Challengers

Review by Rob Hinkal

Luca Guadagnino delivers one of the most dynamic, off-the-wall, and unique sports films of the decade in Challengers. A far cry from the Call Me by Your Name director’s previous cinematic outing, Bones and All, Challengers sets its sights on a trio of characters and weaves backward and forwards through time to tell their story. At the center of the cinematic love triangle is Tashi Donaldson (Zendaya), the former flame of Patrick (Josh O’Connor), and the current wife of Art Donaldson (Mike Faist).

That is about as much as can be said about the plot of the film without spoiling the twists and turns that make Challengers such a refreshing and enjoyable watch. The central trio of performances is fantastic, with each character feeling fully realized and Zendaya being the standout among the three, emitting a presence of quiet power and control that permeates throughout each scene she’s in.

Challengers is a well-made film, but it isn’t without its flaws. While the score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is an earworm-y, propulsive delight that is sure to find its way into your workout playlist, its use in a specific scene towards the end of the film does somewhat overpower the dialogue in what feels as though it should be a cathartic moment for the audience. It is almost like it was dropped in by mistake with how abrupt and out of place it feels in the context of the scene. The conclusion of the film also may feel somewhat forced. It ends with a split-second reaction that may or may not feel earned depending on your thoughts on the events of the plot that transpire throughout. Personally, I didn’t buy it, but it seems as though many others did, and it in no way ruins the film or makes it unworthy of your time. In retrospect, the message of the ending feels as though it is one of the only logical endpoints for the story and its characters.

Challengers is also notable for how it relishes taking its time. The first hour or so of the film can feel slow and somewhat untethered, but once the pieces are in place and the stage is set, it takes off and finds its stride with a rhythm that doesn’t let up and keeps a hold on the audience until the credits roll. I can honestly say that this movie has the most intense tennis match I have seen in my life. And that is coming from someone who rarely watches sports or cares very much about tennis at all.

Guadagnino swings for the fences in this one, and it is commendable just how off the beaten path he is willing to go to deliver a fun, subversive, and unique sports/romance film. Not all of the swings amount to a home run, and the conclusion may feel bizarre to some, but there is no denying that when he finds his footing, he delivers a film with an extraordinary amount of depth and an intensity unmatched by many sports films of late.