Diego Maradona (2019)

Kohn praises the film as a gripping, absorbing account of Maradona’s rise and fall, though its pace can overwhelm and some details are shortchanged. He singles out the hypnotic archival footage, especially a silent moment that captures Maradona’s sadness.

Abele finds the documentary bracing and well-controlled, despite its slightly overlong running time. He particularly praises its hypnotic use of archival footage and the haunting portrait of Maradona’s isolation.

Alarcón finds the documentary a remarkable, harrowing portrait of genius, fame, and decline. He especially praises its intimate moments, which reveal Maradona’s loneliness beyond the spectacle of his athletic talent.

Sexton finds the documentary masterful in its construction, though Maradona himself remains opaque. He praises Kapadia’s painstaking use of original footage and singles out a silent, lonely Christmas-party sequence as especially telling.

The critic finds the documentary fascinating and essential viewing for football fans, though somewhat short on genuinely surprising revelations. They praise its vast archive, energetic editing and intimate access to Maradona, which bring his pressures and contradictions to life.

The critic finds the documentary mesmeric and insightful, calling it a work of real class. They praise its raw portrait of Maradona’s life off the pitch alongside his soccer skills.

The review finds the documentary impressive and tragic, though it never fully reveals Maradona as a person. It praises Kapadia’s precise, intelligent editing while faulting the film for leaving its subject’s inner life underexplored.

The standfirst gives a positive box-office outlook for Kapadia’s documentary. It singles out the film’s potential to extend Maradona’s “hand of God” appeal to audiences.

Bradshaw finds the documentary gripping, capturing the euphoria and catastrophe of Maradona’s career. He praises the compelling archival footage but faults the film for lacking new material and political context.

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The review finds the documentary entertaining but ultimately oversimplified and unpersuasive. It faults the film for lightly scrutinising Maradona’s choices off the pitch and portraying him as corrupted by others.

The review regards the film as a celebration of Maradona’s extraordinary footballing talent that also confronts his scandals. It praises the archive-based approach for showing both his triumphs and controversies without excusing his behaviour.

Gleiberman finds the documentary engrossing but sprawling, and less revealing than Kapadia’s stronger work. He praises the immediacy of its archival footage while faulting it for leaving Maradona’s inner life and key questions insufficiently explored.

Dalton finds the documentary solidly made but weaker and more cautious than Kapadia’s earlier films. He praises the energetic archival footage, while faulting the film for skimming over Maradona’s personal and political complexities.

The critic calls the documentary absorbing and entertaining, though it never fully reveals Maradona as a person. They praise Kapadia’s well-constructed use of archival footage to chart his rise and fall.

Quinlan finds the documentary interrogative and sharp, though she feels it could explore some of Maradona’s troubles in greater depth. She praises the footage of Napoli’s footballing chaos and the captivating beauty of Maradona’s skill.

Turner finds the documentary engaging and strongly recommends it, while noting it is less emotionally devastating than Kapadia’s earlier films. She praises its intimate archival footage and complex portrayal of Maradona’s rise and decline.

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The critic finds the documentary competent but overlong and ultimately forgettable. Fresh interviews and its exploration of Maradona’s ties to the Neapolitan mafia provide some of its most original material.