Film No. 28. CHALLENGERS (2024). 9th May.

 

Film No. 28  (2023)  May 9th.  10:30 AM  PALACE Raine Sq, Cinema 3, Perth City.

"She's going to turn her whole family into millionaires." (Art makes a prediction about the future of a girl, Tashi, a tennis protégée he's besotted with.).

NOMINEE:  The Next Big Thing (Luca Guadagnino). Queerties FF (2024).

Is CHALLENGERS the smartest sports movie in recent times where the key theme is anything but sport? It deserves to be in that conversation. It's a shame the final 15 minutes bordered on being too smart for their own good.

The key to the depth and breadth of CHALLENGERS is in its construction. Luca Guadagnino (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME) builds tension slowly and methodically, going back and forward seamlessly in time frames. This love triangle is sexy, without being gratuitous. Zendaya (Tashi) provides the "steam" here. You never quite know where her real affections lie. She is the Queen Bee with a power serve.  

This is a solid film. The trailer gave me a preconceived notion that it would be a "not for me" flick. Thanks to the good taste of my daughters, I went. I'm glad they convinced me to go.  9 GUMS (10, with a less grating ending).