I have a much younger female friend who is a great tennis enthusiast and, when we saw the tennis movie “King Richard” (2021) together, she really enjoyed it. So I felt on firm ground when I suggested that we see “Challengers” – it features a considerable amount of tennis and has been both a critical and commercial success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I was so wrong – Gemma thought it was “awful” and that the tennis was unconvincing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The film is centred on three young tennis players portrayed by bright young actors – Art (Mike Faist), Patrick (Josh O’Connor) and Tashi (singer Zendaya who has now starred in three “Spider-Man” and two “Dune” movies) – with the boys competing both sportingly and amorously in a shifting triangle of affections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
All three did three months training with pro tennis player-turned-coach, Brad Gilbert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Visually the film is arresting with lots of smashing of balls and running around courts. Aurally the film is gripping with a pounding soundtrack. And it’s rather sexy with lingering shots of the beautiful Zendaya, some serious kissing, and even a brief scene of full frontal male nudity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Italian director Luca Guadagnino has form for erotic tension and “Challengers” confirms his style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I enjoyed the film much more than Gemma. But I didn’t always understand what was going on because there are so many flash-backs and I know nothing about tennis. Also It was impossible to like any of the characters because each is so ultra-competitive, egotistical and manipulative. For them, sex is like tennis and tennis is like sex.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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