- Network: HBO
- Series Premiere Date: Jul 29, 2020
Critic Reviews
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The Weight of Gold was intended to coincide with the Olympics, which adds another somber note to this soul-searching documentary. The postponement of the Games, however, does nothing to blunt the sobering impact of the depression that elite athletes can experience once the fanfare ends, after devoting their lives to the often-fleeting pursuit of glory.
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It demystifies our view of the competition, with all its ceremonial grandiosity, sweeping music and heart-tugging TV profiles. It takes our perception of these impenetrable sports heroes and turns it upside-down.
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It’s an unblinking and yet compassionate look at the mental health issues faced by former Olympic athletes, featuring candid interviews with Apolo Ohno, Lolo Jones, Bode Miller, Sasha Cohen, Shaun White — and Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian ever, who narrates and is admirably forthright about his own battles.
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What one would have appreciated from Mr. Rapkin was a little more exploration of what Olympic athletes expect, given how crushed they seem to be by unmet expectations. But he’s also telling a story that needed to be told, about a subject that the athletes seem not just happy but relieved to be able to share.