You can cut the sexual tension in the tennis melodrama, ‘Challengers’ with a knife. Being a tennis player in my youth, this film brought back good memories of sweating, grunting, and competing to win at any cost. Italian director Luca Guadagnino’s frenetic cinematic style makes it an entertaining romp. The action sequences are some of the best I have ever seen in a tennis film. Everything about it bombards the senses. There is a heart-pounding electronic synthpop score from Trent Reznor. We even get the tennis ball’s point of view in a dizzying back and forth scene over the net. The young cast is electrifying on and off the court. Game – Set – Match. ‘Challengers’ is a winner!
The film opens with Art (Mike Faist of West Side Story) and Tashi (Zendaya of Dune) at the top of their careers. They are the It couple. Art is eyeing a U.S. Open title. It is the only tournament he has never won. Tashi was a tennis sensation along the lines of a Serena but her career was cut short with a knee injury. To build up Art’s confidence after a string of losses, she enters him in a lower-level event called a challenger that he should easily dominate. There is only one problem. He faces his ex-best friend Patrick (Josh O’Connor of The Crown) in the final match. This is where the film takes on a non-linear trajectory from Justin Kuritzkes’ witty screenplay.
As Tashi informs the boys, tennis is “a relationship.” The story goes back in time to when they first met in their teens. It was an exciting time. The boys have been tight since their preteens in boarding school. You get the picture when the trio ends up in a seedy hotel. It’s an explosive scene of sexual tension. I never realized how talented Zendaya is until watching her captivating performance. The boys want her phone number. She promises her number to the one who wins the singles match the next day. It’s fascinating to see how their relationship changes over time from brotherly to fiercely competitive. When Tashi enters their lives, they are not prepared for how it will rock their friendship.
This is the debut screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes who is married to Celine Song. She was nominated for her debut film ‘Past Lives.’ Her film dealt with two men with a passionate connection to the same woman. Kuritzkes script is also about two men competing for the same woman. It’s a smart fast-paced script with interesting character arcs. The final tennis match between Art and Patrick serves as a device to be transported in time to a series of flashbacks. This non-linear approach to the story works effectively well. We get to know the three characters before they go off to college and how their complicated interconnected relationships change their future for better or worse. Guadagnino’s filmmaking is on another level. The film gives us enough sizzle off the courts as well thrilling tennis sequences.
‘Challengers’ is a fun movie. Guadagnino tells the story with style and lust. He uses the competitive world of tennis as a metaphor to a turbulent relationship peppered with mind games. The three young actors are engaging but Zendaya’s performance blew me away. If you’re worried about the sex, don’t be. It is done tastefully without revealing too much. Most of the grunting and sweating is done on the tennis court. If you like sports movie with a sexy twist, don’t miss ‘Challengers.’
