By – Gareth Jones

For fans of Luca Guadagnino, Zendeya, Josh O’Connor, modern romantic dramas

I must admit that I am extremely late to being obsessed with this film. Many folks have been here before me.  It might have been the timing of the release, but I did not see this when it came out in theaters.  I regret that now in many ways. I can only imagine seeing this film on the big screen with a booming speaker system and a fully engaged audience.  It must have been magical because this film feels like a real throwback to an era when Hollywood would make entertaining yet thoughtful romantic films.  Of course, this is the work of Italian auteur Guadagnino, who is channeling some of the great romance films of the past and infusing them with a vitality and energy that feels fresh and new.  The story about a love triangle between tennis professionals could have been cliche and trite. Here, he brings his queer perspective and independent spirit to create a wildly entertaining film.

This freshness is attributable to several factors.  First and foremost, is the extraordinary cast.  Zendeya continues her acting ascent with her most nuanced performance yet. She plays the woman in the middle of this three-way romance.  She is completely believable as a Serena Williams-like tennis player.  She has the focus and fierceness that showcases why the two young men would be so attracted to her.  At the same time, she shows vulnerable moments that give depth to her character and allow for some understanding of why her character makes the decisions that she does throughout the film. She is joined by the dynamic duo of Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist.  Both actors had an exceptional year in 2024 with this film and respectively La chimera and The Bikeriders.  Each actor brings charm and vulnerability to their performances that gives the film additional depth. All three are believable as tennis professionals and as lovers.  The chemistry between the three is undeniable, playful, and exhilarating.

The script by Justin Kuritzkes is rich and filled with witty dialogue that Guadangnino brings visually to life with a frenetic visual style. He accomplishes this with his cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, who also has been the lead visualist for Apichatpong Weerasethakul.  Here, they decided to have the tennis matches from the perspective of the tennis ball. This could have been a gimmick, but here it works seamlessly with the nature of the relationships between the trio.  At times enervating, and at other times, nauseating, it serves as the perfect way to visually capture the rollercoaster nature of the characters as they go back and forth in their personal relationship matches. The love triangle story is told non-linearly, which could have undermined the suspense, but instead it enhances it, leaving the audience in a constant state of trying to figure out which direction it is going to go.

Finally, the score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is a masterpiece.  Combining the grooves of an Italian Disco (channeling the spirit of Giorgio Moroder) with modern dance music, Reznor and Ross have created one of their best scores, which is saying something considering how many fantastic scores they have now created. You may find yourself, like me, immediately going to Spotify to listen to the songs again.  It is that good.  That being said, they also have crafted a score that complements the visual style and narrative demands of the script.

Challengers does not require you to be a fan or even knowledgeable about tennis to enjoy the film. It merely asks you to be someone who appreciates a finely played match.