How often can one use that title? Sport, in its most basic of terms, is not exactly the blood-flowing, libido-exhibiting act that one would typically associate with such sexuality. But much like anything that requires a certain amount of careful movement and intimate ownership, sports can be perceived in a similar way. And very few sports exhibit the same sensual movements and passionate exertions more than tennis.
Many casual moviegoers hummed and winced at the idea of a sex-crazed movie that pushes young characters to the forefront, putting them on display for audiences to gawk at. But fans of the more artistic side of the medium saw the name of Luca Guadagnino, director of the contemporarily relevant Call Me by Your Name, and thrilled at what he could do with this type of setting. Guadagnino, after all, has perfected a style for exploring the sexual lives of young adults. But to blend that into something seemingly unrelated provides a new context for deconstruction. After all, what is romance and sex if not an intense game of back-and-forth and becoming one with your opponent.
A tale of love and despair up against the backdrop of fame and success, this is Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers.
Set in the not-so-distant past,2019, we see the lives of a married couple as they navigate fame in the wake of a tennis championship. Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) is a famed tennis player, managed by his wife and former female tennis champ Tashi (Zendaya), and living life hotel to hotel as they raise their daughter. Art’s career is starting to suffer as he nears forty, and he begins to doubt his longevity, but Tashi won’t accept this, believing their relationship is held together by their mutual interest. Their lives are thrown through a true hurdle when Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) returns.
Jumping back in time, we see the lives of the young Art and Patrick; once great friends that played in doubles, and both swayed by the young Tashi. Art wishes to find someone he can truly love, while Patrick moves woman to woman. The two agree to compete for the same girl, and begin flirting with the tennis champ. Inviting her to their hotel room, they eagerly await which one she’ll choose. Tashi decides to have a try of both of them and promises herself to whomever wins the tournament. Surprisingly, it’s Patrick she ends up with. But this only serves to fuel the flame of their rivalry even further. These once deeply bonded friends begin tearing apart.
Back in 2019, we learn that Patrick is washed out and living life on the road without a sure bed to sleep in. Competing in the same tournament as his former friend, we see old wounds reopen and revelations come to light. We see how it came to be that Art ended up in Patrick’s place. And in the centre of all of this is Tashi, who can’t help but find herself racketing back and forth between the two men.
It’s very entertaining to see so many label this film before it even had a release. People will object to the idea of exploring eroticism in a film so much that they’ll brand it with a negative view. This isn’t a film that gets off to the idea of a girl being tossed around by two guys; what it is, is a cautionary tale of how such a relationship can damage others’.
What’s bound to stand out to audiences is how noticeably toxic and controlling all three characters can be. Art and Patrick simply view Tashi as a trophy for them to fawn over, with one being more objectifying than the other. Tashi, on a similar string, manipulates both guys for her own enjoyment, wanting to mould them into obedient lovers. Before you even realise it, there’s a tactical game being played within the subtext of the film. All three have a strategy and a goal for fame. It takes what we know about the sports movie genre and contextualises it against this erotic love story.
That’s not to say that the tennis allegory distracts from the film’s genuine eroticism. Taking social taboos like three-way relationships and homoerotic tension, it makes these themes synonymous with the tennis culture. There’s no graphic sex or heavy-handed imagery, but it does find a way to keep the tension high. The already infamous hotel room scene is a perfect example of Guadagnino plays with the audience’s emotions, giving enough foreplay before it subverts into something else. You don’t quite realise what has happened until it’s over. Even the scenes between Art and Patrick have a certain chemistry that hints at the idea of a hidden romance, making you question just who’s jealous of who.
This sort of drama may be uncomfortable to some. It’s not always clear who you should be rooting for, but I think that’s the point. These characters grow and shift their careers, but they don’t fully mature till the end. When it comes to romance and lover’s jealousy, we never truly grow out of that. It’s ironically fun to see these three play mind games with each other, but you also find a sense of comfort in those small moments of genuine chemistry. The clearly waning love in Art and Tashi’s marriage is uniquely sad, and the latter’s dialogue can be shockingly brutal.
But who exactly is the manipulator in this situation? You might be quick to label Tashi, but I think it’s more complicated than that. In this continuous allegory of romance meets tennis, it’s more the need for fame and success that dominates their lives. There’s an admiration and care that Guadagnino has put into exploring the finer logistics of tennis and why it’s so appealing.
For those avid tennis fans, there is a lot to enjoy. It explores the intensity of the sport and even the pains and trials that come with it. People don’t just get up and shake off their losses, they get angry and beat themselves up about it. Much like the unconventional dynamic between the three main characters, there’s a complexity you’d hardly see just looking at the game from afar. This is done with such masterful camera work and editing. The tennis goes from being fast and intense to slow and tactful. All the while, the narrative always rears its head to remind audiences of what lies beneath.
The way the film jumps between different moments in time often leads to some creative choices. You begin to see how each choice of the past has orchestrated the lives of these characters in the (relative) present. Suddenly things begin to have a darker and more depressing tone to them because of what we learn. It’s a beautiful part of the storytelling experience that helps to understand the more complicated nuances of these characters. It’s not as black and white as simply disliking or liking them; it’s about realising why they are the way they are. Ultimately, it shows how destructive such a one-sided pathology can be.
Challengers was something I had anticipated since I saw Luca Guadagnino’s name attached. Even aside from the trailer, there was something so exciting about seeing more of his work. And, I’m thrilled to say, it really delivered.
This film is filled to the brim with countless acclaims, from its superb tennis playing to the creative shot choices to the editing and especially the distinct and pumping music that feels nothing short of synonymous with the sport. It blends so much of what I want in to this type of film, making characters more complex and human than simply being these cynical villains and finding a way to make that fit the old reliable dreamer storyline. While its start had a few rocky moments, like a couple of strange and misplaced jokes, I honestly think this is my favourite movie of the year so far.
Get those rackets out and keep what you got in your pants tight, this is the perfect display of two passions colliding into one another.
Written review by Conor Johnson.