A captivating, sexy, and sometimes deeply disturbing and unsettling drama that boasts a cast with incredible, unmatched chemistry.
Challengers might look like a spicy love triangle wrapped up in the game of tennis on paper, but in actuality it is so much more than that. This captivating story is intense, devastating, and difficult to watch at times. The audience will be on the edge of their seats throughout and even if they have no interest in tennis, I can assure you they will be invested in the way these matches play out.
The film follows three characters throughout their teenage and young adult lives – Tashi (Zendaya), Patrick (Josh O’Connor) and Art (Mike Faist). All have made tennis a central part of their lives, but for Tashi, it seems to be everything. She is a teenage prodigy turned coach who is married to Art, a champion who hasn’t had the best of luck lately. The couple gets sucked into their past when the finals in a challengers tournament pit Art against his former best friend, and Tashi’s former boyfriend, Patrick.
These three actors have an on screen chemistry that is off the charts. And not just in order to convince the audience that there is sexual tension between Tashi and Art, as well as Tashi and Patrick, but the storng friendship between Art and Patrick as well.
Because of the way the story is told, by jumping back and forth between time, viewers are given the sense that they know how things are going to end up, but trust me, they have no idea. There is something about watching all the different angles of this drama unfold, and not knowing all the pieces of information until the very end, that is exciting and electric. It keeps the intensity level dialed up to eleven, and makes the tennis matches all that much more intriguing.
Right from the start, Challengers is going to hook a lot of people. Sure, it leans into the sexy side of the film in the trailers, but things actually get quite deep and emotional. Without spoilers, there are times that are absolutely devastating and equally as disturbing to watch. Not in a grotuesque way, but in an uncomfortable way. No matter who you side with in this mess of relationships, it is hard to watch any of them crumble.
This is not a movie you go see to have a good time, and that isn’t to say it isn’t funny and entertaining, but it is more intense and uncomfortable than anything else. It is pretty hard to like, truly like, any of these characters as they all have done bad things. Watching this love triangle unfold, and the drama surrounding it, is exhilarating, intense, and sometimes unexpected.
Challengers is very well shot, with lighting, score, and sound design that heightens every mood felt throughout it, but there is one sequence in particular that should earn it a Best Cinematography nod. That is the final tennis match sequence when the audience is made to feel that they are the tennis ball. The cast is dripping with mixed emotions at this point in the film, figuratively and literally. As Tashi would say, this might be a movie about tennis, but tennis is a relationship, and that is felt in every scene in Challengers.
It was a brilliant move to unveil key plot points in a non-chronological order, which is a testimant to how smart writer Justin Kuritzkes is. At the same time, director Luca Guadagnino delivers a visual feast and heart-pounding film that will have everyone on the edge of their seats throughout the entire thing. There is not one moment where viewers are able to breath a sigh of releif. Even in the end, which is pure perfection, there are a lot of questions left unanswered.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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About Challengers
From visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist – West Side Story), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor – The Crown) — his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend.
As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win.
Challengers comes to theaters on April 26th.
A captivating, sexy, and sometimes deeply disturbing and unsettling drama that boasts a cast with incredible, unmatched chemistry.
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Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.