Zendaya, Josh O’ Connor and Mike Faist are caught in a psychosexual tennis trifecta of desire in Challengers, a film that plays out as an erotic thriller set to the framework of high-stakes professional tennis. It’s a strange mix of genre and style, but Challengers is an excellently crafted film that explores the complex relationships of its three central characters.
Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino’s aesthetic style is often described as ‘sensual’. With Challengers, Guadagnino has created his most sensual film yet. You feel every hit of the ball, every beat of the bass-pounding score, the beads of sweat falling off bodies battling it out on the court – Guadagnino views the sport through the unique lens of desire and passion. It’s an immersive experience that always ‘serves’ the motivations of its characters.
We follow Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’ Connor) in a twisty non-linear narrative that flashes back and forth in time. The basics of the story are that the two once inseparable and very close friends become infatuated with tennis prodigy Tashi (Zendaya). Flash forward years later, and the two guys are still fighting over the affections of Tashi, who really only wants one thing, “to watch some good f****** tennis”.
There is a lot to praise about Challengers. The three main leads (who are essentially the only real characters of the film) are excellently portrayed and have great chemistry with each other. Certain scenes between them play out like verbal-tennis matches as they rally back and forth – a ‘backhanded’ compliment from one is met with a defensive and displeased look from the other. The performances benefit from a great script written by playwright Justin Kuritzkes. His script packs a real punch with an unconventional structure and an authentic portrayal of these morally complicated characters. At times it feels very akin to the style and structure of The Social Network, just substituting the courtroom drama for sexy tennis drama.
The ‘cherry on top’ of all this is the inventive cinematography that really shines in the gripping tennis matches. It’s as if they thought of every conceivable way of filming a tennis game and somehow pulled it off without it feeling gimmicky or forced. One minute the camera swoops over the umpire and across the court in a one take, the next we’re seeing the match play out from the POV of the players, then the POV of the ball, and then we’re watching it unfold from underneath a seemingly invisible court! It’s mind-blowing how they filmed those scenes, but it all adds to the intense nature of the sport and the relationships at play.
All this is set to the backdrop of a techno-beat soundtrack that excellently accentuates the film. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross pull out all the stops for a Daft Punk inspired score that is crying out to be played in a packed club. Yet somehow it works brilliantly in both the intense tennis ‘battles’ and the more intimate character moments. There’s a subtle piano piece that hints at the storm ahead while Tashi is lecturing the boys on ‘real’ tennis by the beach. In another instance, a bass-boosted club tune plays during a heated argument between Tashi and Patrick. The music used always adds to the emotions of the scene perfectly.
Love is often described as a game, Challengers asks the question: what if that game was tennis? Challengers is a bold swing of the racket from Luca Guadagnino who adds another creative flex to his growing list of talents as a filmmaker. Approaching the sport of tennis from the angle of desire and lust leads to a ‘grand slam’ (sorry I’ll stop!) of a film that thoroughly explores the complicated relationships of the love triangle at the centre. Mix in a techno beat, some steamy interactions, extreme tennis matches and a camera that moves more than a ball hit across the court, and even those who know nothing about the sport will be on the edge of their seat during the final moments.
