It seems as though we’ve been waiting ages since they announced Luca Guadagnino’s erotic tennis flick. Now that it’s out in the world, it’s reassuring to share that it most certainly was worth the wait.
Quickly having become a pop culture phenomenon, Challengers stars Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist as tennis aficionados whose lives take unexpected turns, leaving them in a professional and romantic entanglement. Tashi Duncan (Zendaya) was once a tennis prodigy with the sports world in the palm of her hand. After an injury puts an end to her career, she dedicates all of her time and energy as her husband Art Donaldson’s (Mike Faist) coach.
Her goal? Make sure he reaches heights she can only dream of at this point. The twist? Her husband is in a slump, losing every game he’s thrown into. To remedy this, she signs him up for a low-key challengers tournament. However, he must face off against his former best friend, Tashi’s ex-boyfriend Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor).
At first, the creative decision to tell the story in a non-linear format felt surprising and slightly jarring. However, as the film progressed, it became evident that this wasn’t simply a movie about tennis. The entire film became a game of egos clashing. Guadagnino and Justin Kuritzkes, the film’s screenwriter, explore the nature of a symbiotic relationship when threatened by a third party. It then evolves into something parasitic, with three alternative motivations for each character. Patrick and Tashi align more with their interest in tennis, but Tashi takes a more obsessive approach to the sport. It is her entire life despite enrolling in college instead of pursuing the sport a step further by going pro. Art and Patrick, however, want to make Tashi their life.
The entire runtime is a melting pot of self-importance, masculinity, and desperation. Tashi herself isn’t concerned with romance, which Zendaya plays into with nonchalance. There came a moment where, as a viewer, I felt desperation in wanting to get into Tashi’s mind. While Zendaya plays the character to perfection, there is that lack of familiarity that is difficult to shake off. We never truly know who she is except for two moments where there is a crack in her defense, specifically when she finds shelter underneath the shade of a tree.
There came a point where it made sense to project onto Tashi a sexuality that fell under the asexual/aromantic spectrum. She feels like someone who engages in erotic behavior but doesn’t actively seek out sexual gratification. Generally, it would make more sense. It could also offer a more nuanced approach to her as a desirable figure who is actively aware of her effect on others while being protective of how she engages in acts of intimacy beyond the court.
Now, an aspect of her character that wasn’t believable was the notion of Tashi aging and maturing as the film progressed. This is more due to Zendaya’s acting choices. The only clear distinction we’re following a woman throughout multiple years is her change in appearance. Coleman’s lack of embodiment of a woman who has been hardened by years of resentment towards an injury discredits the believability. While there is an outright bitterness present, the restlessness that would come from an aggrieved mother is missing.
Despite this, the performances are somewhat miraculous, capturing some of the best from each actor in their careers. The chemistry amongst the trio gives birth to an even give-and-take of talent and motivation. The best example of this is their decision to partake in something comparable to a threesome that leaves Art and Patrick entangled far more than they would have expected.
As for further proof of the film’s grandeur, the score always has its finger on the pulse. Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor have provided something decorative yet necessary, unforgettable, and electric. The music lives and breathes just as much as the characters do. It gives Guadagnino’s style a unique spin bathed in ecstasy and blinding desire.
It’s difficult to say if anything didn’t work. While there may be moments here and there that some may dislike, Challengers is a clear standout within the 2024 film lineup. It thrives through its meticulous visual language, turning the sport into a metaphor for sex and intimacy. Challengers itself isn’t “sexy.” Instead, it partakes in a blinding eroticism that is difficult to ignore. Yes, there is a difference. It seduces you slowly through its suggestive nature, never truly pulling back the curtain, permanently leaving the viewer in a constant state of foreplay. This is why the film is quickly en route to becoming an instant classic amongst cinephiles and casual moviegoers alike–if it hasn’t already.
Rating: 8/10
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