Challengers (2023)

[SeanC]

Luca Guadagnino's next film, starring Zendaya, Josh O'Connor (The Crown), and John Mulaney Mike Faist (West Side Story).

[methodwriter85]

Mike Faist was such a good find. I really think he might wind up one of the premiere character actors when he's in his 40's.

[Spartan Girl]

I seriously almost didn’t recognize Josh 😍😍😍😍

[methodwriter85]

On 6/24/2023 at 6:18 AM, Spartan Girl said:

I seriously almost didn’t recognize Josh 😍😍😍😍

He is playing outside of his typical bashful characters and I like that a lot. 

[BetterButter]

Zendaya-led drama Challengers pulled from Venice film festival over strike

[BetterButter]

 

[ursula]

 

 

 

[StatisticalOutlier]

That Zendaya can really rock a pair of shorts.  In fact, I loved all of her clothes in this, except for a French-tuck sweater, and that's just on principle because I hate a French tuck but she looked fantastic in it.

I loved the scene when Patrick shows up at Stanford while Art is practicing, when they were chasing each other.  Really, that's all you need to know how far back they go.

[methodwriter85]

5 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I loved the scene when Patrick shows up at Stanford while Art is practicing, when they were chasing each other.  Really, that's all you need to know how far back they go.

I kind of like that at the end, it's not about who wins- it's about playing a great game of tennis and those two men reconciling with each other, and Tashi being thrilled about those two things happening.

I like to think that Tashi and Art amicably divorce (because Art honestly deserves to be with someone who really loves him), she does attempt to coach Patrick until COVID derails everything, and then eventually she begins a tennis academy.

I don't want her daughter to have anything to do with tennis, though- could you just imagine? LOL

[SeanC]

I saw some debate casting Zendaya as a 30+ mother, but she's 27 and I tend to doubt she'll look much different than she does now in her early 30s.

Pretty good film overall, I thought, with a legitimately great ending. It's fairly rare to see a movie end in such a sharp manner these days; that sort of conclusion is something I more associate with pre-1990s studio films.

The use of "Hot in Herre" as a marker of the mid-2000s was great.

[Browncoat]

I kind of like to think that Art and Patrick reconcile, compare notes, realize just how cold and manipulative Tashi is, and kick her to the curb.  I question any affection she claims to have for either Art or Patrick.

I have nothing but admiration for Zendaya.  I feel like she has chosen her roles well, and she seems well-adjusted, having made the leap from child star to adult actor.  And yes, she can wear the hell out of just about any outfit.

 

[methodwriter85]

7 hours ago, SeanC said:

I saw some debate casting Zendaya as a 30+ mother, but she's 27 and I tend to doubt she'll look much different than she does now in her early 30s.

Pretty good film overall, I thought, with a legitimately great ending. It's fairly rare to see a movie end in such a sharp manner these days; that sort of conclusion is something I more associate with pre-1990s studio films.

The use of "Hot in Herre" as a marker of the mid-2000s was great.

What do they expect? They had to cast people who were playing teenagers and early 20-somethings for significant portions of the films. It's not like she's the overly young Lois Lane they casted for Superman Returns. They all pulled it off pretty well. And the characters are barely in their 30's- they're all 31. (Remember, it's 2019. I'm guessing it was set that year to avoid all COVID mentions.)

 

Edited May 4 by methodwriter85

[methodwriter85]

7 hours ago, Browncoat said:

I kind of like to think that Art and Patrick reconcile, compare notes, realize just how cold and manipulative Tashi is, and kick her to the curb.  I question any affection she claims to have for either Art or Patrick.

I do think Art is going to divorce Tashi and probably never, under any circumstances, let their daughter go near a tennis court. (It seems kind of telling that you don't see the daughter in any of the audience scenes cheering on Daddy. Then again she couldn't be older than 5 or 6.) 

I thought they did a really job with letting us know just how completely worn out Art is by 2019- the sequence of Art being stretched out and looked over and given every supplement known to man said a lot. Dude really was at the end of his career.

[arc]

I think this was well directed and acted but I feel like the writing didn’t get to the heart of anything. Certainly partly by design as everyone is mostly sort of obliquely talking at each other, but even when it’s supposed to be something direct and real, I never quite connected with the characters.

Well, actually, about the direction, I’m not sure how to feel about the last few tennis sequences that got into player first-person and ball POV shots. Audacious and weird but also a little off-putting.

[Spartan Girl]

Finally got around to watching this and hoo boy, all three of them were hot as hell. The movie was messy and I loved every minute of it!

Tashi…oy, what can I say about her? On one hand, I get that you aren’t supposed to like her. On the other hand, screw her. I can’t bring myself to feel sorry for her when it was obvious that she had halfhearted feelings for Art from the beginning yet rushed into marriage without thinking beyond how his fame could satisfy her vicarious need to be in the game. I’m sure she did care about them in her own way, but both Art and their daughter both deserved better.