The British director Asif Kapadia has made "dazzling films about Ayrton Senna, Amy Winehouse and Diego Maradona", said Brian Viner in the Daily Mail. His latest, co-directed by Joe Sabia, follows "the great Roger Federer from the announcement of his retirement in 2022 to his valedictory tennis tournament at the O2 Arena less than a fortnight later".
Kapadia's previous subjects were "tormented or tragic or both", whereas the Swiss maestro is well-adjusted, with a family – "supportive parents, lovely wife, two sets of twins" – that seems "like a kiss from the gods". All of which makes him, alas, "an insipid choice for a behind-the-scenes documentary", which turns in this case into "an 88-minute rhapsody". It's enjoyable if you revere Federer, as I do, but it's still "too adoring by half".
It's true that, like its subject, "the film is not particularly revolutionary or groundbreaking in its approach", said Wendy Ide in The Observer. "But again, like its subject, it is a work of unmistakable quality and class. With warm contributions from many of the greats of the men's game – Borg, McEnroe, Nadal, Murray and Djokovic all appear – and glimpses of Federer's family life, this will be a must-watch for tennis fans."
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Federer has always been a "controversy-free zone", and a "model of Swiss neutrality", said Raphael Abraham in the FT; so anyone hoping for indiscretions will be disappointed. Kapadia's film is also sorely lacking in tension. But it's quite stirring at points. "If you're a fan, pack a hanky or three. If you're not, pack one anyway for the scenes involving his children."
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