Borg vs. McEnroe (2017) User Reviews

Former rivals and best enemies

[pere-25366 · 8/10 · 7 September 2017]

I was fortunate enough to see "Borg McEnroe (2017)" on opening night for the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival. Without giving away too much (especially if you're like me and you didn't know much about this 1980s tennis rivalry coming into it), I will say that this is a fabulous film and everyone involved in the making of it should give themselves a huge pat on the back. They have done an incredible job in crafting a story that successfully explores, analyzes and pays homage to two contrasting albeit equally fascinating personalities in sports history.

Both of the titular characters are played to perfection thanks to virtuoso performances from Sverrir Gudnason and Shia LaBeouf, the latter of whom was practically made for the role. Regardless of what you think about Shia, his commitment to any role is always awe- inspiring and here he gives a performance that so perfectly combines loud-mouthed arrogance with an icy determination that he actually makes it difficult for you to route against him. He creates a fascinating character alongside the calm, cool and collected persona of Björn Borg, played exquisitely well by Gudnason. Another performance that deserves a mention is that of Stellan Skarsgård, whose quiet loyalty really helps to anchor the film in the more pivotal emotional moments.

In a lot of ways this film reminded me of "Rush (2013)", another excellent film that deftly explored an iconic sports rivalry and how each athlete helped to shape the other. Like Rush, "Borg McEnroe (2017)" transcends the sport at hand to become an exploration of human suffering, resilience and, ultimately, redemption. Aside from the themes at hand, the technical brilliance of the film completely grabs your attention and never lets go until the final frame. In what is the first full-feature length film of Janus Metz, he creates a film that perfectly captures a game-changing moment in sports history and the contrasting personalities of the men who changed it.

I really enjoyed this film and encourage anyone reading this to go see it!

Ice vs Fire

[nsrporfirio · 8/10 · 9 January 2018]

I remember this Winbledon finals like it was last month, what a great mach it was between two iconic tennis players, maybe two of the most unforgettable sportsmen ever. Two men, two opposite personalities, one great match, one thrilling drama well directed by Janus Metz and masterfully played by Sverrir Gudnason and Shia LaBeouf as the opponents, still I have to mention Stellan Skarsgård, the man simply doen't know how to act bad in a movie. After you watch this one you'll go and search for the real game on Youtube, you wont regret it for sure. 8 out of 10

A match made in heaven, or a double fault?

[jpt-154-298566 · 8/10 · 8 October 2017]

We are currently seeing a vogue for movies about famous sporting rivalries. I think this was kicked off by the excellent Senna (2010), which could have been a fact-of-the-matter biography of Senna but ended up (wisely) focusing on the rivalry between Senna and Prost, which brought an unintended emotional richness to the story. This was followed up by the almost-as-good Rush (2013) which goes back a decade to tell the story of dashing gentlemen racer James Hunt versus the cold, calculating Nikki Lauder. Now, a Swedish-led production effort is telling the story of one of the great tennis matches of all time: four-time champion Bjorn Borg versus the fiery tempered young John McEnroe at the Wimbledon men's final of 1980.

As a strange pre-note: I watched Borg vs McEnroe in a completely empty theatre. Clearly, this movie is not getting the attention it deserves. I think it definitely affected my viewing experience; I was able to completely shut off and see it my own way. Which is good, as this film has a real psychological edge.

In short, it was an excellent movie. Surprisingly so, in fact. It got to the point where I forgot I was watching a film and really seemed to be inside the heads of the two leads, right there with them, through every match, every up, every down, every argument, every triumph. This is quite the achievement for a film based in historical fact that can't take too many liberties with the story.

Within the first couple of scenes, I could tell this was going to be my kind of movie: a real character study. We see a day in the life of global heart-throb mega-star Bjorn Borg, who is beginning to tire of the trappings of fame. I noticed the filmmaking technique of filming Borg in tight, claustrophobic interiors with shadowy men in suits hanging around in the background. It suggests that his life is beyond his control, is being lived for him, and maybe he wants out ... but doesn't know how to do that. All he knows is tennis, and winning.

Enter the young and fiery John McEnroe, who is a major blip on Bjorn 'Ice'-Borg's radar. If Borg was the ABBA of tennis, McEnroe was the Sex Pistols. Known for ranting at umpires and crowds, he had whipped London's easily baited tabloid newspapers into a frenzy, they could smell blood in the water, and as McEnroe battled his way into the final with a combination of luck, talent and verve, a fairytale match (and perhaps a major upset) was being set up.

Borg is unquestionably the main character of this film. I think we get about a 70:30 time share between the title characters. This is something of a shame, as I thought that McEnroe was perhaps the more interesting character. How does a New York wiseguy from a good family and lots of opportunities end up pushing himself into becoming a tennis world No. 1? The movie never really tries to answer this question. It focuses much more on Bjorg's backstory as a trouble kid who was recruited - some might say brainwashed - into channelling all his anger into his tennis. In perhaps the movie's best scene, McEnroe makes the link between them clear, and spots that Bjorg may seem like an iceberg but really he's a volcano waiting to go off.

Shia LeBeouf was an inspired choice to play McEnroe. LeBeouf has always faced fierce criticism of his acting, his suitability for the kind of roles he wins, and has run the tabloid gamut lately with a string of bizarre stories about his life and behaviour. In scenes where McEnroe rants at the press, you feel LeBeouf is really getting something off his chest here. Also excellent is Stellan Skarsgard, who plays a tennis coach with just the right amount of highly questionable morality in pushing youngsters as hard as it takes to produce a champion.

My one criticism of the film was the cheesy title cards, which spell out explicitly what's supposed to be happening in the movie with things like "The rivalry would affect the players for the rest of their lives." Show, don't tell, is the first rule of filmmaking. However, the movie's technical excellence - the tennis sequences were utterly spellbinding - and surprising emotional heft and depth make this a wholehearted "Yes - see it" recommendation from me.

Interesting

[grantss · 7/10 · 23 September 2018]

It is the 1980 Wimbledon tennis championship. Bjorn Borg is the number 1 tennis player in the world and the undisputed king of Wimbledon. He has won the tournament four times in a row - a fifth consecutive time would be a world first. However, a new face has appeared in the tennis world and presents a serious threat to Borg's title hopes - John McEnroe.

Good movie, and surprisingly so. Seeing Shia LaBeouf in the credits, as McEnroe, made me set my expectations quite low. However, it turned out to be an interesting and exciting movie.

What made the movie good was that it is not a dry, join-the-dots docudrama. There is character development, showing Borg and McEnroe's backgrounds, how their sporting mentalities and personas were formed and how these influence, to the point of determining, their game. Very engaging.

The choice of rivalry contributes to the engagement of the movie. There could not have been more opposite rivals in the world of sport. Borg: the ice-cold, emotionless base-line player. McEnroe: the temperamental, irascible, serve-and-volleyer. The contrast, and how their personalities affect their game, makes for enthralling viewing.

I'm no tennis expert, but the tennis scenes seem very well done and realistic. Also, the mental side of playing sport at the highest level is covered fairly well.

Good performances from Sverrir Gudnason as Borg and Shia LeBeouf as McEnroe. Good support from Stellan Skarsgard and Tuva Novotny.

On the negative side, the coverage of Borg's mental side state seems overwrought and slows down the momentum of the movie. Yes, it was necessary, actually vitally important, to the movie, as it showed the pressure Borg was under and the downsides to fame and being the world Number 1 (at anything). It also provides a good explanation to what would happen later in Borg's career. However, too much of the movie is showing how Borg wrestles with these demons - we got it the first time round, no need to repeat it several times.

In addition, the focus appears mostly on Borg. McEnroe's background is sketched very basically. A bit more balance was necessary.

Very intriguing look at tennis rivalry

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 17 October 2017]

Despite not being a sporty person (always one of the subjects that saw me struggling most in school, particularly when it came to co-ordination and sometimes speed), that doesn't stop me from finding some of them interesting to watch portrayed in television matches and film.

Tennis is one of the more interesting and easy to watch sports to me and this particular story is one of the most fascinating in the history of the sport. 'Borg vs McEnroe' was seen for those reasons and on the most part it doesn't disappoint. There may be better biopics around, but 'Borg vs McEnroe' both intrigues and entertains, it's emotion-filled, affectionate, absorbing and mostly respectful. Anyone who loves tennis or is fascinated by the story or biopics in general will find a lot to like about 'Borg vs McEnroe' and despite the 15 certificate, for some swearing and some topless shots (that one can find for themselves as to whether they find them necessary or not), it's more accessible than one would think.

Borg's story has a little more flesh, although McEnroe is the more colourful character in personality, Borg being calmer and McEnroe being more extroverted. Borg's story has a lot of genuine power and really resonates emotionally. McEnroe is still interesting, but his relationship with his parents could have been expanded upon more which would have made some of his motivations clearer.

Furthermore the title cards are cheesy and over-explanatory, also making broad statements like at the start and doing nothing to back them up. The Studio 54 nightclub scene didn't serve much point and the representation of the media, while perhaps not too far from the truth, was on the heavy-handed and extreme side.

On the other hand, 'Borg vs McEnroe' is very solidly made visually, nicely shot and does nothing to undermine any transitions or shifts. The music complements well and Janus Metz directs with clear passion and enthusiasm for the subject.

Scripting is intelligent and thought-provoking, it intrigues and entertains throughout and does well in allowing one to care for the characters and the story while also having a lot of heart that makes 'Borg vs McEnroe' very moving. The story is both uplifting and poignant, structurally it's always cohesive and rarely disjointed even if some parts are better explored than others. The tennis sequences capture the excitement and tension of the sport very compellingly and accurately.

A huge part of what makes 'Borg vs McEnroe' work so well is the cast. Sverrir Gudnason is excellent as Borg, and no it's not just the uncanny physical resemblance, it's how poignantly collected he is and how he plays the role with depth and intensity. Stellan Skarsgard brings a lot of subtlety and quiet dignity, while Tuva Novotny, David Bamber and Robert Emms do more than serviceably making their characters more than caricatures (although not a lot of attention is given to their development enough). Was most surprised by Shia LaBeouf in one of his best and most committed performances as McEnroe, providing that he is more than capable when making good choices and when the material allows it.

In summary, very intriguing and well done. 7/10 Bethany Cox

"One point at a time..."

[maccas-56367 · 7/10 · 28 January 2019]

I felt a bit robbed after watching the recent lacklustre Australian Open final. My summer tennis fix craved something a bit more satisfactory. Coming across Borg vs McEnroe was good timing.

If possible, I think it's best going into this movie somewhat blind. I didn't know the outcome of the 1980 Wimbledon final depicted here. I had little knowledge about Bjorn Borg, and what I knew about McEnroe just consisted of temper tantrums. My lack of knowledge really helped make this film quite gripping.

Shia Lebeouf delivers perhaps his career best performance as McEnroe. He perfectly captured the attitude and personality of the man. The film has more of an emphasis on Borg's journey which is completely fine though, given he's portrayed by a captivating Sverrir Gudnason. Stellan Skarsgard rounded out what was an exceptional cast. The film really settles into a nice rhythm once coach Skarasgard teams up with the young Borg.

The rock n' roll McEnroe scenes provided a welcome contrast to the often serious, brooding scenes of Borg. I also had no idea McEnroe was so intelligent! This film is really an in depth character study that does more than just skim the surface of who each man was. The ending was fantastic and the friendship which developed between the two was surprisingly heartwarming.

Borg vs McEnroe has a very similar feel to that of Ron Howard's Rush - so if you're a fan of that, you will probably like this. Tennis fans should love this too! A very serviceable sports film.

A Tense Sports Drama

[kjproulx · 8/10 · 2 November 2017]

It's without question that sports dramas that are based on true stories usually have a nice emotional core or intensity to them, otherwise what would be the point of making them in the first place. Borg/McEnroe is one of the latest true stories centered around a sport to receive the big screen treatment. Also seeing the return of Shia LaBeouf in a committed role, this movie has a lot going for it that had me excited. Happily, I can say that this is a movie made with care and the overall impact of the film is felt by the time the credits roll. I truly believe that a little bit of everyone out in the world can compare themselves to certain aspects of the two title characters. Although this movie is very small in terms of its theatre count, here's why I believe it deserves your time.

As the film leads up to the inevitable Wimbledon finals in the year 1980, Borg/McEnroe follows Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe as it dives into their past and how they may or may not be able to cope with losing the title match in the coming days. This is a very simplistic film that follows these two competitors as they await the match, and then the movie goes out with a bang in keeping you on the edge of your seat as you await the victor. This is also where I found my biggest complaint with the film, seeing as its runtime was a little long for its type of storytelling.

Even at a mere 107 minutes, this movie felt a little long, due to the fact that you're really just waiting for the day to come where these two competitors will be going head to head. It felt as though the flashbacks were there to give this film a real feature length feel, but in reality, it ended up feeling like filler. That being said, Borg/McEnroe manages to hold your interest, because each and every one of the flashbacks are interesting (even if it's slightly boring at times). I truly believe that this movie is able to hold everyone's attention because Sverrir Gudnason and Shia LaBeouf give terrific performances here.

Being the first time I've seen Sverrir Gudnason on-screen, I can't wait to see more of him, because not only did he look just like Bjorn Borg, but his committed performance really took his character over the edge in my opinion. LaBeouf definitely holds his own as well. Being absent from cinema for the past few years, it was uncertain when his return would be, but I think he will have a perfect fit in independent films such as Borg/McEnroe. His eccentric character got a few laughs and a few tears from the audience and when an actor can accomplish both, he, along with the filmmakers, have done something right.

Although not really known for anything mainstream yet, writer Ronnie Sandahl and director Janus Metz definitely have bright futures if they choose to break out even further. The screenplay was very well-written in my opinion, giving just the right amount of levity before getting too serious, and then letting loose throughout the tense tennis sequences as well. I would love to see these two team up again.

In the end, Borg/McEnroe is a very, very good film from start to finish. Although simplistic, emotion and tension run rampant throughout. Written and directed with care, acted spectacularly, and delivering a satisfying conclusion even for those who knew the outcome, I really don't have anything negative to say, aside from the fact that it can feel boring at times and a little dragged out to fit a feature film runtime. I recommend checking out Borg/McEnroe when you get the chance. It's a very solid story about two rivals that live very different lives, so to speak.

Enough flashbacks already !!!

[thecure-1 · 7/10 · 20 April 2018]

I liked how the movie brought me back to those days when tennis players were like superstars (although you would not know it if you watch the last aierport scene where Bjorn and John have a lWhat I did not like is how the movie overkills the contrast between them and yet, it is contradictory in that the "calm/predictable/shy" Bjorn fires his coach without thinking it over much and is ready to leave his fiance as well ... which makes him as volatile as McEnroe supposedly is... Meanwhile there is no tennis analysis whatsoever. I loved how John had the best hands in tennis and how graceful and talented he was at the net ... Sverri Gudnason plays and moves a little bit like Bjorn, Shia LaBeouf is a DISASTER as John McEnroe: his movements are totally non-tennis and totally wrong!!! The movie shows them as if this is the first time they play one another when it really was the SEVENTH time they played one another. This is just on of many liberties they take to tell the story they want to tell: the Ying/Yang that movies require in order for those watching to get the point... Too many flashbacks: the whole movie seemed like a long string of Bjorg remembering hitting against a wall and John getting rejected by his parents!!!

When will we see Björn Borg play a movie about Sverrir Gudnason?

[deloudelouvain · 8/10 · 4 May 2018]

After I, Tonya this is the second sports related movie I watch this month and twice I didn't have huge expectations about it and twice I was pleasantly surprised. The difference this time is that I would never watch figure skating in real while tennis is an appealing sport to me. I remember watching the rivalry on the tennis courts between John McEnroe and Björn Borg. Those were great games of tennis. Everybody knows McEnroe for his temperament and of course his great tennis skills but what was interesting to me is to see how Borg used to be while he was little. He was exactly the same as McEnroe and so it doesn't surprise me at all that they became friends in the end. The movie is very well made, with a lot of back story, and so not only tennis shots. Shia Leboeuf did a good job portraying John McEnroe, but the amazing thing in this movie must be the stunning resemblance from Sverrir Gudnason with Björn Borg. It's like they could have been brothers. Even if you're not into sports, or tennis in this case, this movie is certainly worth a watch. A movie full of emotions.

Strong psychological portrait of two tennis stars

[hannahgrahambell · 6/10 · 24 April 2018]

Borg vs McEnroe presents a powerful and well-made portrait of two tennis rivals under immense psychological stress. Despite this, it may fail to stick in the minds of non-tennis enthusiasts. Borg vs McEnroe is like many sports movies in that it focuses on the mindset of the individual players to heighten the drama. However, it is unique in its presentation of the contrast between Borg and McEnroe; two brilliant rivals who experience excruciating inner and outer pressure, but who deal with it in different ways. The film manages to convey near-complete psychological portraits of the two tennis stars through a combination of flashbacks, character interactions, and scenes on the court. The film succeeds due to its skillful cinematography and powerful performances from Sverrir Gudnason (Borg) and Shia LaBeouf (McEnroe). Borg vs McEnroe feels comfortable using unique shots and cuts to portray a certain emotion or action sequence, but it doesn't overuse any techniques so as to distract from the reality of the events. Thus, the use of dramatic cinematic embellishments rarely feels overly theatrical or out of place. The second main strength of the movie is the two performances from Gudnason and LaBeouf. The actors accent the emotional torment that the tennis figures faced, and without such strong performances the movie wouldn't have been worth the watch. The real value of Borg vs McEnroe is the questions it raises about success and perceptions of success, and it highlights the fact that the media's portrayal of athletes rarely tells the whole story. But the movie is clearly building towards the great match between Borg and McEnroe, and so that promise must be fulfilled. The final tennis scene is done effectively, but it is not strong enough to bring the whole movie to a close. For those who are unaware of how the match turned out, the third act will be riveting. For those who know the end result, they may feel that it drags out a little longer than necessary. One choice by the filmmakers that undermines the final scene was their obvious bias towards Borg by focusing on his flashbacks and emotions over those of McEnroe. Ultimately, the movie's strengths overshadow its weaker points; Borg vs McEnroe is a solid biographical sports film, even if it can't quite mix sports thrills with an in-depth character analysis.

Getting to be the best ..

[kosmasp · 8/10 · 20 March 2018]

Sports dramas seem to be on the rise and there have been quite a few prime examples in real life that serve in the story department. This is one of them. And Borg McEnroe is really something to enjoy, with some powerful performances. I myself had not the results in the back of my head while I watched it. So I was kind of unprepared and could enjoy what was going on in the movie at all times, without being spoiled.

Having said all that, the movie concentrates more on the off court drama, rather than the game itself. But you will get iconic moments from the game(s), don't worry about that. It may not have gotten any recognition from the Academy Awards, but that spot was already taken by I, Tonya. Also a good movie and probably a good double bill with this one ...

Interesting biopic

[dierregi · 7/10 · 2 September 2021]

Even if you don't care about sports and know nothing about the Borg/McEnroe rivalry, you may find the film interesting, because it focuses on the personal issues of the two players and their struggle to become the best of the world. It is also well edited and conveys the mood of those years. The main plot focus on the 1980 Wimbledon tournament, interspersed with scenes from the childhood of the two tennis players. Definitely worth a shot.

Good acting. Horrible tennis.

[paul-2148 · 4/10 · 22 April 2018]

In full disclosure, I am a tennis player and as a boy I idolized McEnroe. I admired Borg a great deal as well. What made this match and all of their matches so great and so riveting was their completely opposing approaches to the game. Borg was the greatest baseliner to play the game. It was nearly impossible to get get the ball by him. His steadiness and zen-like approach to the game gave birth to many baseliners in his wake, most notably someone like Andre Aggasi. McEnroe was was the first ever punk rock athelete. No player in history had shown so much anger and rage, but mostly so much desire to win. It was raw rock n roll. It was a bit of a paradox because though he was a punk rocker in his attitude and in his passion, his game was a throwback to Rod Laver. He was an artist on the court. On any given point you might see topspin forehands, slice backhands, drop shots, lobs, breath taking volleys, and backhand overheads. He had a complete game. While Borg was content to outhit his opponents, McEnroe was eager to cut the points short. He would take every opportunity to come into the net and display his artistry.

Of course none of this is apparent in the film. The problem with sports films is that most actors are not atheletes. So a director has to be inventive in his camera work to cover the fact that his actors don't know how to play. A rally with Borg might go 15 Strokes. Tennis is about court position. For McEnroe to beat Borg he had to chose his spots. When is the right time to approach the net? Where do you hit the ball when you are there? Shia was quoted as saying that he despised tennis and he hopes to never play again. He clearly chose this roll, not to impress us with his tennis skills, but because he wanted to play McEnroe the man.

This film unfortunately climaxes with the finals match at Wimbledon, normally something I would enjoy because after all this film is about tennis, but it is shot so horribly that you never see Borg hitting back 10-15 groundstrokes. You never see his unquie at the time, 2 handed backhand Vs Mac's classical one handed. You never see Borg trying to pass Mac at the net. You never see the tennis artistry of McEnroe at all in this film. The way it is shot you really only see the the players heads and quick 2 stroke rallies which is like going to see Miles Davis play Mary had a Little Lamb for 2 hours.

I feel bad for tennis players because they will feel cheated like I did by this film, but I feel worse the non-tennis fans because they will walk away from this film and completely miss how revolutionary and inspiring these two great athletes are. They might just shrug and say "what's the big deal?"

That is a crime.

Two different ways of playing tennis and to face life

[nicolopulcinelli · 7/10 · 16 December 2017]

This movie tells the story of the rivality between Bjorn Borg, the Swedish "Iceman", and John McEnroe, the American bad kid. They had very different temperament, not only playing tennis but also in their ways to face life and difficulties. Despite the rivality and their differences they became fiends. Personally, I prefer the McEnroe's airiness and instead of the Borg's attention of every details and I support him during the movie. Well done the scenes of 1980's Wimbledon Tournament. I recommend it like Rush to who like sports and think that playing sport is like face life's difficulties everyday.

Great in some ways, disappointing in others

[korereviews · 7/10 · 5 February 2018]

This film deserves more attention than it received, and is definitely worth seeing. The first three-quarters of the film is strongest, with a surprisingly deep and engaging portrayal of the psychological struggles faced by both players, but especially Borg. I don't know how accurately any of it reflects the real life characters, but it sure made for a good story. The major letdown is the match itself - to which the whole film builds, but is surprisingly handled in a fairly hasty and anticlimactic way. And it was poorly shot, not giving you a sense of how amazing any of the shotmaking was, or how the players experienced it. TV footage of matches is more tense and exciting than this was. In addition, it's a shame the film lopsidedly focused on Borg. For one thing, it seems like false advertising, given the title and premise of the film. And since both were strong, interesting characters, it would have been more satisfying to see them given equal screen time. However the film ends with a nice post-match scene between Borg and McEnroe.

More about the drama instead of the epic games they played

[Brianknowsmovies · 7/10 · 17 October 2018]

Borg vs McEnroe delves into the phyche of arguably the greatest tennis player of all time who was still the best towards an early retirement VS McEnroe who was an upstart punk with a notorious punk rocker attitude. Some of it is accurate, some is dramatized of course and the film does go into their personas ad nauseum.

There were only short snippets of gameplay until the last match shown which I found frustrating as the games they had on the court really were epic and were defining stories that I think were more interesting than the over generalized characterisations of their personalities.

The acting was good and casting/costumes were good also. The drama was well executed, I just think the film got bogged down in that and didn't properly showcase their performances which are things of legend worth recalling.

I grew up in the 70s, learned on a wooden racket and was a Borg fan before McEnroe came on the scene so I know this time in tennis well. Mens tennis then required more skill with a small sweet spot and more tactics to win with slower ball speeds. I wish the movie showcased this level of skill too. Tennis has suffered from shorter rallies and a serve focused game ever since. It's the equivalent of allowing pro baseball players to use metal and advanced composite bats instead of wooden ones, it just would unbalance the game and did for tennis unfortunately. This story is worth telling and there are probably a lot more people who do not know who Borg was vs McEnroe who is still well known to this day. The one thing about phyches I think they really missed was McEnroe being driven for perfection so much that his frustrations boiled over , they could have shown how McEnroe was driven as much as Borg but just didn't have the maturity to hold it in on court. McEnroe is known for being the bad boy...not sure why the film didn't try to explain his motivations for the bad behavior better vs Borgs robot like public image. Ps. I think ST TNGs The Borg name came from Bjorns robot like but unbeatable image for those who didn't catch that.

epic match

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 14 August 2018]

It's 1980. Björn Borg (Sverrir Gudnason) is #1 chasing a historic 5th consecutive Wimbledon. #2 John McEnroe (Shia LaBeouf) is the bad boy of tennis. On the surface, these two are complete opposites but they have a lot in common. Lennart Bergelin (Stellan Skarsgård) has been Borg's coach since he was an angry young boy. Borg is breaking down from the pressures of his perfection and his fame. McEnroe is isolated due to his reputation. The two would meet in one of the most epic tennis matches in history.

Borg's story is compelling. The acting is perfect. The character's internal journey is grand. McEnroe's character journey lacks by comparison. It probably needs a bit more. LaBeouf is great. The most surprising dissection of his tantrums come from Borg. The tennis match is pretty good. The more compelling scenes come from the locker room. This is a very good sports movie and character studies.

Is this Schindler's List?

[[e-mail] · 6/10 · 11 August 2021]

This film takes itself waaay too seriously. This was an incredible rivalry and I actually saw these two play (though not in the '80 Wimbledon final). It was wonderful to be around tennis in this era. And at the end of the day it was TENNIS and it was fun and I don't find this overwrought, melodrama captures it at all. Seems more like a Hallmark drama.

Rocky 4 told from Ivan Drago's perspective

[jonathanmarklund · 9/10 · 28 November 2017]

When IMDb closed down it's comment section, I pretty much quit this site. But I had to log in again to do this movie some justice.

It's good. It's really really good.

It starts out a bit slow and Shia LaBeouf is not exactly a good actor; but he pulls off an impressive performance in this movie. I actually forgot that it was him playing the part about halfway in. Sverrir Gudnason however is the one who really deserves all the praise. He carries this movie throughout. His resemblance to Björn both in form and behavior is almost uncanny.

The strength in this movie his however the script. It flows. The character introduction is brief, the script is well balanced between past, present and future. It builds up really nicely to the third act, and it pays off.

Rarely do I feel satisfied after watching a movie these days. But this was a grand slam. I highly highly recommend it.

Great storytelling, but skip the tennis play scenes

[Kay_Lin · 7/10 · 18 September 2017]

This film was a huge draw for a tennis fan like myself, one of three tennis films available at the Toronto International Film Festival this year (TIFF '17). Riding the high from the 2017 US Open, Borg/McEnroe dips back into history, depicting a well-known rivalry. While I wasn't too impressed with the tennis play scenes, which are arguably better in a real live match on ESPN, Borg and McEnroe does a good job of storytelling and visualizing of the stresses in the sport and what it takes to get to the top and stay there. It gives us a history lesson, depicting the players and their relationships among each other during that period in tennis history. I felt Borg's stress, paranoia, and superstitious nature that he felt was required to keep him at the top, but which ultimately led to his demise and burnout at the age of 26. It gave me a broader perspective of the effort and strength players need to put in in order to be competing at such a high level. Eye-opening film that gave me a greater appreciation of the game. Thanks Borg/McEnroe.

A movie about a tennis match or about a life?

[johan_and_ersson · 8/10 · 6 September 2017]

This is a movie about two people, two people who happened to be tennis players during the 80's. From the outside they were totally opposite, but as we learn in the movie they were very much the same.

Looking at stats only, Björn Borg is one of the greatest players ever. If you consider that he quit when he was only 26 the stats are even more impressive John McEnroe had a longer career but people will never consider him as great as Björn Borg, which is also explained in the movie.

The acting is fantastic, Shia LaBeouf, Stellan Skarsgård and especially Sverrir Gudnason are really good. It is not surprising that the director Janus Metz have done a lot of documentaries in his career.

For tennis lovers this is a great watch, for those of you who are not into tennis or similar sports, you might still enjoy it!

It took a while for this to become a great sports movie, but it did and it was worth the wait.

[subxerogravity · 7/10 · 24 April 2018]

The movie somewhat acts like a biography for the two Tennis players Bjorn Borg, a Swedish player who, at a young age was the top Tennis player in the world and John Enroe, a hot headed american who is basically too bottom class for the social class of tennis.

I'm not that huge of a tennis fan, and it must have been huge in the 70's, cause this is the second movie about a tennis match of the century that happen during the decade (Battle of the Sexes being the other that came out last year). I am a boxing fan and the movie somewhat acts like one of those HBO special events, where you get to know the boxers before the main event, but instead of journalistic interviews, the film uses a dramatic narrative.

Shia LeBeuif was really good in this film. He seem to fit well with the character of McEnroe a good choice in his career cause he was so good in the film.

So I still feel that I have seen the best Tennis ever filmed on celluloid, I don't think we are their yet like we are with boxing or football, but I realize the overall film was a great experience in sports in cinema

Disappointing...

[alfredosoni · 5/10 · 22 June 2018]

There's something missing in this film. I'm still wondering what would be as the performances were solid, and the "life" segment we follow were interesting. Mostly I felt that the characterization, both of Borg and McEnroe, were to simplistic and lacking depth, as they were presented in one dimension only. Borg is presented on flat way as "the" cold ice block and McEnroe, as the emotional volcano always near of erupting, Just disappointing...

A Solid Movie

[yodaschoda · 7/10 · 13 March 2019]

What Rush did for Hunt and Lauda, Borg McEnroe succeeds in kind. A great movie with great performances by both actors, who I believe, paid homage to both men they portrayed. The story, which I expected to be a bore, was quite gripping and provided much insight into what made these two icons of the sport so unique... In fact, dare I say, it managed to make the sport more appealing as a whole. And made for an appreciation of the subject which I hadn't previously had.

Dare I say that I would love another in this line of movies... Perhaps a Sampras Agassi movie. There would certainly be some great back story to be had there as well.

Great Sport Movie

[matteosodano · 7/10 · 26 November 2017]

Borg McEnroe is a well done sport movie. It is realistic, well directed and quite emotional. The two characters are shown with all their imperfections, their weaknesses, and of course their strengths. Gudnason is actually identical to Borg. He is able to show both faces of the athlete: the external strength (to the outer people, like McEnroe himself), and the inner weakness (that just his girlfriend and his trainer know and understand). Shia makes a big role, even if his character is less described than Gudnason's: Borg is presented since his childhood and teen-age, while McEnroe's flashback are really short and minimal. The scene of their match is just marvelous: I did not have great expectation, because I believed that it would have been really hard to show a tennis match in a movie. But I was totally wrong. It is simply great, and in particular the fourth set is really really magical; even if I knew how the match would have ended, I was totally caught by the frenetic rhythm of the shot.

I really liked this movie, and I have preferred it over Rush (2013), which I consider really similar regarding themes and development.