Back On Board: Greg Louganis (Documentary)

I reviewed the film based on Greg Louganis' life way back in 2007 here. When I found out about this documentary, I was looking forward to it, especially from the point of view of what's happening in Greg's life in todays time. Spanning over three years, this documentary focuses on his struggles with financial security and reunites with the sport he once dominated but not welcomed in.

Louganis is introduced auctioning off memorabilia, hoping to save the Malibu home he’s owned for 27 years and to what he hasn't paid his mortgage for a few months now. He later finds out he is victim of being fleeced by his former boyfriend/manager who robbed him off a lot of his finances and someone who was also responsible probably for Greg's HIV status. Although. This can never be confirmed. We see his past of winning olympic medals and other important events, especially the now famous incident when Louganis hit his head on the board. The documentary's central focus is Greg and his coach. It was heartwarming to hear the incident when they couldn’t divulge his HIV status at the time if he wanted to compete, and discussing the mix of emotions and concerns that raced through Louganis’ mind when the injury opened a gash in his scalp. We see few such incidents, where we finally also see how he finds new love in life and is now happily married. It is sad to see how once world famous olympic gold medal winner is struggling to make ends meet just because of his sexuality. He is trying to re-emerges on the world stage to combat prejudice, promote tolerance, and return to the diving world after a long period of absence to act as a mentor to the next generation.

This documentary reminds us that everyone has challenges in life. The fact that he was rumored to be gay also led to millions of dollars in lost corporate endorsements , despite the fact that he was an Olympic superstar. The documentary very well shows us Greg's amazing accomplishments as an outstanding platform diver and his life now. His struggles )personal and professional) because of his sexuality is something that cannot be ignored at all. Louganis' honesty and courage was fully on display here, as well as his incredible diving talent, all detailed in concise interviews and historical footage. And my god! Even at this age, he is so sexy and that smile is still a killer.

I would recommend both the film on his life and the documentary to really appreciate the life and person that Greg Louganis is. (5.5/10)

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