CHALLENGERS
US, 2023, 131 minutes, Colour.
Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O'Connor.
Directed by Luca Guadagnino.
Anyone for tennis? The title comes from a tournament in New Rochelle, the Challengers. And we are introduced to an intense match between two men, clearly rivals.
Quickly the narrative goes back two weeks, the explanations of the characters, then the film goes back 13 years, with many time shifts, sometimes flashbacks within flashbacks, for the audience something like watching a match, continually switching from looking at one end to the other. Sometimes this requires quite an effort. And, some of the photography and editing of the actual tennis play, swift and sharp, sometimes in slow motion, especially at the end, is not always effective for movie concentration.
While the focus is on tennis, at the centre is a triangle relationship. Because the film opens in 2019, we see the three protagonists in some kind of conflict, two men facing off each other in the finals of the tournament, the woman, Tasha, who has been at the centre of their lives for many years, sitting in the stands, watching intently. When the narrative goes back in time, we are very aware that matters have not turned out so well over the period of 13 years, heightening the drama of our watching the characters, their meeting, two men in love with the same woman, her choices, changes, tennis rivalries…
This is very much a film for younger audiences, that is, audiences in their 20s, especially. We see the characters at 18, follow their progress till the end of the film when they are in their early 30s.
One of the difficulties is that the three characters are not all that interesting in themselves. Nor are they particularly likeable, it is somewhat difficult to have a care for them in their conflicts. In fact, the performances are very effective, showing the complexities and ambiguities of the characters. Zendaya is the young woman at the centre, tennis champion, strong-minded, very determined. It is different with the two men. Josh O’Connor plays Patrick, easy-going in many ways, not as good as tennis as he might hope, wanting to be liked, more than a touch self-absorbed, and developing into something of a cad. The other man is Art, Mike Faist, more talented at tennis, friends with Patrick since they were boys. They have been successful in doubles, but both are smitten when they see Tasha and make a bid for her attentions.
The musical score is often techno beat, intense beats, sometimes obscuring the dialogue.
The film is rather long, we spend quite a time with each of the men, with Tasha, and the ups and downs of the relationships, and, depending on how interesting we find the characters, this will determine whether audiences would really enjoy Challengers or not.
- The title? The tennis theme? The triangle relationship theme? Interactions?
- The work of the director, his Italian background, themes, relationships, sexuality?
- The American settings, New Rochelle, Atlanta…? The tennis courts, clubs, audiences, apartments and hotels, cities streets, tennis atmosphere? The musical score, the techno score and its insistence?
- Opening in 2019, moving to 2 weeks earlier, moving 13 years earlier, the trio in the past and their encounters, relationship, through the years, back to the present and the final set? The audience looking at the change of times like tennis viewers, and is moving from one side to the other?
- The dramatic impact of showing the present, the competitiveness, determination, back to the past, the trio when young, tennis abilities, the men winning the doubles, Tasha and her skills, aged 18, amateurs, discussion of turning professional? The effect on the later sequences by knowing what the crisis was at the beginning and end of the film?
- Patrick and Art, friendship from boyhood, discussions about the relationship and friendship, sexual behaviour at 12, the bonding, playing together? The gradual revelation of Patrick and his personal intensity, self-absorbed? The contrast with Art, his abilities, quieter personality?
- The introduction to Tasha, age, tennis skills, determination, the final scream when winning, the media? The party, the two men approaching, conversation, her interest, the invitation, in the room, her turning up, the discussions, tantalising each of them, manipulating them to kiss each other? Her leaving?
- Their careers over the years? Art and greater success? Patrick less success? Their drifting apart? Tasha and her skills? Winning, the significance of her fall and accident, emotions, treatment, Art supporting her, her recovery, determination to go on? A very determined personality? Playing the two men?
- Patrick and his career, some victories, the years passing, down and out, Is Arriving in New Rochelle, his charm on the hotel manager and failing, sleeping in his car, trying to get the prize money? The matches in the tournament, the final and the three sets against Art?
- Art and his story, his relationship with Tasha, relationship with Patrick, Art and his support, success, marriage, their daughter, his mother caring for the daughter? The confrontation with Patrick?
- The three sets intercut throughout the film? Tightening the drama? One all, the final question
- the focus on the games, the tennis player, sequences, point of view of each character, the audience, the umpire, decisions about in and out, the school, the past tournaments, practice sequences, the place of the camera, editing and action?
- Patrick and his contacting Tasha, the phone number, his asking her to coach him, her violent reaction, keeping the note, returning to the hotel, the challenge as to whether she loved Art or not, going out, the encounter with Patrick, sexual, anger with him, getting out of the car, returning, Art with their daughter?
- Tasha asking Patrick to lose the set, his reactions, agreement, visual techniques for the final games, slow motion, pausing, Tasha and her intensity, final set points, each looking at the other, their decisions, the final play, long, and the ending with Patrick leaping the net and embracing Art? The future for each of them?
