Film
John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection
- Director
- Julien Faraut
- Certificate
- 12A
- Running Time
- 95 mins
Using a treasure trove of archive 16mm footage shot at the 1984 French open tennis chapionship, this very French documentary eassay aims to be much more than a sports film of necessarily limited appeal.
Taking his cue from Jean-Luc Godard’s comment, “Cinema lies, sport doesn’t,” writer-director Julien Faraut explores John McEnroe‘s competitive drive and enjoyably brattish behaviour through his relationship to the camera. Some critics found it all rather overdone, especially with those clips from Raging Bull, but this is certainly unlike any other sports documentary you’ll ever see.
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