“Challengers” is a kind of provocation. That’s what makes it fun.
There’s lots of skin, sweat, close-ups of muscular thighs, and burning looks of lust and hatred in this deliriously over-the-top psychodrama. But get that image out of your head of Josh O’Connor, Zendaya and Mike Faist sitting together in bed. Most of this action takes place on the tennis court.
It’s still a sexy tennis movie about friendship, love, competition and sport with a synth soundtrack from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross – it just might not contain exactly what you think it does. But remember, Luca Guadagnino was the one who filmed Timothée Chalamet with that peach, perhaps more memorable than any real sex scene of the last decade. Manage expectations, but also trust.
And as “Call Me By Your Name” did for Chalamet, “Challengers” is one of those rare original big-screen delights that firmly heralds the arrival of a new generation of movie stars. Zendaya and Faist already had an advantage. She’s played significant supporting roles in some of the biggest films of recent years, from “Spider-Man” to “Dune,” and he had his big cinematic breakthrough as Riff in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” But it’s O’Connor who really comes out on top, effectively eliminating any lingering image of him as a whiny, whiny Prince Charles in seasons three and four of “The Crown.” In “Challengers,” his Patrick Zweig is the arrogant, seductive, slightly mean, slightly dirty, slightly broken bad boyfriend of our fictional dreams.
Written by playwright Justin Kuritzkes (who is married to “Past Lives” filmmaker Celine Song), “Challengers” is a thorny delight about fractured relationships, egos, infidelity and ambition. Set during a qualifying match at the New Rochelle Tennis Club on the outskirts of New York, the intricately woven story unfolds through flashbacks that build to a climax in the current match.
O’Connor’s Patrick and Faist’s Art are old boarding school roommates turned tennis teammates. It is a relationship that can be fraternal, erotic and competitive. Whatever it is, they’re definitely very close and not even remotely prepared for Zendaya’s Tashi Duncan to enter the mix.
Tashi, in high school, is on her way to becoming the next big tennis star. Art and Patrick watch her play, awestruck by her technical form and physical beauty. Later, the two ask for her number, which leads to an eye-opening night in a dingy hotel room. She promises her number to whoever wins the singles match the next day. Tashi just wants to see good tennis, she says, but she also knows how to motivate and manipulate.
Because of the fractured timeline, we know that Tashi currently no longer plays tennis. She was injured at some point and never recovered, unlike her husband, Art, who is now one of the most famous players in the world. The two are extremely rich, live in a chic hotel and lead advertising campaigns for Aston Martin. At night, Tashi uses Augustinus Bader cream to moisturize her legs. Guadagnino, who likes to wink and revel in symbols of wealth, tapped JW Anderson designer Jonathan Anderson to make the costumes, which are sure to fill summer style inspiration boards, just like his “A Bigger Splash ” and “Call Me By Your Name” did in the past.
But although they are technically on top, Art is also on a losing streak, so Tashi sends him to a low-stakes tournament where he can regain his confidence. That’s where they meet Patrick, who hasn’t had so much luck over the years and has fallen out with his old friends. Of course, it all comes down to Patrick and Art facing off in the final match, one part of which is so wild and comical that you can almost imagine the “Saturday Night Live” parody.
“Challengers” is a drama, but a funny and self-aware one. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and has a lot of fun with its characters, all three of whom are anti-heroes in a way. You might have a favorite, but you’re probably not exactly rooting for anyone – just glued to the screen to see how it all plays out on and off the court.
“Challengers,” an MGM release in theaters Friday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “full language, some sexual content and graphic nudity.” Running time: 131 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.
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