| Naomi Osaka | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Directed by | Garrett Bradley |
| Music by |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producers |
|
| Cinematography | Jon Nelson |
| Editors |
|
| Running time | 37-42 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release | July 16, 2021 (2021-07-16) |
Naomi Osaka is an Americandocumentary television miniseries directed byGarrett Bradley. It follows the life of professional tennis playerNaomi Osaka over the course of two years. It consists of three episodes, and premiered on July 16, 2021, onNetflix.[2]
The series followsNaomi Osaka over the course of two years.
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date [3] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Rise" | Garrett Bradley | Leonard François | July 16, 2021 (2021-07-16) | |
Raised to be a winner, Naomi chases a childhood dream of becoming a champion at the 2019 US Open. But as her star rises, success and fame take a toll. | |||||
| 2 | "Champion Mentality" | Garrett Bradley | Leonard François | July 16, 2021 (2021-07-16) | |
As she explores other talents, Naomi struggles with her mental well-being and sense of purpose while dealing with the unexpected loss of a close mentor. | |||||
| 3 | "New Blueprint" | Garrett Bradley | Leonard François | July 16, 2021 (2021-07-16) | |
AfterGeorge Floyd's murder, Naomi joins a protest for the first time in Minnesota. Later, she uses her platform on the court and finds her voice. | |||||
Netflix approachedGarrett Bradley about making a docuseries revolving aroundNaomi Osaka. Bradley wanted the series to feel as if the viewer was journeying alongside Osaka, and with the intent of it not being a recap of her Wikipedia page or what had been said about her in the press.[4] Bradley also felt the series should not be a definitive portrait of Osaka but a snapshot of a period of time in her life.[5]Principal photography on the series ran from 2019 to early 2021.[6] The docuseries was announced in February 2020, with Netflix distributing, and Film45 and Uninterrupted producing.[7][8]
The series had its world premiere atAFI Docs on June 22, 2021.[9][10] It was released onNetflix on July 16, 2021.[11]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 92% based on 26 critics and an average rating of 7.30/10. The website's consensus reads: "Under director Garrett Bradley's thoughtful eye,Naomi Osaka is a nuanced, moving portrait of a young athlete learning how to navigate life on and off the court."[12]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 76 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[13]
