In the run-up to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where gymnast Simone Biles will compete, the two-part Netflix documentary “Simone Biles Rising” focuses on a pivotal event in her sporting profession: her withdrawal from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics resulting from “twisties,” a technical term that describes the disorientation a gymnast experiences in the midst of an exercise when she loses her sense of place within the air.
Her coach Laurent Landi puts it this fashion: “She couldn't synchronize her body and her mind to compete. Something is broken.” The only solution to heal the dislocations, he says, is to take time without work and take a look at to grasp why they occur. “And most of the time it has nothing to do with gymnastics.”
The subtext to all that is Larry Nassarthe team doctor who was accused of sexual harassment of gymnasts. Biles was among the many survivorsand she or he speculates that a delayed trauma response to her own attack and Nassar's conviction ultimately affected her performance in Tokyo. “I didn't get the right care beforehand because I just thought I was fine,” she says. “But your mind and your body are actually the first to say, 'Not really.'”
The first two parts of the docuseries are candid, direct conversations with Biles about her experience on the 2020 Olympics (which were held in 2021, postponed resulting from the pandemic) and her life within the years since. Director Katie Walsh will follow Biles in Paris for 2 more episodes; Netflix has not yet said when they’ll premiere.
Tom Brady and Michael Strahan's sports media production company Religion of Sports is considered one of the producers, together with the Olympic Channel, which is run by the International Olympic Committee. That suggests there's some care within the curation and image-building at play here, and the primary quarter-hour or so have the jerky, frenetic pace of a teaser. But once it settles down and lets Biles just do it, “Simone Biles Rising” proves engaging. It helps that Biles is incredibly personable and relaxed on camera. To the documentary's credit, it doesn't have the intrusive approach you often see within the pre-produced segments which have long been a part of NBC's Olympics coverage.
Will a dedicated Netflix camera crew following Biles on the Paris Games add to the intensity she faces? Or will or not it’s no different from the opposite media coverage she’s going to face? Perhaps Walsh & Co. offer a secure space, having already established a relationship. (Walsh previously worked on the Facebook series “Simone Biles vs. Herself,” which followed her on the last Olympics.) Either way, modern athletes will not be only expected to be the very best of their sport, but in addition to be media savvy. That’s a giant burden. Still, Biles is a grown-up. She’s remarkably open. And she’s agreed to this sort of documentary twice now. She knows what’s coming. She’s such an exciting athlete, but often that masks her human frailties, and time and time again she makes decisions that underscore that complexity as a part of her public image. For example, she didn’t stop filming the Facebook series when every little thing fell apart in Tokyo and she or he probably didn’t desire a camera in her face.
She's also learned to set boundaries for herself around social media to administer her anxiety, whether by limiting comments or her own use of the apps. Reading a nasty post following her decision in Tokyo, a wry smile crosses her face as she reflects on the lack of information of the person making the ruling: “You sit on your couch and watch me from home. OK.” The subtext is blunt: Try doing something near what I've achieved – risking serious injury – after which we'll talk.
While the documentary doesn't use the word “misogynoir,” a mix of racism and sexism was definitely the explanation for the cruel reactions Biles endured after she withdrew from the Tokyo Games. Dominique Dawes was a part of the 1996 Magnificent Seven Olympic team and talks here about what it means to be considered one of the few black gymnasts on a team: “My body type wasn't what (the judges) liked. My hair wasn't what they were looking for… I knew my identity was automatically considered a smear.”
Dawes also talks in regards to the extreme expectations placed on elite gymnasts. Her teammate Kerri Strug helped the U.S. win gold in 1996 after vaulting with an injured ankle: “We were all hurt, we were all beat up and banged up,” Dawes recalls. “She's standing at the end of the vault, obviously in physical pain and also emotional pain. And her coaches are telling her, 'You can do it.' That has to be nerve-racking for an adult (and) these are young teenagers who have given up their entire childhood, and there are almost 40,000 people screaming for her to go because it's for their country.” Looking back, she says, “That wasn't right.”
We see a montage of Olympic footage from many years past wherein gymnasts get injured. One hits her face on the balance beam after a backflip, one other falls on her head after a vault. “In the '80s and '90s, our ideas about what was normal in this sport were a bit distorted. But there was a deep belief that this was the path to success,” says Dr. Onnie Willis Rogers, a psychology professor at Northwestern University and former gymnast, who can also be interviewed here.
In a few of her interviews, Biles wears a reputation necklace that reads “Owens” — her married name. She and NFL player Jonathan Owens got married last 12 months, and despite his own athletic profession, he is maybe higher known for a podcast appearance wherein he referred to himself because the “catch” of their relationship. Fan backlash was quick to reach, but Biles shrugged it off. Being married means her life isn't just centered across the gym. The necklace could also be nothing greater than a bit of jewellery she wears day by day. Or it might be a subtle but more targeted message she desires to convey.
At 27, Biles is competing again because she will — she's probably the most successful gymnast in history and still a top performer — and in addition because she desires to retire on her own terms. But she doesn't seem obsessive about the concept that the 2024 Olympics are some type of redemption story.
Despite the documentary's title, she doesn't discuss herself in such self-dramatic terms – like a phoenix rising from the ashes. The series is sensible enough to follow suit and easily take us through what was going through her mind during and after Tokyo, giving us a glimpse into her thoughts – and her vulnerability – within the run-up to Paris.
“Simone Biles Rising” – 3 stars (of 4)
Where to observe: Netflix
Originally published:
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