The formerly foul-mouthed champion recounts his glory days and use of ‘performance-detracting drugs’ in this watchable if uncritical documentary
The rock’n’roll bad boy of tennis is watchably if uncritically celebrated in this documentary portrait by Barney Douglas; it is a film that leaves unsolved the riddle, if it is a riddle, of John McEnroe’s confrontational on-court personality. McEnroe is an engaging raconteur: funny and disarming about his excessive drug use – specifically cocaine – under the influence of Dionysiac sensualist and Studio 54-habitué Vitas Gerulaitis back in the good old days of the wooden racket and the disco glitter ball. It surely exacerbated his alarming temper. “People today use performance-enhancing drugs,” says McEnroe. “We used performance-detracting drugs.” And as for drugs not being good for you, McEnroe cheerfully says: “They were good so you can appreciate your life a little more …” McEnroe can still summon a snarl when...
The rock’n’roll bad boy of tennis is watchably if uncritically celebrated in this documentary portrait by Barney Douglas; it is a film that leaves unsolved the riddle, if it is a riddle, of John McEnroe’s confrontational on-court personality. McEnroe is an engaging raconteur: funny and disarming about his excessive drug use – specifically cocaine – under the influence of Dionysiac sensualist and Studio 54-habitué Vitas Gerulaitis back in the good old days of the wooden racket and the disco glitter ball. It surely exacerbated his alarming temper. “People today use performance-enhancing drugs,” says McEnroe. “We used performance-detracting drugs.” And as for drugs not being good for you, McEnroe cheerfully says: “They were good so you can appreciate your life a little more …” McEnroe can still summon a snarl when...
- 7/13/2022
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Further cast announced for sporting biopic.
Principal photography has begun on Borg/McEnroe, which will centre on the famous rivalry between Us tennis champ Jon McEnroe and Sweden’s Bjorn Borg, which came to a head at Wimbledon 1980.
Shia Labeouf will play McEnroe while rising Swedish talent Sverrir Gudnason plays Borg in the film directed by Janus Metz - director of Cannes-winning documentary Armadillo and episodes of the acclaimed HBO drama True Detective.
The part of Borg’s coach Lennart Bergelin will be played by Stellan Skarsgård (The Avengers, Mamma Mia), making his first Swedish production in more than a decade, while Björn’s fiancée Mariana Simionescu is to be played by Swedish actress Tuva Novotny (A War, Eat Pray Love).
The part of Us tennis playboy Vitas Gerulaitis will be played by Robert Emms (Mirror Mirror, War Horse) while McEnroe’s father will be portayed by Ian Blackman (The Bourne Legacy, Hail Caesar!, House of Cards).
Principal photography has begun on Borg/McEnroe, which will centre on the famous rivalry between Us tennis champ Jon McEnroe and Sweden’s Bjorn Borg, which came to a head at Wimbledon 1980.
Shia Labeouf will play McEnroe while rising Swedish talent Sverrir Gudnason plays Borg in the film directed by Janus Metz - director of Cannes-winning documentary Armadillo and episodes of the acclaimed HBO drama True Detective.
The part of Borg’s coach Lennart Bergelin will be played by Stellan Skarsgård (The Avengers, Mamma Mia), making his first Swedish production in more than a decade, while Björn’s fiancée Mariana Simionescu is to be played by Swedish actress Tuva Novotny (A War, Eat Pray Love).
The part of Us tennis playboy Vitas Gerulaitis will be played by Robert Emms (Mirror Mirror, War Horse) while McEnroe’s father will be portayed by Ian Blackman (The Bourne Legacy, Hail Caesar!, House of Cards).
- 8/16/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
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