Top Spin

Released Aug 21, 2015

1h 30m

Documentary

List

100%

Tomatometer

10 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Teenage pingpong players Ariel Hsing, Michael Landers and Lily Zhang prepare to compete in the Olympic trials.

Peter Rainer

Christian Science Monitor

Weary as I am of documentaries built around competitions, this one is charming because the three teens, especially the girls, are so radiantly intense about the sport. And yes, you doubters, it is a sport.

Rated: B

Oct 30, 2015

Full Review

Chuck Wilson

Village Voice

These "kids" turn out to be wiser than their years - wiser than most of us, probably - as they both win and lose with an enviable grace.

Oct 20, 2015

Full Review

Tom Keogh

Seattle Times

"Top Spin's" action is sizzling - that sideways-hop-dance players use in the sport is mesmerizing, and lightning-fast exchanges between competitors can look unearthly.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 3, 2015

Full Review

Andrea Beach

Common Sense Media

Teens chase Olympic dreams in compelling sports documentary.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 12, 2016

Full Review

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

A pleasant documentary about three adolescents trying to represent the U.S. in table tennis at the 2012 Olympics.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 22, 2015

Full Review

Christine N. Ziemba

Paste Magazine

There's triumph, heartbreak and loss in Top Spin.

Rated: 6.9/10

Aug 26, 2015

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nefasto r

As a table tennis player, I'd say there is not much to enjoy or learn from this. But the emotional journey of these young athletes is a good one to follow.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This doc taught me that the US has never won an Olympic medal in table tennis, badminton, or handball. Those are all awesome sports. Let's get on it!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Barney Reed: Table tennis is a lot like martial arts and boxing combined with chess. Siguiendo con los documentales atléticos, tenemos a Top Spin, que nos sumerge en el mundo del Ping Pong, un deporte que realmente no pensé que requería tanta preparación física. No sólo los atletas tienen rigurosos entrenamientos físicos, sino que la parte mental que es lo más complicado para entrenar. Lo que me gustó de Top Spin es que muestra la vida diaria de estos jóvenes, como logran balancear su entrenamiento, con el colegio y compartir con sus familias y amigos, y a pesar de la gran responsabilidad que tienen, siguen siendo niños normales en sus intereses y como se relacionan con los demás, Finalmente, recibimos un gran desenlace cuando todos los protagonistas del documental llegan a las Olimpiadas, que es un logro monumental.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

interesting and eye-opening documentary

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Two months after the 2012 Olympics main event, Lily Zhang went on the win the Bronze Medal (first time for a US player) in the Olympic Youth Summer Games in Nanjing, China.. WOW

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Awesome! Great documentary about some young table tennis athletes. Follows their growth and difficulties. Was rooting for each one by the end. Would happily watch it again.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

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Mina T. Son

Director

Sara Newens

Director

Michael Hsing

Actor

Xinhua Jiang

Actor

Ariel Hsing

Actor

Joan Landers

Actor

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Synopsis

Teenage pingpong players Ariel Hsing, Michael Landers and Lily Zhang prepare to compete in the Olympic trials.

Director: Mina T. Son, Sara Newens
Producer: Mina T. Son
Distributor: First Run Features
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 21, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.9K
Runtime: 1h 30m