Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker documents the rise and fall of tennis star Boris Becker. The two-part documentary film is now streaming on Apple TV+.
Story
The film starts with Boris Becker waiting for his prison sentence. With his hard-earned wealth squandered and his reputation in tatters, Boris awaits his fate.
The film then dives into his career and the making of a tennis star. Becker was an exceptional tennis player from Germany who won his first Wimbledon Championships title at the age of 17.
He would go on to win two more Wimbledon Championships, as well as several others in the coming years, and would be ranked the No. 1 tennis player in the world.
While the first part focuses on Becker’s career and his rise to fame, the second part follows Becker’s retirement and his life after that, which is riddled with scandals. Becker loses his fortune and has to serve time.
Apart from Becker’s own account of his life, the documentary also includes interviews with famous players like John McEnroe, Novak Djokovic, and Björn Borg as well as people who were an important part of Becker’s life like his former manager and his ex-wife.
Positives
The interviews with Becker’s rivals like John McEnroe and Michael Stich make the documentary interesting, as the audience not only gets Becker’s perspective but also that of his opponents. This allows them to see both sides of the story.
It is not a simple documentary that presents the facts and leaves them to be judged by the viewers. It gets contemplative at times, with the narrator trying to make sense of Boris’ actions. The contemplation adds a unique touch to the documentary.
The film refuses to let Becker structure his story according to his fancy. It is not afraid of calling him out when he tries to alter the facts. For instance, when Becker claims that he threw away his sleeping pills, the narrator counters it with what is stated in Becker’s book.
Negatives
While the two-part film gives a comprehensive view of Becker’s life, it seems dragged out at times, and the audience loses interest. This problem is especially evident in the second part.
It also seems like the documentary is not very critical of Becker. He is even depicted as a victim who was taken advantage of by others. It is hard to accept an account as it is when the makers are too sympathetic to the central figure.
Verdict
Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker is a documentary that covers almost everything about Boris Becker’s life, but it would have been more enjoyable if it was shorter. It is a film that Becker’s fans might enjoy.
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