Challengers

 

          Zendaya has great skin. I know that because of the endless close-ups in this new "sports" drama from director Luca Guadagnino. The film uses tennis as a metaphor for the love triangle between Zendaya, Josh O'Conner and Mike Faist. The relationship between the three volleys back and forth throughout the film with partners seemingly changing constantly.

          Mr. Guadagnino opens his playbook on camera angels, close-ups and various POV shots (even from the tennis ball's perspective) to the point of making one dizzy. The timeline of the script, by Justin Kuritzkes, changes constantly throughout the film as well to the point you can only tell by Zendaya's haircut, which time period you are watching.

          The sex scenes between the characters don't go beyond heavy kissing, leaving the rest to your imagination, which is certainly a tease on Mr. Guadagnino's part. His serve is out of bounds when he misses the chance to make the film sexier and more erotic than implied. The three leads are talented actors but their roles are one dimensional. Zendaya is the manipulator, Mr. Faist, the sad sack, and Mr. O'Conner, the bad boy. 

          Veterans of film music, the score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is very disappointing. The pulsing electronic beat (added to build sexual tension I suppose) just becomes just more annoying as the film goes on.

          This match is pointless.