Critic Reviews

Rafa is hardly the first documentary following the final days of an athlete’s career, but it’s one of the only ones that feels brave enough to show the depth of sacrifice made for glory.

Ambitious, wide-ranging and exhaustive, it is rich in the sort of detail that might be of interest only to the type of hardcore fan who would know everything already. Like the Nadal career, “Rafa” goes on too long, though the drama is propulsive, then and now.

In his on-camera interview with Heinzerling, Nadal comes across as reticent and a bit bland. But if he doesn’t exactly have the most riveting personality, his fervent commitment to the game of tennis, seemingly to the exclusion of almost all else, makes him fascinating as a case study for ambition and monomania. .... It’s Uncle Toni who is, perhaps, the most fascinating and, honestly, bloodcurdling character we encounter in “Rafa.”

“RAFA” seems content to focus on one aspect, arguably his most important. What more might be left to be said? As well-made as “RAFA” might be, it somehow begs for more.

There’s no point in pretending that this isn’t a deeper dive than would suffice for a casual observer. But for the true Rafa-stan, it’s a goldmine.

A great sportsman retiring gracefully, at the right time, rarely makes for the most thrilling story. Asif Kapadia had this problem with his 2024 film Federer: Twelve Final Days, which is a worthwhile if dry closing chapter. The team behind four-part documentary Rafa (Netflix) have the same problem.