The Deepest Breath
Netflix | Release Date (Streaming): July 19, 2023 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
69
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Critic Reviews
Positive:
12
Mixed:
6
Negative:
0
Watch Now
Stream On

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
RogerEbert.comSheila O'MalleyJul 19, 2023
Eloquent and moving, The Deepest Breath shows what it's like "down there," why people risk their lives to free fall into the blackness where it is so quiet, and why they also risk their lives to bring divers in trouble back up to the noisy surface. Read full review
88
The Daily BeastNick SchagerJul 18, 2023
A story of courage, trust and tragedy, the last of which materializes in ways that are at once shattering and uplifting. Read full review
80
Rolling StoneChris VognarJul 19, 2023
The line between suspense and manipulation can be mighty fine. But The Deepest Breath walks it well. The filmmakers know they have a good story on their hands, and they shape it with sensitivity to the star-crossed divers and to the viewer. In the end it is well worth the plunge. Read full review
80
The Irish TimesDonald ClarkeJul 13, 2023
The copious talking heads fail to open up the intellectual wiring required to derive pleasure from an activity that invites submarine asphyxiation. What we do get is lucid explanation of the sport’s mechanics and satisfactory celebration of two impressively unstoppable personalities. A smart buy for the streamer. Read full review
80
The GuardianLauren MechlingJul 10, 2023
Rounding out the pervasive sense of fear and ecstasy is a mesmerizing, sometimes mind-altering, depiction of the ocean’s depths. When one beholds Zecchini’s figure undulating to the sound of nothing, it’s all too clear that thrill-seeking is only part of the story. Read full review
80
SlashfilmBen PearsonJan 28, 2023
A mesmerizing, powerful glimpse at the irresistible siren call of the deep and a somber record of the human cost of pushing boundaries. Read full review
79
Paste MagazineNatalia KeoganJul 17, 2023
While the informative aspects of The Deepest Breath are enthralling in their own right, the footage that McGann procures is nothing short of enchanting. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen JohnsonJul 14, 2023
McGann, whose 2016 documentary “Revolutions” explored the women’s roller derby scene in Ireland, spins a compelling yarn about two fascinating people, although she doesn’t go much below the surface. Read full review
75
ColliderTherese LacsonFeb 9, 2023
McGann weaves together an emotional and tragic tale in the third act, one that hits hard after following the story of these two lovers throughout the film. Mixing this with the magnificent footage of an alien underwater world, one that few of us will ever see with our own eyes, and there is a lot to like. Read full review
70
VarietyGuy LodgeFeb 1, 2023
As a pure adrenaline-rush experience, however, The Deepest Breath is hard to argue with, coming closer than might seem possible to conveying the exhilaration and/or terror of descending further than the length of a football field into infinite aqua. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterDaniel FienbergJan 28, 2023
Even though the doc’s storytelling has an approach to twistiness that I’m finding increasingly irritating every time it’s used, the sheer volume of visceral responses produced by The Deepest Breath is hard to deny. Read full review
70
We Got This CoveredMartin CarrJan 28, 2023
Filled with awe-inspiring imagery, and a heartbreaking real-life tragedy, 'The Deepest Breath' is powerful stuff. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesNoel MurrayJul 21, 2023
Despite the morbid preoccupation with diving’s dangers, The Deepest Breath is an intense and often beautiful movie, likely to appeal to fans of extreme sports documentaries like “Free Solo” and “Riding Giants.” Read full review
60
TheWrapSimon AbramsJan 28, 2023
The retrospective nature of this documentary character study requires some creative liberties, but treating one of your two main characters like a special guest in her own movie suggests that telling a better story was unfortunately the top priority here. Read full review
58
The PlaylistRodrigo PerezJul 20, 2023
The Deepest Breath isn’t hiding the fact that there are daring hazards involved with athletes risking their lives for world records, but it isn't exactly forthcoming either, and the failure to effectively thread that needle is its biggest problem. Read full review
58
The Film StageJake Kring-SchreifelsJan 28, 2023
The narrative manipulation is the only thing clouding an otherwise crystal-clear dip into sublime terror. Read full review
58
IndieWireDavid EhrlichJan 28, 2023
Given the brief period of time that separated romance and tragedy, it’s understandable that McGann might have been grasping at straws, but omitting certain voices — for what seems to be the benefit of cheap suspense — can’t help but cut her movie off at the knees. The result is a fascinating but frustratingly superficial portrait. Read full review
50
The New York TimesNatalia WinkelmanJul 20, 2023
We learn precious little about the personal lives of these impressive individuals. When it comes to what drove them, how they associated with others or how they dealt with danger, The Deepest Breath offers only surface-level observations. Read full review
More From This Movie

69 Critic Reviews

7.5 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
2 77 Project Hail Mary
3 75 Send Help
4 73 Hoppers
5 72 The Sheep Detectives
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL