If you’re a fan of tennis, then this may be time to head to the theaters. Challengers hits theaters this weekend, an over two-hour movie about the ups and downs of the professional tennis industry. Add in Zendaya, a love triangle, and a brief glance at a three-some – this movie may have everything you’re looking for. But if none of these things appeal to you, this may be a good movie to skip.
After over a decade of friendship, Art and Patrick are on their way to professional competition while both heading to college at the same time. But before they leave, they meet Tashi, a young high schooler who’s already making waves in the sport. Both men quickly fall for her which could have major consequences for their careers and friendship. The movie covers decades of friendships, their relationships with Tashi and the positives and negatives it has on their careers. But when both men are at a competition, they find themselves as challengers on and off the court once again.
As far as sports movies go, it has what fans are going to like. There’s competition, camaraderie, and action on and off the court. This includes some first-person perspectives from not only both players as they play for the title and hopefully the heart of the woman they both love, as well as a very odd first-person perspective from the tennis ball. Yes, you get to see what it would be like if you were a tennis ball being smacked back and forth. I’m not going to lie, this shot is not only extremely disorienting but can mess with your vision some.
But where it falls apart, if you’re not a sports person or a tennis fan – is the actual storyline. Tashi was driven in her goal and after her career-ending injury (trigger warning if you’ve ever had a knee injury – they actually show it and it can bring on flash backs of pain), her focus goes towards pushing the careers forward of the men in her life. When they prove not to be up to her standards, she is done with them. Both men, give up their own goals, and their friendship, because they are in love with Tashi. But really, she’s only in love with one thing and it’s not them.
While Tashi’s character is interesting, her drive and pivot when her professional tennis career doesn’t work out – her presence in the movie is to only move the stories forward for Art and Patrick. She has no depth beyond being a pretty woman who had potential and now pours it all into them. Her character is there just for consumption by them, by the viewers, and by the story. Her countless bad decisions are just there in the plot, but she never gets developed past a college-aged girl, despite the shorter hair cut more mature styling. She’s there as a plot point and for male consumption completely. It just is lacking. The “Which man will she choose” loses its luster pretty quickly when they’re just two versions of the same guy, and it’s the only reason she exists in the film.
Challengers will be in theaters everywhere this weekend.
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About Challengers
Tennis player turned coach Tashi (Zendaya) has taken her husband, Art (Mike Faist), and transformed him into a world-famous grand slam champion. To jolt him out of his recent losing streak, she makes him play a “Challenger” event – close to the lowest level of pro tournament – where he finds himself standing across the net from his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend (Josh O’Connor).
Starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O’Connor
Directed by Luca Guadagnino