Tension is omnipresent in tennis. The net, the racket strings, the muscles of the players, the atmosphere between the points.
In Challengersdirector Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Bones and All) makes sure she stays as sharp before and after the game by placing her camera in the middle of a love triangle of young athletes.
Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) and Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) have been trading bullets since childhood. They stand out today on the junior circuit, sometimes winning in doubles, but Patrick always has the upper hand when they find themselves on each side of the court. Both admire Tashi Duncan (Zendaya) for her acting and beauty. Dedicated to a great career, she decided to go to Stanford University before making the jump to the pros.
One evening, the two friends invite themselves to a sponsor’s event celebrating Tashi’s success before she leaves for California. The pair’s awkward charm seduces the young player who joins the two young men later at their hotel. Nothing too explicit will take place in their bedroom, but a fierce competition between the three will arise there.
Passionate exchanges
A few hours before, while they were getting to know each other, Tashi told the boys: “Tennis is a relationship. » The work relies on this reply and pushes it to its limit. Tennis is inherently sexy – the muscular, scantily clad players, the shouting on the court, the face-off in front of a silent crowd.
By going back and forth in time, the screenplay by playwright and author Justin Kuritzkes tells the evolution of the relationship as ardent as it is unhealthy between the trio over a period – which stretches a bit – of 13 years. We follow them from the university ranks to the ATP tournaments, even in a challenger event in New Rochelle – and in the most chic hotel of the small town – where the emotion reaches its peak.
Zendaya (the diptych Dunethe most recent trilogy Spiderman) delivers a powerful and nuanced performance.
She captures the gradual erosion of Tashi’s confidence well. Since her esteem rises far above that of Patrick and Art, she does not display the same vulnerability as the two men, manifested differently and brilliantly by Josh O’Connor (The Crown) and Mike Faist (West Side Story).
The tennis scenes are high in intensity and convincingly realistic – the actors learned from former pro Brad Gilbert, who coached Andre Agassi, Andy Murray and Coco Gauff. The angles, shots and perspectives of Luca Guadagnino and cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom surpass themselves in each match and then reach a climax in the ultimate duel. Enjoyable!
The confrontations and certain dialogues are accompanied by house music which elevates the euphoria of the moment. The composer duo Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Social Network, Gone Girl), winner of two Oscars, two Golden Globes, an Emmy and a Grammy, once again delivers a brilliant soundtrack.
Jonathan Anderson, creator of the JW Anderson and Loewe brands, designs the costumes for a feature film for the first time. Like the film as a whole, these are just suggestive and elegant enough.
Like Call Me By Your Name, Luca Guadagnino perfectly captures the ups and downs of adolescent passion. Towards the end, Josh O’Connor’s character confirms that he still acts like a teenager, with his livelihood consisting of hitting balls. Although they are more mature, the characters of Mike Faist and Zendaya are also victims of the triumph and despair that come with the life of professional athletes, often incompatible with “normal” adult life.
In addition to a few romantic comedies, such Bull Durham And Wimbledon, sports films rarely deal with love. The Italian filmmaker demonstrates with camouflaged modesty that this is the perfect setting for a sulphurous sports drama.
Indoors
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Sports drama
Challengers
Luca Guadagnino
With Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, Mike Faist
2:11 a.m.
reference: www.lapresse.ca