X
- 1982
- R
- The Geffen Company
- 2 h 8 m
- 1982
- R
- The Geffen Company
- 2 h 8 m
Summary The intertwined lives and loves of three highly-ranked athletes striving for the national team; Chris bounces between the beds of male coach Terry and her female friend, competitor, and role model Tory.
Directed By: Robert Towne
Written By: Robert Towne
- 1982
- R
- The Geffen Company
- 2 h 8 m
- 1982
- R
- The Geffen Company
- 2 h 8 m
Personal Best
71
User Score
Available after 4 ratings
tbd
Where to Watch
Summary The intertwined lives and loves of three highly-ranked athletes striving for the national team; Chris bounces between the beds of male coach Terry and her female friend, competitor, and role model Tory.
Directed By: Robert Towne
Written By: Robert Towne
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 13 Critic Reviews
71
62% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
38% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 13 Critic Reviews
71
62% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
38% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
What advance publicity has been powerless to suggest is that
Personal Best is an exceptionally well-crafted, thoroughly accurate,
emotionally galvanizing piece of filmmaking, easily one of the most
intelligent explorations of competition on cinematic record. What's best
about Personal Best is a lot more than just personal .[5 Feb 1982]
Splendid film...Just as the recent "Chariots of Fire" did, Robert Towne's Personal Best takes the world of track and field as a microcosm for the ecstasies and pains of self-striving. And it dares, with great delicacy and insight, to show a loving sexual relationship between two young women, not as a statement about homosexuality but as a paradigm of authentic human intimacy. [8 Feb 1982, p.60]
PERSONAL BEST offers a detailed, believable insider's portrait of the world of track and field. This very different sports film isn't for everyone, but patient viewers should find many small pleasures in it.
Personal Best offers audiences a lot to like in solid characterizations, plus some shock that is a Robert Towne trademark. What they probably won't share, however, is his tedious fascination with physical perfection.
What lends the movie authenticity is that most of the people in it really are Olympic athletes and record-holders, and they show that they know what they're doing. The second lead, Patrice Donnelly, is a former Olympic hurdler.
The result is 50 percent more realistic than the average sports film.
A hesitation in dealing fully with the central relationship, coupled with an over-reliance on slow-motion photography, finds the film losing momentum almost before it leaves the starting blocks.
User Reviews
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
Production Company
The Geffen Company
Release Date Feb 5, 1982
Duration 2 h 8 m
Rating R
Tagline They tested the limits - and broke all the rules.
