Challengers

Challengers is a romantic sports drama starring Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor. The film follows Tashi, played by Zendaya, a former tennis prodigy turned coach, who is laser-focused on one thing: winning. When her husband Art, played by Faist, a champion she molded, falls into a slump, she throws him into a low-level tournament where he faces Patrick, played by O'Connor, Tashi's ex-boyfriend and Art's former best friend. This sets off a steamy love triangle loaded with repressed desires and past baggage.

Zendaya aced her first leading role in a film. She was able to successfully portray a woman who was ruthless in her pursuit of victory, and her frosty demeanor made it clear that anything less was a personal failure. Her performance was the heart of the film, perfectly capturing a woman driven by a singular passion. I also thought that her costumes were beautiful and a perfect paring for her character. Supporting performances by Faist and O'Connor were equally strong, which helped to create a palpable web of sexual tension and unspoken desires that fueled the film's emotional core.

I could see some themes of repressed longing that were similar to what director Luca Guadagnino tackled in his acclaimed film Call Me By Your Name. The muted LGBTQ+ subplot added a layer of intrigue and was a welcome step towards more nuanced representation, even if it didn’t receive full exploration. Representation in mainstream media is crucial, and despite its shortcomings, Challengers offered a glimpse of questioning or potentially bisexual characters navigating complex relationships.

Unfortunately Challengers stumbled with its storytelling. The narrative was a confusing volley of flashbacks that disrupted the flow of the story. Guadagnino's stylistic cinematography choices, like filming from the players' perspectives during matches, was more disorienting than engaging. And the techno-heavy soundtrack also felt like a strange choice with the film's overall mood.

Despite these narrative stumbles, Challengers did not entirely disappoint. The central trio's chemistry was undeniable, and the exploration of ambition, desire, and the price of victory was thought-provoking. If you're a Zendaya fan, this film might be worth a watch. Just be prepared for some uneven editing and a soundtrack that might leave you reaching for the mute button.