John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection

John McEnroe is one of the best tennis players of all time. When he was on form, he was exciting and remarkably entertaining to watch. Sadly, the same thing can't be said about this unconventional documentary, which uses unseen archive footage shot by documentarian Gil de Keradec to analyse McEnroe's style and technique at a time when he was at the top of his game. Accompanied by monotone narration from French actor Mathieu Amalric, the footage mostly follows McEnroe around the court, observing his movements during the 1984 French Open in Paris. This should be fascinating, but the end result is dry, repetitive and lifeless, even when McEnroe is having one of his trademark temper tantrums. In fairness, the film serves up one or two interesting observations, suggesting that McEnroe argued with umpires in order to disrupt - and control - the momentum of his matches. Still, In the Realm of Perfection is a dull, ponderous experience that lacks the energy and excitement that we associate with McEnroe himself.