Critical Reception & Box Office Performance:
- Rotten Tomatoes score: 84/100 (critics), 73/100 (audience)
According to Rotten Tomatoes, this movie “brings the absolute best” out of Shia LaBeouf, with the actor contrast playing well into the Borg-McEnroe contrast both on and off the court. With a $7.5 million production budget, the film grossed $8,593,527 worldwide, with Italy accounting for a majority of the sales, and $231,346 in the U.S. and Canada.
Accolades, Awards & Nominations:
The film garnered fourteen international nominations, winning seven awards in 2017 (3) and 2018 (4). In 2017, Metz won Best Directorial Debut, and at both the Noordelijk Film Festival and the International Film Festival, Borg vs. McEnroe won Best Film. In 2018, they won The Lost Weekend’s Best Film award and Best International Feature (audience award), as well as Best Visual Effects and Best Supporting Actor (Skarsgård) at Guldbagge Awards.
Verdict:
Does it pass the tennis fan test? Yes
This movie is not about cringing at exaggerated tennis form, improper footwork or unrealistic points. This is about feeling the real sacrifice it takes to be a professional tennis player, whether world No. 1 with titles to defend (Borg) or the newcomer on the block proving they belong (McEnroe). Each player is at two drastically different points in life, both personally and professionally, yet their similarities unspokenly shine through. Any tennis fan at any level of the game will relate to the harsh realities of balancing off-court pressures and on-court goals.
