Seven Days in Utopia

, based on David L. Cook's best-selling 2009 novel Golf's Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia (Zondervan), will be released Nov. 29 on DVD and distributed by Provident Distribution to the Christian retail channel.

The sports drama about a struggling young professional golfer who discovers the difference between success and significance made $4.3 million in the box office when it was released in 561 theaters in September, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com.

In August, Zondervan released a movie tie-in edition to the film—which stars Academy Award-winners Robert Duvall and Melissa Leo. Cook was one of the screenwriters of the movie.

In the film, Texas golfer Luke Chisholm (Lucas Black) drops out of the sport after being publicly humiliated during a tournament. When Chisholm unexpectedly gets stranded in Utopia, Texas for a week, he meets an eccentric rancher and former professional golfer Johnny Crawford (Duvall) who teaches him not only about a better swing, but a better way of life.

The G-rated film was heavily marketed to the faith-based community, especially pastors' screenings. The producers created a grassroots campaign, which includes a ministry resource site.

The movie received some mixed reviews. "While corny at times, this sports drama is sure to find a welcoming audience with its down-home Christian message," The Hollywood Reporter observed. "An otherwise cornball, inspirational tale about finding God through golf, Seven Days in Utopia must be given full credit for coming up with something new in movies: To learn what happens at the end, you've got to go online."

The Orlando Sentinel noted that the film "treats its subject as if it's a tap-in for par, and thus, most of the best clubs were left in the bag." Variety added that the movie was "little more than a pleasantly passable Christian sports parable delivered as a sort of Texan golfer's version of The Karate Kid."

The DVD retails for $28.99. Click here for more information on Seven Days in Utopia.

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