Federer Twelve Final Days review: Tennis legend says emotional farewell in this comfortably boring documentary

In 2022, Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer announced his retirement and played the last professional match of his career at the Laver Cup at the age of 41. A new sports documentary from Academy Award-winning filmmaker Asif Kapadia and video artist Joe Sabia. attempts to position the camera as a fly on the wall over the next few days as it approaches the man reflecting on his life and career, and the heavy weight building towards the final match. In more ways than one, this offering resembles a lame eulogy, with a predictable format that honors personality with thoughtful and refined introspection. It lacks energy and edge, and never quite matches the dynamic personality of its own subject. (Also Read: Roger Federer opens his grand return to Wimbledon after retirement, sitting in Royal Box)

Not Asif Kapadia’s best

It’s a remarkable offering from Asif Kapadia, who is not new to sports documentaries. He has previously guided Senna and Diego Maradona, with a deft eye for complexity and reason. In addition, he also directed Amy, one of the most compelling documentaries I have ever seen, which explored the tragic life of singer Amy Winehouse. In that film, the camera was always awake, constantly shifting and processing details, perspectives and revelations. The camera itself was a character that turned to the viewer in many places. None of that creative dedication can be seen in this excellent documentary about a very decent sportsman who lived and played the game flawlessly.

It is not a matter of looking for unnecessary crises. The problem arises that the film doesn’t really have much to say about the man, and the legend we’ve seen works wonders on the field. The 90-minute documentary feels perfectly composed to move you and in places it succeeds. So that means success? It seems like everyone involved in the project is missing the passion that made Roger Federer a player. The 90-minute film begins with the reading of his retirement announcement, and then goes live. Relatives arrive. Anna Wintour calls. It’s raining in Switzerland. The theatricality of this entire episode lasts about twenty minutes, without adding anything new or exciting.

All too predictable

The other parts are fairly predictable, as family members, colleagues and agents talk about the legend that is Federer; we get to see fragments from his early days, fragments from his most remarkable moments during the matches. Ardent fans of the player will no doubt love it, and perhaps this documentary is tailor-made to keep them in mind. One of the most interesting bits comes when the film delves into the striking relationship between Federer and his rivals: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djkovic and Andy Murray. The camaraderie outside the game is a powerful contrast to the energetic rivalry during the game. Yet the film barely touches on these relationships, and before we know it the final match has arrived and they are all crying tears. Honestly, there will be a lot of tears and all is well for a man who shows his gratitude to his fans and family.

This is a documentary that barely teases with interesting details about the man behind the legend, but feels too scripted and polished to dig deeper. It is a fittingly diplomatic and disciplined farewell to a beloved athlete, but it lacks its own voice. It painfully raises the question of the subject’s access to the film, and whether this sense of tight orchestration can convey anything revealing or not.

Federer: Twelve Final Days is available to stream on Prime Video.