Tennis Only Scratches The Surface Of What’s To Be Explored in ‘Challengers’ [MOVIE REVIEW]

I had to sit with “Challengers” for a bit. It’s a film that’s easy to follow, but layered when you really spend some time thinking about it. On the surface the Luca Guadagnino-directed film written by Justin Kuritzkes is about tennis. Zendaya stars as tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan with a promising career on track to becoming a true force in her industry. Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist co-star alongside Zendaya as Patrick Zweig and Art Donaldson, two besties also in the tennis world with unique skills that make them adequate tennis players, but they could use a little…motivation. Insert Tashi and how her mere presence forces the men to up their game on and off the court. Tennis is the medium is which these players express themselves and unpack their relationships.

The plot of “Challengers” takes the story on several timelines like when Tashi, Patrick, and Art first met, Tashi and Art’s time at college, and the trio in their adulthood where Tashi and Art are married and she’s his tennis coach and Patrick is struggling through life with $70 and a dream to sleep in a warm bed. I want to get into specific plot points on the film so be warned there are spoilers ahead.

(L-R)  Zendaya as Tashi and Josh O’Connor as Patrick in “Challengers.” Photo: Niko Tavernise / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures

The interesting thing about “Challengers” is that we’re watching several games unfolding throughout the movie. Meeting Patrick and Art and seeing how they play tennis with and sometimes against each other shows a clear camaraderie with them. They live for the competition and thrive on it. When they see Tashi play they are immediately smitten with her in not only how she looks, but how she brings a ferocious passion to how she plays tennis. This starts one game. Art and Patrick vie for Tashi’s attention and number. She lay the seeds for them to play their best game. Whoever wins the upcoming match between them gets her number. Patrick does so and begins a romantic relationship with her, but Art is playing the long game.

A devastating injury while playing tennis crushes Tashi’s dreams of truly becoming the greatest tennis player she was destined to be. It’s clear tennis is what Tashi truly cares about more than anything else and since her dream career has reached a sudden halt, she attempts to live it out vicariously in Art when she later marries and coaches him. Before all that, Art puts his plan to ultimately get Tashi in motion by planting seeds of doubt in Tashi and Patrick’s mind, eventually causing a rift in their relationship and ending it.

{L-R) Mike Faist as Art and Zendaya as Tashi in “Challengers.” Photo: Niko Tavernise / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures

I did find the timeline to be a bit jarring but could find my placement based on Tashi’s hairstyles. It went from a flowing beach wave bust down to an all-business bob by the end of the movie for me signifying how her once carefree demeanor was tightened up. I don’t think she found joy being a coach to Art, especially with him being on a losing streak. All my girl wanted was to experience the thrill of tennis again, so she started her long game. Knowing how Art and Patrick compete for her and knowing they would be up against each other in the world-famous grand slam she used their rivalry of wanting to “get her” to spark a good game. In the end it worked. Art and Patrick played the best they’ve played in years and eventually mended their friendship on a place that caused it to split in the first place and Tashi got to see great freaking tennis and ignite a thrill that had been desperately missing from her life for years.

(L-R) Mike Faist as Art and Josh O’Connor as Patrick in “Challengers.” Photo: Niko Tavernise / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures

Now let’s talk about the music of “Challengers.” Viewers had a lot to say about the rave themed score from composers Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross that was heard throughout the film, and I do mean throughout. Even when characters were speaking, music would boom through their dialogue which I found ridiculous. That was a choice I did not understand, but when it was used solely as the backdrop to a tennis match it was great. Cinematography work by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom was stunning. On screen, “Challengers” is a beautifully visual experience especially with the final tennis match. The way it was shot was pulse pounding and exhilarating taking you inside and outside of the intense match from all angles and perspectives. It was the best part.

(L-R) Mike Faist as Art, Zendaya as Tashi, and Josh O’Connor as Patrick in “Challengers.” Photo: Niko Tavernise / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures

Zendaya’s face work as an actor is also to be commended in this one. Very Rue from Euphoria where one facial expression could convey so much. The chemistry between the leads played like a tennis match going back and forth with who had the hottest. At one point it would be Tashi and Patrick then it could easily split to Patrick and Art. A lot of discourse coming from “Challengers” was debating who was the villain in the movie. Who was in the wrong. To be honest, I don’t think anyone did anything wrong. Were there questionable moral choices, sure, but Tashi did what she needed to do to have Art and still have tennis be a priority in her life. Art did what he needed to do to get Tashi and Patrick did what he needed to do to get them both. The throuple thrives better together.

“Challengers” is playing now in theaters.

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