McEnroe

Matt Roush says...

 Back in his combative heyday as one of the world’s premier tennis champions, few would have guessed the love-to-hate-him hothead John McEnroe would eventually become one of the sport’s elder statesmen, now a respected broadcaster and commentator who’s in the booth for many major matches during the current U.S. Open. Great timing for this terrific documentary profile of his career and tabloid life, with McEnroe candidly discussing his polarizing behaviors when he was at the top of his game but unable to shake off the pressure and anxiety of perfectionism. As Billie Jean King puts it: “You might not even like him, but he makes you feel.” His rival and friend Bjorn Borg also weighs in, expressing relief at having left the sport in his mid-20s after losing to McEnroe at the 1981 U.S. Open. The film is hampered by pretentious footage of McEnroe prowling New York City at night, but it has a happy ending, with his second wife, rocker Patty Smyth, concluding, “I married a bad boy who turned out to be a really good man.”

What's Worth Watching (Sep 3)