Susan Granger’s review of “Challengers” (M.G.M.)
“People” magazine’s film critic Tom Gliatto just designated “Challengers” as his #1 favorite for 2024. While I wouldn’t go that far, Italian director Luca Guadagnino’s emotional entanglement saga involving three tennis players is certainly one of the most challenging in recent memory.
It begins as discontented top-ranked tennis pro Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) is nearing is 40th birthday and obviously tiring of the game, much to the distress of his ultra-competitive wife/coach Tashi Duncan (Zendaya). To restore his mojo, she urges him to enter a low-level Challenger tournament in New Rochelle, New York.
What she doesn’t realize is that Donaldson’s long-time on-court rival, Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) is one of the participants. Down-on-his-luck and so strapped for cash that he sleeps in his car, Zweig needs a win there in order to qualify for the U.S. Open.
The Donaldson/Zweig relationship is a complicated bromance, dating back to their years on National Juniors circuit, where they were doubles partners and inseparable buddies until they both fell in love with up-and-coming women’s star Tashi Duncan, who wields a powerhouse backhand.
While Donaldson’s so totally disciplined and dependable that he borders on bland, volatile Zweig slyly oozes a rakish energy that backfires as often as it succeeds.
As for Tashi, she flirtatiously plays precarious mind games with both her suitors that only intensify when she’s sidelined with a career-ending knee injury at Stanford.
While Zweig’wins’ her first, she shrewdly marries Donaldson and they have a hotel-loving daughter who seems irrelevant to the plot.
What distinguishes Luca Guadagnino’s (“Call Me by Your Name”) risqué, psychologically intriguing concept, scripted by novelist/playwright Justin Kuritzkes, from other sports-themed dramas is its essential ambiguity, a closing twist leaving the audience wondering who really wins at the conclusion – and does it really matter?
The on-court conflict is deftly chronicled by cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom and there’s a terrific techno score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
For those who are curious, the cast ‘trained’ with tennis pro/coach/commentator Brad Gilbert and his wife Kim at a country club outside Boston. They ‘look’ good but much of the visual action is computer-generated.
On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “Challengers” is an erotically-charged, enigmatic 8, streaming on Prime Video and MGM+.
