Based on the marketing, you might think “Challengers” is at its core, a tennis movie and, well, it sort of is. The film is certainly set in the world of tennis, you can’t deny that, and at one point, Zendaya’s character Tashi Duncan remarks, “We’re always talking about tennis.” The sport is at the center of her life. But despite everyone involved’s best efforts, the serves and volleys in this movie are nowhere near as important as the decade-long love triangle between Tashi and one-time BFFs, Patrick Zweig and Art Donaldson, played by Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, respectively. No, this isn’t a tennis movie, this isn’t even a romantic melodrama. This is a Luca Guadagnino movie. And thank heavens for that.
An original screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes, the story is framed by two distinct periods. In 2019, Art is a champion tennis player. He’s won every grand slam, but the U.S. Open is missing from his resume. His coach? None other than his wife, Tashi, who, at one time, was on track to be one of the greatest women’s players ever. At 31, and playing the sport his entire life, Art is visibly burnt out and has been losing matches in the first round of tournaments to much lesser competition. Looking to kickstart his mojo, Tashi enters him in a “challenge” match in New Rochelle, N.Y. A tournament whose winner gets a shot just to qualify for the U.S. Open. In theory, participating is beneath a player of Art’s stature, one of the top-ranked players in the world. Then again, we don’t know the sport well enough to recognize how often this happens in real life, but, hey, it’s not really about the tennis, is it?
Much to Tashi and Art’s surprise, one of the entrants is Patrick, who somehow has become a thorn in their side for at least eight years (almost all will be revealed eventually). While his former friends have commercial endorsements, a signature tennis racket, and a lush life slumming in exquisite suites as they travel from one city to another, Patrick is barely surviving. He can’t afford a hotel room and is desperate enough to ask if he can get an advance on his $400 elimination fee. Patrick is a charmer though, and, as we soon find out, (literally) has “big dick energy.” That becomes apparent when we first flash back 13 years earlier to 2006 and the social dynamics between the trio are as though you’re stepping into a different timeline.
As 18-year-olds (or maybe they are 17, who knows), Art and Patrick have just won the men’s doubles in the junior division at the Open. They also happen to be boarding school buddies at a prestigious Tennis Academy with Patrick planning on going professional immediately and Art taking a segue to attend Standford. Following their win, they watch Tashi’s championship singles match (she’s also a junior player), where she is so dominant she brings her competition to tears. At Patrick’s urging, they attend her Addidas-sponsored post-win party where a not-so-coy flirtation and competition for Tashi’s affections begin.
(It should be noted, that these actors are not just stellar overall, but Faist and O’Connor are incredibly convincing playing teenagers close to half their age.)
One thing leads to another, and Tashi finds herself in the boy’s messy, shared hotel room. After a beer (or two) she has them sit on either side of her on the bed. And they hop to it like puppies dying for her attention. She kisses one. She kisses the other. Then she eventually gets them to kiss each other. It’s a homoerotic moment that will get a rise out of most audiences but is really a red-herring overall (Patrick’s character may or may not be bisexual, it never really matters and, along with personal space intrusions, is probably Guadagino’s only real over-indulgence). That incident, however, ends in an utterly brilliant shot (and edit) that completely frames the rest of the film. Tashi is, and has been, in complete control of the situation. And, for the most part, year after year, she will continue to be. With Art and Patrick reacting to every one of her whims.
Without revealing anything more it’s apparent that Kuritzkes has fashioned a well-written script. And while it has a nice twist or two, this storyline isn’t exactly groundbreaking. There’s only so much you can conjure with a love triangle story that hasn’t been done before. That’s where Guadagnino comes in and flips this scenario completely on its head. Not only does he push the boundaries on Art and Patrick’s friendship, but the Italian filmmaker uses a glorious late ”90s-esque thumping techno dance music score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to increase the tension in the film’s pivotal tennis matches. And then – almost shockingly – he layers it over major dramatic moments between the characters. So much so that you may not be able to hear exactly what they are saying in these moments (Christopher Nolan will be so proud). You can’t help but wonder how big a fan Guadagnino is of Tom Twyker’s 1998 classic “Run Lola Run” which also featured a similar music motif (we’re guessing quite a bit), but it’s such an inspired and gutsy choice you can’t help but smile in how euphorically it works in the film’s final act.
And that’s Guadagnino’s real triumph. Despite all of the film’s time jumps and questionable character motivations (and there are some), when it needs to, the filmmaking is completely ace. And, yes, that’s a common tennis term. And, no, you never hear it in the movie but, hey, who cares, Guadagnino and editor Marco Costa are throwing a rave on the court! And, it’s so freakin’ well done, you won’t care who wins! It’s a cinematic matchpoint! Just marvel at it baby. [A-/B+]
“Challengers” opens nationwide on April 26.