Title: September 5
MPA Rating: R
Director: Tim Fehlbaum
Starring: Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins

What It Is: It was a normal day—September 4th, 1972. Until it wasn’t. Gunshots rang out, and by the next day, the world—and broadcasting—would change forever.

September 5th was supposed to be a day like any other. The Olympics were set to continue in Munich, a city in a country that, three decades earlier, had been under the rule of one of history’s worst leaders. Now, another crisis was unfolding.

The crew from ABC Sports was there, and action needed to be taken. A team accustomed to covering games was now faced with the task of reporting breaking news.

What We Think: A tension-fueled step into real history. One of the things that truly sets this apart is the timer—everything seems to be happening in real time, and there’s nothing we, as the audience, can do. We’re here, and much like the journalists, all we can do is wait.

We receive information the same way they do—any new development for them is new to us. Moritz Binder’s script (interview below) is at the forefront of everything here, and it’s no surprise that it earned the film’s sole Oscar nomination.

Our Grade: A+, This is a phenomenal film—one of my personal favorites. I have to say, I’m an absolute sucker for historical dramas, and I love the place and time we’re transported to here.

Peter Sarsgaard is excellent, and John Magaro continues to make outstanding career choices. He starred in my favorite film of 2023, Past Lives, and this one is a top contender for 2024.

Make sure you check this out—it’s such a crisp, impeccably shot film, executed without compromise. Kudos to Tim Fehlbaum for a job well done.