Filmed over four years, a portrait of up-and-coming British sprinters in training and competition on the eve of the 2012 Olympics, and a deeply personal account of their lives as they strive towards their dreams.
If this were a 100 metre sprint, it'd go off with a bang, start ambling by the 50 metre mark, before finishing in near the back of the pack.
Until the Olympics happen, the final chapters to these athletes' stories is missing. So we get the pain, but little of the gain.
If you are looking for a little motivational viewing in advance of the Olympics then Personal Best is just what your trainer might order.
The film-makers get a little carried away with the use of super-slo-mo and the looming close-ups beloved of sportswear ads – I would have preferred tougher questioning over all the heroic muscle power on offer. For those counting down the days to August, though, this is a useful taster.
Sam Blair is more interested in exploring the psychological make-up required to develop the kind of belief necessary to transform talent into championship wins.
The lack of flash occasionally makes for a dull film, but the piece is ultimately more involving for being so measured.
Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow from Sunday July 22, 2012. More info: http://www.glasgowfilm.org/theatre/
Edinburgh Filmhouse, Edinburgh from Friday July 20, 2012, until Monday July 23, 2012. More info: www.filmhousecinema.com