Rightfully the only film people are going to be talking about this spring, Challengers is a thrilling, sexy character study about the only good sports: tennis and kissing. Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist are all at the top of their game, cementing their places in the new generation of movie stars by making an actual film for adults that isn’t totally idiotic and doesn’t look like crap. Luca Guadagnino, he of a million projects in development, tries a ton of remarkable shots, nearly all of which land without being too jarring. Set to a divine score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Challengers lives up to the hype and delivers a home run (not a tennis term, but there’s plenty of time for that).

The tale of Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), Art Donaldson (Mike Faist), and Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) jumps back and forth between past and present… like a tennis match? Could be! Though the film opens in 2019 with Tashi and Art somewhat happily married while Patrick is down on his luck, we quickly return to 2006 when our threesome met in high school on the eve of graduation. Art and Patrick have been friends since childhood tennis camp, developing their game and doing just about everything together. Tashi is a tennis prodigy, though she wants to go to school before going pro, despite everyone around her begging. Art and Patrick are naturally drawn to this beautiful girl, clambering over each other for her attention. She gives it to them, but not before getting these boys to kiss in front of her. This simple moment of sensuality is enough to drive the boys to madness, leading to the saga we see play out over the film’s 131 minute runtime.

To say more would spoil the fun, but it’s important everyone knows that yes, the boys do make out. There are too many movies marketing themselves off moments of implied homosexuality that don’t follow through, and Guadagnino is too smart for that. This is the man who directed a scene in Bones and All in which Timothee Chalamet cruises for a man at a carnival and then eats him. What Guadagnino does here with Justin Kuritzkes’ crackerjack script is far more interesting than just one queerbaiting moment. That threesome is the truth, and all three participants spend the rest of their twenties trying to outrun it on and off the court. They can’t ignore each other forever, and one fateful day in New Rochelle could change everything. Who hasn’t been there!

Challengers is what we’re talking about when we’re talking about movies for grown-ups. The only special effects are however Guadganino manages to attach his camera to a tennis ball and slam us across the clay into Art and Patrick’s sweaty embraces, Tashi’s steely glare raining down upon them. Despite what she says, she is NOT taking such good care of her little white boys! And when that happens, we all win. Who doesn’t love a good game of tennis?

Challengers
2024
Dir. Luca Guadagnino
131 min

Opens Friday, 4/26 @ Coolidge Corner Theatre and theaters everywhere