Facing Nolan (2022) Film Review
There aren’t many challenges to be faced when you’re a film critic and you’re used to watching all kinds of films. But one of the hardships I personally face is coming upon films and not being able to comment on a personal level. I try to fight it, and sometimes I win. But there are some cases where I just surrender to whatever a film makes me feel.
Bradley Jackson’s Facing Nolan is a very good documentary. It’s beautifully shot, and cleverly edited to make the viewer part of an experience that is hard to shape. Many of us saw Nolan Ryan pitching. On TV, or live in a baseball park. And Jackson’s film allows everyone to be there. Decades will pass, and films like his are groundbreaking opportunities to relive once in a lifetime events.
However, Facing Nolan also feels personal. To me at least. When I started watching it, I started to remember my father’s glance at the TV screen, with his wide open eyes studying the plays, and his hands nervously picking at whatever was on the table. I sent him a message and asked him about Nolan Ryan. It turned into the longest conversation we’ve had in a long time. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Jackson dedicates his beautiful work to his dad. I think artists owe much to what formed them and made them perform in a peculiar way. To him, I say thanks. Thanks for making a film about a man who’s still able to unite us.
And such a great film. Facing Nolan is a fantastic depiction of how Nolan Ryan came to be. It’s a biographical documentary that doesn’t pick at unnecessary details. Only the important facts matter. From Nolan’s early relationship with his wife Ruth, to his current status as a humble grandfather who proudly observes his family in everyday events and smiles with warmth. Director Bradley Jackson decidedly uses the access to the Ryan clan to make the legend more tangible. This is a portrait of the man behind the legendary acts in sports.
This doesn’t mean Jackson doesn’t dig into Ryan’s career and the important events, whether they’re bad for his image, or good for his legacy. After all, Nolan Ryan is a regular player who accomplished what was expected from gods. Beyond the records, the accomplishments, the fights, and the hat waving, there was a human being who challenged physics in every way (the fact that he became better with age is mind blowing). And he won. Several times. Facing Nolan is a celebration of that hero, but also a materialization of that presence that made every player fear Ryan when he was on the mound. Fortunately, Jackson stays within the tone boundaries that make the film a heartwarming, comfy experience. It never gets awkward even when some players weren’t so “friendly” during their career.
When it comes to sports documentaries, the formula isn’t expected to change much. It shouldn’t. It calls for a scripted use of footage and the vision of a director who sets out to make the greatest homage of all. There’s no doubt about this. You can notice Jackson really wants to pay tribute to the greatest pitcher of all time.
Aided by a fine production team (the Ryan family is heavily involved), Jackson uses testimonies from big stars, an ex-president, Nolan’s family and the player himself. He puts together an exciting journey through the pitcher’s greatest moments and those that aren’t so great. Sure, so many iconic players in the same film is exciting, but it’s their words that help the viewer deconstruct the image of a man of few words and larger than life acts.
Documentaries that make viewers reflect about something personal aren’t very common today. Much less when it comes to sports documentaries. Perhaps, I’m being extremely subjective on this occasion but as I said above, sometimes you just can’t help but surrender into the experience. Facing Nolan took me back to my childhood in Venezuela, and Saturday mornings with Juan Vene and his show “The best of the week”. Nothing in modern times has allowed me to do this.
Facing Nolan is an exceptional documentary about a sports legend that made me think of my own father and our relationship with baseball. It allowed me to relive a golden moment in time. So, why not cherish a film of this nature with that kind of effect?
