Coitus is one art that brings folks in a relationship together, but a stirring game of tennis might also be the ostensible cake to share.
And dare we do not venture into some language that borders the erotic tone, Challengers amasses its following not only by the riveting, smacking rackets but also a clever love-triangle situation that manages to keep the spectator sweating as much as the folks duking it out on screen. You see, the former friends-turner-rivals are knocking off their sweat and ricocheting balls all around the court in a high-stakes tournament. Those would be Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) and Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor), best friends since their early teenage years (thirteen years ago, according to the plot’s timeline), who fell for the same gal and her ambition in the sport as well, Tashi Duncan (Zendaya). While hormones are kicking in for the boys, Tashi is more enraptured by the sport of tennis, referring to it “as a relationship,” and pits the boys against one another throughout their years to amp up their game.
Tashi tries to build a relationship with Patrick, but unfortunately, it turns bitter, and she endures a career-ending injury. Coming to coach Art, she eventually marries him and currently wants him to rebuild his game after being on a losing streak. However, the latest challenge becomes Art facing Patrick again, with serious stakes erupting from all sides depending on who emerges victorious. The lust and loathing are entangled amongst these three, almost as if time cannot escape them (like a paradox of sorts).
Director Luca Guadagnimo embraces a campy emphasis on sexual desire through his direction. He takes the most inventive measures to ensure we’re keeping a close connection, from the sloppy kiss scenes from a low angle to the audience turning their heads back and forth in the tennis match to the hard-hitting strikes of each competitor. It’s almost as if the director wants coitus to be considered like a tennis match. What elevates this further is the compelling performances of our leading trio, with Zendaya bringing a youthful energy and mysterious candor to the role. Faist keeps a patient tempo with his ingratiation while O’Connor smirks with swagger and immaturity. But, Zendaya’s character remains the fulcrum for this 131-minute romantic feature, and she subtly makes us question whether she is the manipulator or the manipulated.
Guadagnimo almost presents a masterclass on psychosexuality, and the desire brims at each point between all three characters intelligently. Do we continue to compete with one another, or is it an everlasting game of love? Even if some of the time lapses become a bit more confounding than necessary, Challengers is a damn fine film that scores its winning shots with an energetic and exhilarating dynamism.
