63
Metascore
9 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 70The Hollywood ReporterStephen DaltonThe Hollywood ReporterStephen DaltonWeekend of a Champion begins as a motorsports movie but ends up a portrait of two wily elder statesmen who have survived into their seventies by skill, stealth and sheer luck.
- 70Village VoiceCalum MarshVillage VoiceCalum MarshThe result is a pleasure, perhaps as much for audiences as for Polanski; it's a chance to luxuriate in the atmosphere of world-class Formula One, here a lavish free-love party interrupted now and again by a few laps on the track.
- 70The DissolveNathan RabinThe DissolveNathan RabinWeekend Of A Champion is an immersive chronicle of a specific time and place in racing, but it’s also a film in a familiar Polanski mode, exploring a strong man at war with forces that could destroy him.
- 70The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisIt’s a vintage flashbulb moment of two men at the peak of their talents, one on his way to securing his second world championship, and the other between the twin triumphs of “Rosemary’s Baby” and “Chinatown.”
- 67The A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloThe A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloAll in all, the original 1972 version of Weekend Of A Champion, which ran a fleet 80 minutes,was probably a thorough if minor pleasure. Unfortunately, that’s not the version now being released. Polanski says that he felt the need to re-edit the picture in order to make its rhythm more palatable to a modern audience.
- 63Slant MagazineDrew HuntSlant MagazineDrew HuntThe film is at its most fascinating when Jackie Stewart authoritatively and pedagogically discusses the nuances of his trade.
- 60The GuardianPeter BradshawThe GuardianPeter BradshawThe movie has some real archival value and the simple juxtaposition of Polanski and Stewart – the oddest couple in Cannes, surely – has a surreal impact. But I wonder if there isn't something a little bit placid and self-satisfied about the film, which is paced remarkably slowly, given the subject matter.
- 60Time OutJoshua RothkopfTime OutJoshua RothkopfThis recut version appends a new interview with Polanski and Stewart, returning to the same hotel room to wax nostalgic. Essentially, they liked going fast and big; this film feels slow and minor.
- 60New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanNew York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanLooking for something unusual to see this weekend? Try this cool time capsule, which premiered in 1972 and then disappeared for decades.