‘Challengers’ REVIEW: It’s not just about tennis
‘Challengers’ REVIEW: It’s not just about tennis
Art Donaldson (Mike Faist), Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), and Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) together sitting on the bed. Photo from the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) website.
The film isn’t just about tennis but a complicated love triangle that is as intense as a tennis match can be. Director Luca Guadagnino continues to explore various genres in storytelling with Challengers, a romantic sports melodrama starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor. Currently, Guadagnino is in a solid run of films with Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria, and Bones and All, and if this film is any indicator, we can expect more great films from the Italian filmmaker.
Art Donaldson (Faist) aims to make a comeback in the professional scene by getting his confidence back by beating lower-ranked opponents, now under the coaching of his wife, Tashi Duncan. She’s a former tennis sensation who retired after an unfortunate knee injury, carrying Art from mediocrity to grand slam stardom. But in what seems a twist of fate, Art goes up against his former best friend and Tashi’s former lover, Patrick Zweig (O'Connor).
The film’s non-linear narrative allows the story to unravel gradually, making us understand more the characters’ motivations and the gravity of the final tennis match. Again, the back-and-forth recollection of past events, whether they’d be as far as 13 years earlier or as recent as the night before, this storytelling approach provides a balanced perspective on which character has the slight upper hand.
We have to talk about the film score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails, which is a whole ‘nother character in and of itself. The techno-heavy score elevates the tennis matches with an enthralling and “locked-in” type of feeling. However, surprisingly, even the intimate and behind-closed-doors conversations also feature the roaring techno score. Guadagnino makes sure that the conversations between each trio feel like tennis matches worthy of your attention.
Art and Patrick in the school cafeteria at Stanford. Photo from the Warner Bros. UK website.
Although the decision to make the score overpower some dialogue can be jarring and distracting, I think it allows the audience to feel the competitive nature of the sport replicated in these conversations rather than focus on what the dialogue conveys. On the other hand, Guadagnino knows how to maximize an actor’s skill through subtlety, with emphasis on the eyes and characters glancing and gazing.
Zendaya’s cunning yet reserved performance makes Tashi Duncan someone you wouldn’t want to mess with. She was on the cusp of greatness up until her injury derailed her career entirely. Although her “power” continued even after this, with her coaching of Art a power play that becomes pivotal throughout the present events in the film.
Faist and O’Connor portray Art and Patrick as two white boys fawning over one woman, an infatuation which becomes a poison that ultimately gets in the way of their bond and friendship. The love that they thought they were supposed to give ultimately got the best of them, forgetting the love that they first had for tennis and playing together or against each other.
As for the steamy and raunchy aspect, it’s quite surprising that there isn’t much, given that this is a Guadagnino film. The sensual aspect of the story feels scarce from what the trailers marketed it to be.
Patrick and Tashi in a confrontation outdoors. Photo from the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) website.
Not to say that this is a bad thing, but the film didn’t need to go all-in with the sensualities to make us feel closer to the characters, as even when without saying a word, we understand them even more. So if you’re going into this thinking it’d be as sensual as Call Me By Your Name, well you may be a bit disappointed. But there’s plenty of room to eat seeing the three cast members alone. You’re all good.
Overall, Challengers is a well-crafted film with a brilliant screenplay that knows how to humanize and dehumanize its characters in a three-way love affair that is more than just tennis. Guadagnino elevates a would-be straightforward story about competitors forehanding and backhanding their way to victory into character pieces on love, manipulation, friendship, and dedication.
The experimental use of the camera, with shots from the perspective of a tennis ball and high-octane close-up shots of the players makes for an immersive and exciting experience. The film isn’t marketed as a big summer blockbuster event but it sure feels like it given how energetic and cinematic it is.
Challengers is now showing exclusively in Ayala Malls cinemas.
