Barça - The Dream of the Perfect Game - Blu-ray

Content: A few words beforehand: I generally have a soft spot for well-made documentaries. Especially interesting to me are those that deal with topics I don't really have anything to do with. If a documentary grabs me nevertheless, then that speaks for me quite clearly for the quality of the film. Football is such a topic. Big enthusiasts of the round leather and especially fans of FC Barcelona may forgive me if there are a few professional mistakes or omissions in my review. But at the heart of the matter is one thing: Is Barça - The Dream of the Perfect Game a successful documentary about one of the most famous football clubs in the world? And that's a question even a layman like me can answer unequivocally in the affirmative.

With many interviews, for which former players and coaches, as well as contemporary witnesses could be won, as well as a wealth of archive material, filmmaker Jordi Llompart has staged a gripping and entertaining journey through the history of FC Barcelona. From the founding in 1899 by the Swiss Hans Gamper to the first successes, the first legendary players, the relegation in the 1960s, the eternal rivalry with Real Madrid to the more recent successes with coaches like Pep Guardiola and players like Lionel Messi. In addition to the many insightful interviews, there are also scenes from unforgettable games, grandiose victories, but also bitter defeats to see. At the same time, the film also tries to make clear what enormous pressure to succeed lies on the players and how they deal with it. It also shows how the young talent is recruited and why players and fans love this club so much.

It is clear that Barça - The Dream of the Perfect Game is first and foremost a very big declaration of love for FC Barcelona. What makes the documentary so interesting, however, is that it does not leave out failures and critical voices and generally addresses the dark sides of professional football - even if these are of course only dealt with in passing. Rousing game scenes and rare archive footage also make the film a real feast for fans. But also non-football/FC Barcelona fans will be entertained for two hours, as the history of the club with its ups and downs and the very special philosophy of its founder is also very interesting apart from the playing side. Therefore, there is for this sports documentary a very clear: Absolutely worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The image of the Blu-ray is absolutely clean and has a very good overall sharpness, which also brings out smaller details well. The colour scheme looks very atmospheric, which is particularly good in the more recent game clips and interviews. There are some quality flaws in some of the older archival footage, but these are simply due to the times and therefore can't be judged negatively. The DTS-HD 5.1 mix provides a lot of movement on the surround channels in some scenes, but primarily transports the interviews and voice over comments well understandable from the speakers. Good.

Extras: As a bonus, the disc also has four in-depth bonus interviews with recently deceased coach Johan Cruyff (approx. 13:02 min.), former player and coach Carles Rexach (approx. 12:18 mins), as well as players Gary Lineker (approx. 11:25 mins), Xavi Hernández (approx. 13:32 mins). Plus the trailer for the film and more program tips.

Conclusion: Barça - The Dream of the Perfect Game is a comprehensive and very interesting documentary about the history of FC Barcelona and its legendary players. Interviews with many players, clips from legendary games and rare archive footage make this documentary a must-see for fans. The Blu-ray presents the documentary in good picture and sound quality and also has some extensive bonus interviews on board. Overall, there is a clear: Recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp