John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection
Cinema lies. Sport does not.
A meditative, formally inventive documentary essay that uses McEnroe's obsessive pursuit of perfection as a lens into the psychology of excellence, failure, and the gap between human aspiration and reality.
An immersive film essay on tennis legend John McEnroe at the height of his career as the world champion, documenting his strive for perfection, frustrations, and the hardest loss of his career at the 1984 Roland-Garros French Open.
Essence
Ensemble
John McEnroe
Self (archive footage)
Mathieu Amalric
Narrator (voice)
Jacques Pernod
Self
Cédric Quignon-Fleuret
Self
Nicolas Thibault
Self
Serge Daney
Self (archive footage)
Tom Hulce
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (archive footage) (uncredited)
Gil de Kermadec
Self (archive footage)
Ivan Lendl
Self (archive footage)
John Patrick McEnroe
Self - John McEnroe's Father (archive footage)
Kay McEnroe
Self - John McEnroe's Mother (archive footage)
Patrick McEnroe
Self - John McEnroe's Brother (archive footage)
Closest match
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same mood
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Go darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Something gentler
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Hidden gem
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
