn't known for it yet. Believe me, I adore Carrell, I'm obsessed with The Office, and I know what he's done. He's newer to the scene, however, and isn't yet well-known for his talent as a leading man. And Will Ferrell isn't so great. ELF was good (I developed a crush on him while watching that ), Anchorman is good, but he's always the same person--one who usually appeals to college frat boys. And Talledega Nights was awful in every way, shape, and form. Of course, that is my opinion; anyone is welcome to think otherwise. I have yet to think "quality" when I think Ferrell.
Lynda Starwriter

Steve Carrell has the ability to adapt to adult comedy and play funny stuff out for pre-teens --SANS THE BLATANT PROFANITY AND BODILY VULGARITIES. Carell stands alone in pulling this off, especially in his role as a manager, Michael, in "The Office." He never fails to send me into fits of uproarious laughter because he doesn't miss a beat. His facial expressions and vocal tonality are so crucial to the punch lines, or lack thereof, he brings the humor down to earth -- down to the last detail of ..."Hey! That guy could be my McDonald's manager. He sounds just like him!" Seriously, I've golfed with colleagues and friends who haven't been told the cold, hard truth: You don't really know how to play. You just think because you're wandering aimlessy on the back nine, while driving a golf cart under the influence of Dewars (all before noon time) that your Big Bertha driver on the twelfth tee is going to land you a hole-in-one. Ha! Go get another drink! I can't wait to see what Carrell does with this opportunity!