Borg/McEnroe – Reviewed by Jamie

You’re probably thinking; “a biopic film about tennis, not exactly my cup of tea” and not to fear, you are most certainly not alone. Yet there is much more to this film than meets the eye. The film doesn’t require you to be an avid fan of tennis or even to have heard of the rivalry between sporting icons Björn Borg and John McEnroe. Instead, the film successfully captures your fascination through adopting the form of a gripping character study on two of the biggest and most conflicting personalities in sporting history.

The film revolves around Borg and McEnroe’s struggle for the title in the 1980 Wimbledon Tennis Championships. Not only does it delve into their physical struggles, it fascinatingly looks at their own mental conflicts and ideologies.

Shia LaBeouf (known for his pivotal role in the “Transformer” franchise) masterfully portrays McEnroe’s fiery temper and public tantrums whilst Sverrir Gudnason brings a flawless representation to the biopic as McEnroe’s opposition, Borg.

This film successfully centres on compelling characters working in a similar way for tennis as “Rush” did for racing. It is safe to say the producers behind Borg Vs McEnroe certainly didn’t drop the ball with this one.

 

2018-01-14T22:59:41+00:00