Sporty Love Triangle

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 (5)

A love triangle involving tennis players? Sounds pretty rote to me. But in Luca Guadagnino’s latest film, “Challengers,” it is the furthest thing from it. This Sports-Drama/Romance is riveting - from start to finish - without a single dull moment! Tashi (Zendaya), former tennis prodigy, coaches her husband, Art (Mike Faist), a champion losing his edge. A twist-of-fate occurs when Art takes to the court with his former best friend (and Tashi’s ex), Patrick (Josh O’Connor). The film swiftly jumps back-and-forth in time, as we see the history of this dynamic trio. All three lead actors give commanding performances. The chemistry between them is brusk, sensual, and at times, comedic. And whether it’s between Tashi and Art, Tashi and Patrick…or even Art and Patrick (There’s some serious palpable “boy love” between these two!), at the center of it all, is tennis. The non-stop game sequences are highly charged and the dizzying “tennis ball’s point-of-view” shots are seamless. My hat’s off to Guadagnino’s longtime cinematography/editing team of Sayombhu Mukdeeprom and Marco Costa. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross supply a superbly techno-laden musical score that enhances Justin Kuritzkes’ outstanding screenplay. “Challengers” is now in theatres.