If you are well-versed in Roger Federer, this documentary will make perfect sense to you. It is even-keeled, disciplined, and moves with grace. Fitting for the person and the tennis player Roger is and was. If you are unfamiliar with Federer, I’m not sure this documentary will do anything for you. It is, ultimately, for the fans. 

Federer: Twelve Final Days follows Roger Federer, arguably the greatest male tennis player of all time, in the 12-day period between the announcement of his retirement and his final match at the 2022 Laver Cup. The stakes are low, there is no major drama, no suspense. And while Roger is a totally personable and charming subject (and I could listen to him talk all day long), he is nothing if not composed. Always. For most of the doc, you can feel him holding back slightly. Almost as if he worries that if he starts to get emotional, he won’t be able to reel it back in. And something else that is clear from the doc is that this is a person who is very aware of his public persona and the perception of himself in the world. He’s classy and cool. He wears 15 different Rolexes and speaks 3+ languages and is fawned over by Anna Wintour. Getting deep in his psyche and breaking down on camera might not match up with that. But maybe it’s something people would want to see. A reminder that even someone as extraordinary as Roger Federer is still human. Or maybe Roger knows best that people would prefer to keep him up on a pedestal.

The film is definitely not devoid of emotion. Roger does get emotional at times and so does his family and his fans and the other players and obviously me watching at home. So many people (including myself) love him so much and really loved watching him play tennis. He means so much to the sport. Every player’s game is infused with their personality and Roger’s game was so easy for everyone to love and appreciate. I would have loved a little more of a look into the past at the breadth of his career and his identity on the court and in the world of tennis but the film mostly lives up to its name, staying focused on the present moment of those 12 days.

I think my favorite part of the doc is also my favorite part of the Netflix series Break Point which follows professional tennis players: seeing the players interact behind the scenes. I will always marvel at the way these people who spend their lives competing against each other can be so casual and friendly with each other off the court. At the Laver Cup, we see scores of top players pop in and out and Federer discusses his history with some of them. But most importantly of all is Rafael Nadal. The Federer/Nadal relationship means so much to me personally and it is really beautiful to see how this pairing that started as a rivalry has blossomed into a real friendship. My heart quite literally bursts every time I see that shot of the two of them sitting next to each other sobbing. Nadal is the more emotional of the two and his words about Roger’s retirement are some of the most poignant in the whole doc. It also seems to hit Federer more hearing others talk about his retirement than when he talks about it himself. It is really through everyone else that we most feel the impact of this moment.

I want to be clear that I loved this documentary. Just spending time with Fed and reminiscing on his career and his influence was time well spent. But I just don’t think the film offers anything particularly new or insightful. Federer’s life and full career deserve its own fully fleshed out documentary or docu-series. Or a film about the Federer/Nadal rivalry. (I saw someone pitch one about The Big 3 which would loop Djokovic in there as well which I totally get but, personally, wouldn’t mind leaving him out of this.) A retrospective that takes the time and space to really explore how these players came up and developed into the stars and champions they became, that highlights the make and break matches of their careers, that shows how their relationships to other players shaped their personas. I think I can speak for most people when I say that’s what we would really want to see. Federer: Twelve Final Days is not that. But until we get it, this is enough to hold over a fan like me. For others, your mileage may vary.

2024 Count: 17 seasons/specials, 31 movies