201. John McEnroe In The Realm Of Perfection; movie review

JOHN MCENROE: IN THE REALM OF PERFECTION
Cert 12A
95 mins

BBFC advice: Contains infrequent strong language, moderate sex references

You cannot be serious? There is a film about John McEnroe's ultimate meltdown at the French Open in 1984.
Well sort of. John McEnroe - In The Realm Of Perfection is actually about the filming of one of the world's greatest ever tennis players.
Mrs W and I were so perplexed by its opening that she gave up on it after 15 minutes. She would have been well advised to stick with Julien Faraut's film.
This turns into a gripping and intimate portrayal of a sportsman in his prime while it also shows the skill of those who captured him on 16mm.
But it is also McEnroe at his most tempestuous - long before Hawkeye was the last word in tennis line calls.
The close-ups and slow-motion sequences show what a stunning player her was, dominating his opponent with his speed around the baseline and charges into the net.

Faraut immerses the viewer simultaneously into an exploration of what makes a great sportsman and what makes superb cinema.
The actor, as he sees it is McEnroe whose verbal volleys are as powerful as those which win the points.
The movie is narrated by Mathieu Amalric and includes the quotes of the day from Serge Daney, a celebrated French film critic who was also a tennis writer.
It is backed by a heavy, almost foreboding soundtrack which gives the movie the sense of gradual unravelling.
The movie culminates with a detailed examination of the 1984 French Open final against Ivan Lendl which McEnroe confesses still keeps him awake at night.
It began with the greatest tennis the world had seen to that point and was turned on its head after McEnroe had a confrontation with a photographer.
It meant that McEnroe almost reached perfection in 1984, winning 99.5% of his matches. If only he had kept his cool instead of being distracted by yet another tantrum.
But don't be put off by tennis talk. This is a movie for film fans as well a sports nuts.

Reasons to watch: Much more than a tennis doc
Reasons to avoid: It may be too detailed for some

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? John McEnroe won a total of 155 ATP titles (a record for a male professional) during his career — 77 in singles, 78 in men's doubles, and 1 in mixed doubles (not counted as ATP title). He won seven Grand Slam singles titles.

The final word. John McEnroe: "There will always be a day or two when I have nightmares (about 1984), quite a lack of sleep. Every time I have been here (Paris). Every time.” New York Times

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