Borg Vs McEnroe

In select theaters
April 13^th 2018

107 minutes

English
Swedish
French
German
Spanish

Sweden
Denmark
Finland

It’s the summer of 1980 and Björn Borg is the top tennis player in the world, dominating the sport both on and off the court. A powerful and rigorously disciplined player, there is only one obstacle in his pursuit of a record-breaking fifth Wimbledon championship: the highly talented but ferociously abrasive young American, John McEnroe. With three days until the tournament begins, Borg trains religiously in his lavish Monaco home, aided by his coach and mentor Lennart and girlfriend Mariana. But McEnroe's explosive confidence and wrecking-ball persona continue to infiltrate Borg's ice-cool and normally unshakable temperament. With each man the antithesis of the other, both players delve into their formative memories as the climactic tournament draws near and anticipation reaches fever pitch. Visceral and breathlessly tense, the match itself - regarded as one of the greatest of all time - would mark the pinnacle of the ‘Fire and Ice’ rivalry between Borg and McEnroe; an exhilarating battle of personalities that set the world of tennis alight.

starring...

Sverrir Gudnason

Björn Borg

Shia LaBeouf

John McEnroe

Stellan Skarsgård

Lennart Bergelin

Tuva Novotny

Mariana Simionescu

Leo Borg

Björn Borg, age 9-13

Marcus Mossberg

Björn Borg, age 15+

Jackson Gann

Young John McEnroe

Director

Janus Metz

Writer

Ronnie Sandahl

Cinematography

Niels Thastum

Music

Vladislav Delay, Jon Ekstrand, Carl-Johan Sevedag & Jonas Struck

Editing

Per K. Kirkegaard, Per Sandholt

Production Design

Lina Nordqvist

Producer

Jon Nohrstedt, Fredrik Wikström Nicastro

92% on the CINEMETER

96% - Mar 25, 2018

Wow! On the outside Borg and McEnroe were complete opposites, but on the inside they were the same. And though I didn’t realize that they became friends (and best man), I’m not surprised. Like I, TONYA, this movie crushed stereotypes of ‘who’ can play the game. Excellent movie!
Greater New Haven Member

I didn’t know I could hold my breath for 107 minutes!
Greater New Haven Member

Wow! As tense as any thriller. Even though I knew the outcome, I was on the edge of my seat. A terrific portrayal of two intense souls and the fierce dedication it takes to be a champion. A psychological drama at its best. You do not have to be a tennis lover to love this movie.
Greater New Haven Member

As a tennis player, I felt the drama and pressure. I thought that the pace of the movie was well-done.
Greater New Haven Member

I’m not knowledgeable about tennis, I’m not athletic, but I was captivated by this movie and the psychology of two champions. I emphathized with Borg and McEnroe even as their ugly sides were plainly presented.
Greater New Haven Member

A gorgeous, thrilling, beautiful movie. Brilliantly edited and acted. I’ve always suspected that people who achieve such perfection are mad. This movie doesn’t explain the madness, but presents it beautifully. I could watch it again. Fabulous.
Greater New Haven Member

Loved it much more than expected. ‘The game is a lot like life.’ I agree!
Greater New Haven Member

Almost passed because of the title -- should have trusted the Cinema Club!! Excellent: so glad to have seen it. Will recommend it to all.
Greater New Haven Member

The film conveyed the intensity great athletes feel to achieve championships. Although the film was a little one-sided, concentrating on Borg more than McEnroe, it captured their rivalry perfectly. The film was definitely Game-Set-Match.
Greater New Haven Member

Surprise! Surprise! The best of the season!
Greater New Haven Member

Best movie we’ve seen at the Cinema Club.
Greater New Haven Member

ATL

94% - Mar 25, 2018

I have never seen such a completely thrilling, heart stopping film. The best.
Atlanta Member

Bravo!
Atlanta Member

A very compelling study in contrasts. Humanized these two athletic “superheroes” with poignant glimpses into their childhoods and current relationship. (I am not a Shia Leboeuf fan and normally wouldn’t watch anything he is in. But very glad I did in this case).
Atlanta Member

As a tennis enthusiast and player I enjoyed the backstory, especially. I never thought that Borg was a ‘hothead’ as a kid. Mac’s Dad was much more of a mentor than shown. Their friendship remains today! A nice change of pace movie from recent views!

Atlanta Member

Ah, the power of a well-made film….one that keeps you in suspense, even though the ending is a foregone conclusion. I believe it’s the first time Shia LaBeouf didn’t bother the s**t out of me.
Atlanta Member

In these mean-spirited times, how pleasant and reassuring to see two rivals come together and show empathy and respect. Thank you.
Atlanta Member

STL

100% - Apr 8, 2018

Wow! Really great film. Did a great job at looking beyond just the physical game to the lifetime of preparation & training foregoing a normal childhood, not being able to have typical psychological relationships, and for total dedication to your game.
St. Louis Member

Sverrir Gudnason as Bjorn Borg made an exceptional character to root for in a film filled with undeniable tension. McEnroe was an appropriate choice for LaBeouf who's had a well-documented and public struggle with fame, which culminated at the 1980 Wimbledon final. What an exciting feature that lingers beautifully in the emotions on its characters' faces and on the court. Match point.
St. Louis Member

Excellent character portrayals! This film went behind the scenes to show us the true struggles over training, personality, stress, emotions and competition underneath the glamour and enthusiasm of a sport. Great cinema experience!
St. Louis Member

What a game! And sportsmanship is everything! I like this film because the relationship between Bjorn and John was real, compelling and sustainable. Let's hear it for the great ones!
St. Louis Member

My heart was pounding throughout the film. Tension never ceased. The ending with friendship was beautiful.
St. Louis Member

Among the greatest sports films! Accurately reproduced the feelings I had watching the match as I watched on TV.
St. Louis Member

Beautifully portrays costs (emotional, financial) of competitive sports. Incredible acting. Pacing of film excellent.
St. Louis Member

Wonderful character studies! The tension was "awful" - felt like being there. (Did not know ahead of time how it turned out.)
St. Louis Member

MIL

94% - Apr 8, 2018

This film captures the intense pressure that many top athletes place in themselves--and the stakes that go well beyond many. Casting: Shia LaBoef as McEnroe is a "strike" of genius.
Milwaukee Member

Though film to make. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great subject.
Milwaukee Member

Outstanding.
Milwaukee Member

91% - Mar 25, 2018

Riveting, heartpounding. An unquestioned ace!
San Francisco Member

This isn't cinema, it's opera. Two tragic characters, one tormented by doubt, the other by anger. All it needed was Puccini.
San Francisco Member

Even though I didn't know the outcome, the film's direction and editing provided a riveting depiction of the history and psyche of two great men. Incredibly well acted, directed and edited.
San Francisco Member

Thank you for having Ann Killion - her insights added a lot to my appreciation of the movie.
San Francisco Member

Really great movie - maybe even a masterpiece! The psychological background was illuminating. And Sverrir Gudnarson is one gorgeous man - wow!
San Francisco Member

The soundtrack acted as another character and was refreshing, offering a complementary narrative rather than beating the viewer over the head.
San Francisco Member

BOS

97% - Mar 25, 2018

Fantastic Film, so well done, well paced
Boston Member

Best Sports story in a while. Superb. Gripping.
Boston Member

Really kept the viewers on the edge of their seats.
Boston Member

Good mix of tennis and personal development.
Boston Member

Two ways of “playing” masculinity and channeling or not channeling rage. Fascinating psychological portraits.
Boston Member

94% - Mar 25, 2018

Very compelling and suspenseful -- great exploration of what it takes to be a champion. It reminded me of the movie Rush about the rivalry between James Hunt & Niki Lauda.
Washington, DC Member

I wondered if this movie would appeal to people who weren't interested in tennis or sports - boy was I wrong! It is a terrific, exciting movie!
Washington, DC Member

Must have been great - I know nothing about tennis but loved it nonetheless. Perhaps that's because it was more about fighting our inner demons than about tennis. Technically, I appreciated how the director did not depict a game blow by blow in "real time" but rather depicted the "feel" of the game.
Washington, DC Member

Great job capturing how pressure causes top athletes to doubt their preparation.
Washington, DC Member

I was on the edge of my seat during the last half (excellently shot). Borg and McEnroe were really much more alike psychologically than everyone knew (at least if one can believe the film), they just channeled it in different ways. Although at one point they both looked like two animals getting ready to attack each other.
Washington, DC Member

Remarkably good even though it was about tennis.
Washington, DC Member

BOCA

66% - Mar 25, 2018

I'm still a tennis player and even knowing the ending, I found the quick pace of the editing created tension and kept me engaged.
Boca Raton Member

Remember watching the nearly 5-hour long match on tv and found the film to be an exciting event and worth watching!
Boca Raton Member

Excellent acting even though I felt McEnroe's character was given short shrift.
Boca Raton Member

Loved the fast pace and the flashbacks1
Boca Raton Member

Great music added to tension. It was also great that the Cinema Club selected a film with a different subject matter than most of the others.
Boca Raton Member

Kept you riveted to the end and especially enjoyed learning the background of the two because I always thought Bjorn to be cool and calm
Boca Raton Member

Neon