According to a report by CNN, 'Borg vs McEnroe uses a long-past tennis match to reveal a deeper meaning. CNN's Brian Lowry points out that the film looks at the roots, as well as the price, of competitive greatness, but despite being intellectually stimulating, fails to stand out as a clear-cut winner. The film stars Shia LaBeouf as the tantrum-throwing tennis great, John McEnroe, while Sverrir Gudnason plays McEnroe's rival, Bjorn Borg.