'The Weight of Gold' (2020) is a highly personal and gut-wrenching documentary covering a topic that is everywhere and rarely acknowledged in sports, mental health.
This film focuses on Olympians and their personal experiences and battles with mental health. I disagree with some other reviewers in that this film does not not say other highly successful individuals not in the Olympics do not suffer as bad or that Olympians suffer worse than anyone else. This documentary is made by Olympians to help shed some light on their own struggles, and is being made for future Olympians to help them with their own journeys as they chase their dream.
Narration and personal stories bring forth the widespread challenges members of the U. S. Olympic team face in their lives. Some have more sponsorships and post-Olympic opportunities while others do not.
This film can be tough for the viewer especially if they or someone they know has struggled with their mental health. And even in this film, Steven Holcomb, who speaks of his own personal experiences with other athletes ends up losing his own battle while this film is still being made.
This film is tragic and at times tough to watch if you can understand their mindsets. Since its release there has been progress made as Covid-19 has pushed mental health into the spotlight more but hopefully this film can at the very least serve as a teaching tool for all past, current, and future Olympic athletes regardless of their nation.
