Review: Challengers

Challengers sees top star Zendaya (Dune) playing a top tennis star, torn between two competing suitors, Mike Faist (West Side Story) and Josh O'Connor (The Crown). Directed by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name).Watch the trailer: ChallengersDirector Luca Guadagnino has had a glittering career, both in Italy and then internationally. From the literary I Am Love and the terrifying Suspiria, to the intimate gay love story Call Me By Your Name - there seems nothing he can't handle. So why not a romantic triangle like Challengers?Surprisingly, Challengers isn't actually an Italian production. It's entirely homegrown American, produced by two Hollywood industry figures, old and young. One is former Sony head honcho Amy Pascal, and the other is star Zendaya, who plays a tennis champion called Tashi.Tashi came up the hard way from poor beginnings. But by the time we meet her, the world is her oyster. And two young tennis-players, Art and Patrick, working their way up rather more slowly, are star-struck when they meet her.Mike Faist (Art) and The Crown's Josh O'Connor (Patrick) - could afford to go to a private tennis school, but it doesn't mean they're not both fiercely competitive.The competition between them goes on for years, with the film flashing backwards and forwards in time, while the fortunes of all three go up and down.Patrick is the glamorous bad boy. Art is more the slow and steady type. And the scenes we linger on most are that first meeting and the bitter, final play-off, winner takes all, many years later.Of the two, only Art seems to be taking it all seriously. But for Tashi, taking it seriously isn't necessarily the point of a competition - not in the early days at any rate. She's a tennis player. And this seems to be the ultimate tennis match. Until suddenly it isn't.Just as Tashi closes in on tennis's Number 1 slot, she has an accident on the court and breaks her leg badly. She knows that means the end of her tennis career.Or is it? Both Art and Patrick know she understands the game better than anyone. With her in their corner, either challenger could become champion.In most routine, 'eternal triangle' stories, audiences usually have a pretty good idea of the outcome.No matter how much the star couple seem unsuited, and how attractive the romantic third wheel may appear, we can usually guess who gets who in the end.But smart film makers - like everyone involved in Challengers, including writer Justin Kuritzkes - realise audiences like to be kept guessing. …Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details