From John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection/Oscilloscope Laboratories
Dear Tennis Fans,
That this movie earned a 100% audience rating and 88% critics rating at Rotten Tomatoes is shocking, but given the now-that-I-think-of-it expected audience, maybe not so surprising.
But, hey! I was a member of the so-called expected audience and for me, John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection is an error, a dud. It is awful.
Half of the film is devoted to McEnroe's temper tantrums, although none of his in this film, quite matches that of Serena Williams last weekend at the U.S. Open.
The French documentary is not about his life, his upbringing, training, or great matches. It's not about his motivators or methodology which we, the underperforming (or non-performing) can hope to adapt in some manner or another.
It's not an update on what he's doing in life now besides working as a sports commentator. What's it all about, Johnny?
It's a single year of his tennis life, 1984, when he played and lost (to Ivan Lendl) at Roland Garros Stadium at the French Open. (McEnroe still gets ill when he has to go to France.)
Despite the loss, this movie star still holds the single year season record, a 96.5% win rate.
The movie has clips from a few great matches with...whom? Save for the last match, competitors are hidden from view.
I was yearning to see Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, some of the greats McEnroe battled. Instead, I saw lots of McEnroe's shoes, his grimaces, his frowns, his unhappiness, and his towels.
Oh, and there's the red clay. (All, about the same shade.) Lots of it to be seen when he points to the lines and argues with officials, never successfully, about what he thinks are errant calls.
Also, there is a surfeit of narration and computer drawings about his serve, his arm positions, his style, his bent knees, in slow motion. A technical film, for tennis coaches and their students, and that's about all.
In the words of every sub-teen: b - o - r - i - n - g.
I think I was hoping to see the film, Borg v. McEnroe I've heard about. Perfection? This ain't it!
I saw it so you don't have to.
Julien Faraut wrote and directed; Mathieu Amalric, narrated.
patricialesli@gmail.com
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