Challengers: Grand Slam of Psychosexual Passion and Tension

Challengers

A Captivating Premise

Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers” is a riveting new drama built around a Challengers tournament match between former friends turned rivals, Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) and Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor). The lynchpin between them is Tashi Donaldson (Zendaya), a promising young tennis star they both lust after, who pits the boys against each other to amp up their game.

A Tale of Codependency

Justin Kuritzkes’s twisty script leaves us guessing as the trio’s mind games wreak havoc on each other and the audience. Zendaya has called the project “Codependency: The Movie,” and it is a deliciously audacious tale of three damaged people who cannot live without each other, where lust and loathing coexist in equal measure.

Zendaya Enigmatic Performance

Zendaya is the film’s murky center, a woman whose desires and goals are, at times, a mystery even to herself. She expertly toes the line between adolescent angst and cool detachment as the teenage Tashi, but her performance falters slightly as the older Tashi, where a deeper maturity is lacking.

Stellar Performances by O’Connor and Faist

Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist deliver two elegant backhanded serves of a performance, complicating their “types” and creating a crackling chemistry. O’Connor’s Patrick is all empty swagger, while Faist’s Art is the ultimate beta male, with both actors bringing gravitas and striking sex appeal to their roles.

Guadagnino’s Masterful Direction

Luca Guadagnino laces the proceedings with potent homoeroticism, suggesting that Tashi is merely the conduit for the men’s lust and need for each other. His shooting style, positioning the camera in unexpected places and utilizing visceral angles, enhances the almost campy emphasis on sexual power dynamics.

A Pulsating Score

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s spectacular score is a pulsating, synth-filled composition that ratchets up the tension until it’s taut as the strings of a racquet. The electronic, staccato rhythm mimics the rapid back-and-forth of tennis while also evoking the hypnotic trance of a dance club.

Conclusion: A Fresh and Exhilarating Experience

Anchored by three arresting performances and playfully experimental direction, “Challengers” is fresh, exhilarating, and energetic. It pushes the boundaries of its devilishly fun packaging, exploring the power dynamics of sex, desire, and competition with a winking reminder that sometimes love is a zero-sum game. Prepare for a grand slam of psychosexual passion and tension in this must-see film.