Trailerblazing -- Challengers

Challengers - September 15, 2023 - directed by Luca Guadagnino - starring Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, Mike Faist, Jake Jensen

                         

Having explored the subject of first love in Call Me by Your Name and the subject of marginalized love in Bones and All, director Luca Guadagnino now turns his attention to romance set in the world of professional tennis. The story concerns the tumultuous relationship between three athletes who have known each other since their teens and the trailer promises a whole lot of chemistry, hookups, heartbreak and betrayal. A romantic drama set in the world of sports is a cinematic unicorn indeed; the last movie belonging to this sub-sub-genre that I can recall is 2004's charming Wimbledon. Guadagnino has incredible range as a director, so I look forward to him presenting this story through his usual refined and gentle lens. The multitalented Zendaya is a force to be reckoned with and someone who I would not bet against on or off the court. O'Connor has had a chance to show off his dramatic chops in the wildly popular "The Crown", while Faist was most recently seen in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story. I wish that more movies like this one were made, since sports is not a realm that is often seen in film, which is surprising considering its popularity. Challengers looks like an entertaining and engaging drama with indie flair, set in an environment in which competition is a costly everything.