Borg vs. McEnroe

 

 

                        Thursday night, in a midst of a movie slump, can't seem to find movie that intrigues me in some ways. I won't name names because it's really not my way in terms of being a professional, though the first film was just terrible even from the start of it, the second film I felt a little bored moreover didn't seem ready enough to tackle in ways I can't explain. Which leads to this surprisingly great Tennis movie ever made by human hands, Borg vs McEnroe. Now before you moan and complain about the fact that Shia LaBeouf is in this film, bear with me when I say that I was the same way as you. But before I get into this movie, along with recommending this for the whole world, I need to give a little history lesson behind the movie, in 1980 tennis legend Bjorn Borg was chasing his fifth Wimbledon title, though another tennis legend John McEnroe was coming up to denied him that right, but what transpired became the stuff of legends. Now, I personally knew the story of Borg vs McEnroe from watching a VHS tape called Great Sports Moments of the 80's hosted by Al Michaels, so as a non-tennis fan I knew that I might be intrigued, but yet I would be turned down of Shia LaBeouf playing McEnroe, but luckily that really didn't happen for which leads to me say yet again that this was one of the best and only good Tennis movies out there, which is ironic because the only other tennis film I can think of was that one with Kristen Dunst and Paul Bettany. Alright enough talk let's talk about TENNIS.

                        All his life Bjorn Borg (Sverrir Gudnason) wanted to do was be the best Tennis player the world has ever seen but being disciplined without emotions is an odyssey. John McEnroe (Shia LaBeouf) is a talented young star but a bit controversial when it comes to letting his emotions out. Both men different in their own unique style of training, but nearly equal when it comes to tennis. But in the 1980's Wimbledon match what happened on that final duel changed the course of tennis forever.

                        After watching this great movie I got to say that Thursday night, I felt like Kirk Gibson hitting that home run of Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, and when I say I don't believe what I just saw I really don't believe what I just saw, if you catch my drift. Now I honestly don't know a whole lot of tennis movies, so I don't really apologize when I say that this was the best and only good movie about Tennis, that I've personally have witnessed seeing. Director Janus Metz Pedersen does a fantastic job in blending both the accuracy of what went on in Wimbledon with a huge amount of suspense throughout the whole match, and of course I knew who won but it was really the character development moreover seeing a lot of Borg and McEnroe's backstory where I was just lost and completely forgot how it went down, and then when we get to the final match of Wimbledon I was just on the edge of my seat throughout that sequence and to be truthful it was the most well-crafted sequence I've ever seen since watching Miracle. Moreover I love the fact that we get to spend a lot of time with Borg's backstory and get to see how much discipline he was forced upon along with having to control his emotions and the actor Sverrir Gudnason really does a fantastic job playing Borg in such a way of really embodying what the Swedish legend is thinking moreover his ability on the tennis court. Stellan Skarsgard does a great job as well playing Borgs coach and real life tennis player Lennart Bergelin, moreover I thought Skarsgard did a great job playing the mentor/father like figure to Borg's life where even himself went through all the struggles that Borg is going through as a player furthermore really sitting him down and telling him to channel is emotions but to use them in every stroke or back hand when it comes to the game of tennis. Also I thought Gudnason and Skarsgard did a great job in terms of chemistry wise to really show the audience on how much they can't stand one another but deep down they really care and need each other when the game get to difficult to endure. And that's another thing I loved about the film is that the director Pedersen really explores the intensity pure dedication when it comes to being a tennis player, now I myself have never was a big fan when it comes to watching tennis but I got to say this is one of the many sports I have to give respect, for many reasons that it really takes a toll on your body at like a young age especially when you’re trying to achieve greatness and balancing the press and if we all learned from Roger Maris's time with the Yankees that mental health leads to a lot of smoking, just saying. Now the time has come when I finally discuss Shia LaBeouf's performance as John McEnroe, and to truthfully honest I really thought he did a great job embodying the role of McEnroe, for example he at least got his attitude right but all and all I really thought he did a good job in his performance wise, story wise my only complaint is we don't really get to understand why he wanted to play tennis, although we do get to see him at a young age playing tennis I just kind of want to see his whole reasons as to why he chose the sport of Tennis. All things considered, I will stand by my beliefs and say that Borg vs. McEnroe is one of the best Tennis films of all time, even though there's not a whole lot of movies about tennis out there but This film I would rank in the top ten greatest Sports films of all time. So, if you’re looking for a movie to watch I would highly recommend this to all non-Tennis fans, also the film's on Hulu so if you have a subscription the you got a free deal.