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United Kingdom, United States · 2021
1h 35m
Director Sam Pollard, Rex Miller
Starring Billie Jean King, Jeanne Moutousammy-Ashe, Johnnie Ashe, John McEnroe
Genre Documentary
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This documentary dives into the extraordinary life and career of legendary tennis player Arthur Ashe.
The filmmaking is not as distinctive as what Pollard achieved with “MLK/FBI.” Perhaps that’s because this is not a confrontational piece. It follows Ashe’s lead of cool, calm and collected. Yet sometimes it needed more oomph to reflect what Ashe was concerned about; racism and equity. He might have been mild-mannered, but he was not shy. This documentary is so agreeable; it can quickly fade away from memory.
At its best — when the flow of voices, archival clips (co-director Pollard being a master at the textural impact of found footage), and nicely blended-in recreations made to look archival, is thematically strongest — "Citizen Ashe" becomes a documentary about how experience becomes voice becomes action.
The Hollywood Reporter by Stephen Farber
The interviews in the film are perhaps a bit more limited than they might be, with the directors relying on the same people repeatedly. ... [But] the film will help to introduce worldwide audiences to his stirring story.
"Citizen Ashe” is a fascinating portrait that weaves together his on- and off-court life seamlessly.