Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
A feature length, theatrical documentary on the life of Paul Gascoigne, one of the greatest footballers that ever lived: delving deep into his psyche, vulnerabilities, fears and triumphs.
A sympathetic and emotionally honest portrait of Gascoigne that benefits from remarkable archive footage and candid interviews, capturing both his brilliance and his tragic decline. However, the documentary follows a fairly conventional biographical structure — rise, peak, fall — without pushing the form in particularly inventive directions. The cinematography is functional rather than distinguished, relying heavily on existing footage. The ending, reflecting Gascoigne's unresolved struggles, is sobering but leaves the viewer with little sense of resolution or fresh insight. Acting is replaced here by the authenticity of real subjects, which is serviceable. Novelty is modest given the crowded field of footballer documentaries, though Gascoigne's singular personality gives it some distinction.