All elite-level sport is psychologically tough, but elite-level cricket is perhaps the toughest. Understandably arcane and obscure to many, to those who (like me) love the sport it is one that can force its participants to the very deepest places. A large part of that is down to how much of this team sport is played out in individual battles; and that individuals have a lot of time to themselves even in the midst of the game in which to reflect and either flourish or have their inner demons get the better of them.
Ben Stokes, the subject of this documentary, is one of those special players of any sport around whom magic and drama seem to happen. He had, for a long time, perhaps not appeared to be the most thoughtful of reflective of people. But as this documentary unflinchingly shows, a series of events on and off the field over the last few years have led to become a more contemplative and self-aware person - whilst not losing his professional flair. This documentary had been planned a long way in advance; they found themselves making it when he was at a psychologically low point, stricken by depression and panic attacks; the first time we see him sit down to be interviewed, this is an ashen-faced, drawn looking man who is far removed from his public, heroic alpha male persona. Flitting back and forth in time, we get his side of some very public and difficult issues for him; there are genuine insights into mental health and a series of rare pressures which he'd undergone. It's always good for this type of public man to be so open about his struggles and mental health, and he's to be deeply commended for going ahead with this project in this way. Sam Mendes makes a good interviewer, though I think the story the film begs some questions about (alpha/toxic) masculinity that aren't properly examined here and perhaps should be, especially given the era we're now in.
Or perhaps that's for other people, at other times. What's undoubtedly true is that in the genre of sporting superstar hagiography, this is rare and important in terms of where it goes to and what it finds the courage to talk about.
Ben Stokes, the subject of this documentary, is one of those special players of any sport around whom magic and drama seem to happen. He had, for a long time, perhaps not appeared to be the most thoughtful of reflective of people. But as this documentary unflinchingly shows, a series of events on and off the field over the last few years have led to become a more contemplative and self-aware person - whilst not losing his professional flair. This documentary had been planned a long way in advance; they found themselves making it when he was at a psychologically low point, stricken by depression and panic attacks; the first time we see him sit down to be interviewed, this is an ashen-faced, drawn looking man who is far removed from his public, heroic alpha male persona. Flitting back and forth in time, we get his side of some very public and difficult issues for him; there are genuine insights into mental health and a series of rare pressures which he'd undergone. It's always good for this type of public man to be so open about his struggles and mental health, and he's to be deeply commended for going ahead with this project in this way. Sam Mendes makes a good interviewer, though I think the story the film begs some questions about (alpha/toxic) masculinity that aren't properly examined here and perhaps should be, especially given the era we're now in.
Or perhaps that's for other people, at other times. What's undoubtedly true is that in the genre of sporting superstar hagiography, this is rare and important in terms of where it goes to and what it finds the courage to talk about.