Challengers

I've heard much about Luca Guadagnino's Challengers ever since it started production in 2022. It had to sit it out since last fall due to the Hollywood strikes, but it's now finally ready for showtime this weekend. What can you expect if you enter its court?

Well, much like a ball going back and forth in a tennis match, the film goes back and forth in time to tell us the tale of a love triangle. It all starts in 2006, when best friends and tennis players Art Donovan (Mike Faist) and Patrick Zweig (Josh O'Connor) meet fellow player Tashi Duncan (Zendaya). While they maybe doubles partners, the guys become rivals for Tashi's affections, which Patrick initially wins. Patrick's ego drives away Tashi, who soon suffers a crippling knee injury in a match. Tashi soon becomes Art's tennis coach, and eventually, his wife. Patrick, meanwhile, lives out of his car.

Patrick and Art eventually square off at the final match of a 2019 Challenger event. The whole film is centered around this match, with the lead-up gradually unfolding with flashbacks. Everyone has a lot more to lose than just a nice check. Art is already a Tennis pro looking for his way out of the game. Patrick is just trying to survive. Tashi's vicarious tennis career with Art is threatened; meanwhile, she finds herself falling for Patrick again. That's a lot to think about.

This is a dynamic film on a technical level. The tennis matches are wonderfully shot and edited by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom and Marco Costa, respectively. They make even the most ordinary moments on the court look larger than life. Among the most impressive bits of camera work are the low-angle shots of bouncing balls. It's seemingly from the ground's POV, if that makes sense. The nonlinear story is easy to follow, though its gradual pace and overall runtime (131-minutes) need some getting used to. What's instantly easy to get used to is Reznor and Ross's latest exciting score. Their fast-paced music perfectly accentuates the fast-paced love triangle and tennis matches, but it also slows down for a few tender moments. The music cutting out for an "ordinary" match makes for great punctuation.

Its three stars play a great game, so to speak. They're compelling even at their most unlikable. Patrick, for instance, may seem like a cool dude, but his giant ego is so off-putting. Art nursing an old injury and growing resentment for the sport makes him easily the most sympathetic character. Tashi, meanwhile, effortlessly plays them against each other. She asks Patrick to throw the match, while she threatens to leave Art if he loses. Is she serious with the latter? Either way, there's never a dull moment with her around. 

Art and Patrick's relationship is just as strong as their romantic rivalry. Faist and O'Connor's chemistry is great whether they play Art and Patrick as friends, more than friends, or bitter rivals. The origins of their love triangle with Tashi, as well as them gradually renewing that triangle on the court, are captivating. I'm certain an early scene will be the film's most talked about moment. 

Challengers makes for a memorable choice for date night or afternoon matinee. A few critics have already complained about its runtime, but I think it's an appropriate runtime for its complicated love triangle. You'll barely notice it once the relationships fluctuate both on and off-court. As an MGM movie, it's only a matter of time before it hits Amazon, but it's worth hearing fellow moviegoers' reactions in-person. You'll truly understand how much it's worthy of the hype. 

That's it for now.