Enter the Slipstream (2023) User Reviews

Not quite as riveting as Tour de France: Unchained

[paul-allaer · 7/10 · 3 May 2024]

As "Enter the Slipstream" (2023 release; 88 min.) opens, it is "August 26, 2020, Nice, France" and the 2020 Tour de France is about to start, after being delayed for almost 2 moths due to the COVID pandemic raging around the world. This is not without risk, and the question is whether the Tour can even make it all the way to Paris three weeks later. We then go back to "Six Months Earlier", before the pandemic even started, to the beginning of the pro cycling season at the Tour of Colombia. The American racing team Education First is there as its top man is Rigoberto Uran and several others are in fact Colombian. Uran is returning from a massive injury he sustained in the fall of 2022... At this point we are 10 minutes into the documentary.

Couple of comments: this documentary follows 1 racing team, with seemingly unfettered access, and it is quite interesting to see the cycling season through that particular lens. The bulk of the documentary does focus on the Tour de France, the grandaddy and most important of all pro cycling events. The impact of COVID is palpable throughout the documentary, which only adds to the drama. What a strange year 2020 turned out to be.

This documentary was released in the early summer of 2023 but I only became aware of it now, as Peacock (where it is now streaming) was pushing it on its sports section. I am not sure what held back the release (3 years after the facts). Better late than never! Interestingly, last summer also saw the release of the documentary mini-series "Tour de France: Unchained", and that is one of the best sports documentaries I have ever seen, period. In the meantime, if you are a fan of pro cycling in general, or of the Tour de France in particular, I'd readily suggest you check out "Enter the Slipstream", and draw your own conclusion.

Fascinating Tour de France documentary

[pbagley-44032 · 10/10 · 23 June 2023]

This "behind the scenes" film follows the EF Education First team for the 2020 Tour de France race. Following one team really adds focus to the story. It captures the effort needed to just ride in the race, and the danger of riding in a peloton down super steep descents. I didn't know about Rigo, the Colombian rider, before seeing the movie. His story is so inspirational, you can't help but root for him to do well. Seeing the team dynamic is so interesting, especially learning about the roles that each rider players in order to move Rigo up on the leader board. I really enjoyed the cinematography, both the interviews with the team and footage of the race, very well done.

In-depth look into a game changing team in cycling

[mckinnakrieghoff · 10/10 · 26 June 2023]

This movie follows a team EF cycling that is changing cycling for the better with their active stance on anti doping. This film dives into the rocky year of cycling during Covid and the additional pressures a team has regarding funding. The human experience of being a father and cyclist was extremely well shown with Tejay van Garderen in this film. It was a pleasant surprise to see how honest and real this documentary gets into the lives of these athletes. The suspense, drama, and thrill of the races has you craving for a win for EFs, Rigoberto Uran and Neilson Powless. You will be on the edge of your seat and be excited to watch the Tour this year. I was impressed by this films ability to showcase the inner workings of a team dynamic and how that all plays into the strength and/or downfall of a team. I highly encourage anyone, cyclist fan or not, to watch this film!

Fantastic look at one Tour de France team and what it takes to compete

[ytwrgkxm · 10/10 · 10 July 2023]

A fascinating look at one team competing in the 2020 Tour de France. Not just focused on the riders and competition but all the other aspects of the team and complexities and people involved in this amazing sport and competition. I can't wait for this years race now that I understand what it takes to compete.

The sounds and video composition is amazing. Being in the car next to the racers, the unbelievable scenery both nature and people is wonderful. You really feel like you know the racers and the strain they are going through. Highly recommend for both novices and enthusiasts alike. Good for all ages though a couple words of profanity are included.

Great Cycling Movie

[charles-costanzo · 10/10 · 17 July 2023]

Enter the Slipstream is an awesome insiders look at the Tour de France and what's required to assemble a successful team. The film does a great job of explaining the basics of professional road cycling and invites even non-cycling fans into the drama of a team faced with managing personalities, COVID, money, the spectre of illegal performance enhancement, and the general difficulties of the hardest athletic competition on earth. The film does an excellent job with the business of cycling as well as capturing the excitement of the race and the beauty of the French countryside. It's also fascinating to have an inside look at a team and see how the team and its members have evolved since the film was made. Many of the riders that we meet in the film are key players in the current 2023 Tour.