FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://movieswetextedabout.com/challengers-movie-review-luca-guadagnino-goes-deep-beyond-the-baseline/ "Challengers transcends the limits of its tennis-centric premise to delve deep into the complexities of human relationships and personal desires. Luca Guadagnino’s meticulous filmmaking and metaphoric storytelling, coupled with the stellar, fervorous performances of Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist, propel viewers into a world where the lines between love and competition blur with tantalizing intensity, sexual tension, and an electrifying score. With its potent blend of passion, intimacy, narrative and character depth, the film never stops reminding us that the most captivating stories lie beyond the boundaries of the tennis court." Rating: A-

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A lot of fun, is <em>'Challengers'</em>. First of all, I gotta say, the proper poster is so good! Thankfully, the movie matches. I enjoyed my time watching this one, I do have some (very) minor issues with the pacing and music (that blaring club track is a bit much) but in truth they evaporate given how high quality the rest of the film is. The cast are great. Zendaya is the obvious star of the 131 minutes, she is top notch throughout. Josh O'Connor and Mike Faist are just as impressive though, they more than hold their own alongside Zendaya. I've seen O’Connor before in TV's <em>'The Crown'</em> so I'm not all that surprised or anything, though this is the first time I've see Faist act. Aside from the earlier noted track, the music is overall excellent though. I also like how the tennis is portrayed, I'm only a casual viewer of the sport but it all felt believable in that regard. I think the run time could've been trimmed a tad, while the amount of different timelines is perhaps a little excessive. Again, mind, these are not major concerns of mine, just worthy of noting. A terrific flick, no doubt!

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Tennis playing "Art" (Mike Faist) and "Patrick" (Josh C'Connor) have been best mates since school but there's a fly in the ointment of their bromance. That's the upcoming superstar that is "Tashi" (Zendaya) - whom both of the boys take a shine to. A shared beer in their hotel room and she declares she's no home wrecker - but as this story progresses we arrive at a scenario that sees her own career aspirations tragically thwarted and rather vicariously transferred onto now husband "Art" whilst her ex-boyfriend "Patrick" and he now barely speak. Having won six slams, "Art" is running out of steam - but his unfulfilled wife is not ready for him to quit. Can he win an elusive US Open? For that matter, can he even win a confidence-building Challenger event in which he must beat his former friend. It's this match that serves as the conduit for the story as we dance about the timelines delivering a story that I felt was rife with pretty toxic ambition. Zendaya handles her really ambiguous, sometimes quite cruel and selfish, role here real quite unnervingly well as Luca Guadagnino allows all three actors to develop characteristics that vary from the engaging to the detestable - and he lets us be the judge. They are all flawed individuals spurned on by hormones, desire and the highly charged and competitive nature of their touring existences makes for quite a compelling look at just what makes these guys tick! After his appearance in "Mothering Sunday" (2021) O'Connor has no issues getting naked, the others prove a little more restrained as the sexual chemistry becomes more palpable and destructive and by the denouement - well who knows what will happen? I like that uncertainty - and I know what I wanted to occur... If you can't like yourself, can anyone else?

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