Summary
The Only is hands down one of the most inspirational sports documentaries you will ever watch.
Paramount+ documentary The Only will be released on the streaming service on July 12, 2022.
The story of the life of U.S. Women’s Hall of Fame soccer goalkeeper Briana Scurry is coming in the form of a documentary called The Only, and is coming to Paramount+.
I love being able to go into a documentary about a historical figure and not know much about them, especially in the world of sports. You have this opportunity to learn and better understand what made the person special and how their rise (or sometimes fall) came to fruition. You don’t become a Hall of Famer by not being good, so let’s find out who Briana Scurry is.
From the moment the documentary starts, you hear different athletes talk about how Briana Scurry not only changed the game but inspired so many across the globe. Soccer, more so women’s soccer, didn’t have many Black women in the sport at the time. So not only did Scurry change some of that perception to let others know it was okay, she conquered the sport from an even more rare perspective as a Black goalie.
After starting with some more recent day chatter, the documentary smartly shifted to the roots of the rise of Scurry. Understanding that the moment Scurry hit the field, she was quickly on the rise of becoming one of the best goalies in every level she was competing in. I do wish we would’ve spent a little more time within this timeframe because if you blink, they move on to the next chapter of her life.
I loved the documentary that brought to the forefront the battle they had over equal pay for women in the world of soccer. Even though I was too young to know all the details, I remember hearing and watching this battle unfold as a kid. But hearing the women talk about how the men’s bonus structure was set up that they would be rewarded for each stage they made in the Olympics compared to the women who would only be rewarded if they won gold is absurd. These women were criticized massively for taking a stance and rejecting the deal they were offered. They took a massive risk because these women had NOTHING, but they realized their worth and didn’t back down.
You hear early on about this infamous block by Briana Scurry, which put her on the map globally. Still, when the documentary hones in on the moment, I am not sure you will see a better edited moment in any other documentary this year. How director Anthony J. Cortese sets the stage with her teammates talking about her, and eventually, Scurry talking about that moment was incredible and gave you goosebumps to relive this magical moment all over again.
So when the documentary has this monumental shift in its tone, I couldn’t help but remember as a young kid, I knew who Mia Hamm was and how she became a household name. However, I didn’t know who Briana Scurry was or her story, and that’s sad because she was equally as important to this team as Hamm was. We even hear her teammates talk about how they should’ve been more outspoken for Scurry. However, Scurry never let the battles put in front of her change her determination to become something bigger. How she handled life from the beginning until now is something we could all learn from.
Overall, The Only is truly a remarkable story of one woman who was not only great on the field but equally as great off the field. She has not only inspired people in every walk of life, but she continues to do that to this day. I am in awe of who Briana Scurry is and hope that we all take a little from this documentary and become better people.
What did you think of the Paramount+ documentary The Only? Comment below.
You can watch this documentary with a subscription to Paramount+. You can get a Paramount+ one-month free trial with promo code “GLORY”.
