If you were asked to name what the sexiest sport is, what would you choose? Top Gun used volleyball in a way that made us realize some of our boys look pretty good in short shorts. Maybe it’s bowling, as Jesus from The Big Lebowski may have you thinking. Hell, it could very well be jousting. Taking a long thing, jamming it into someone else, kissing at the end. At least that’s how they do it at my ren faire.

Yet Luca Guadagnino’s latest film Challengers would like to wager the sexiest sport out there is tennis, and honestly, it makes sense. The sweat, the short outfits, the sensual grunts with each swing. But what we can expect from Luca is for him to take this one step further, making the sport more than just eye candy, but an engaging narrative and thematic tool that comes to form one of the best films of 2024.

Challengers is a frenetic, in-you-face sports drama blended with highs and lows of a love triangle quarrel. Like his past films, it oozes eroticism even in its most subtle moments. The trio are all complex, flawed characters that at times both support and actively work to dismantle one another. Their ever changing relationship is incredibly dynamic, tackling themes of competition, success and drive that manages to be quite unpredictable at times. Luca takes full advantage of the film’s athletic backbone, turning conversations into volleys through erratic yet intentful editing, while on the court, the actual tennis matches are presented in bold, chaotic ways that build to a crescendo throughout the film. And my god the music; an invigorating soundtrack of techno and synth beats that make you just want to get up and run a mile. Everything is so tight, so intriguing, so expertly threaded that I was shocked to learn this was a first time screenwriting cred for the freaking potion seller guy.

The crux of the film is the threeway relationship between Josh O’Conner’s Patrick, Mike Faist’s Art and Zendaya’s Tashi. All three are tennis players of varying success; Tashi is a young prodigy with deals and sponsorships on the horizon, while Patrick and Art, two lifelong friends, have yet to see that kind of success themselves. One eventful night involving the three drastically reshapes their wants, desires and relationships, generating a whirlwind of drama that ripples over the course of a decade. The way these characters are constructed is so ingenious, where they all offer each other something they want yet also possess qualities that they can’t stand. When Tashi’s professional career is cut short, she sees the opportunity to live vicariously through Art, who possesses the talent to succeed but gradually loses the drive. Patrick has the drive but lacks the maturity to maintain a serious relationship, which does cause both attraction and frustration for Tashi. Art and Patrick even have unresolved emotions for one another, ones that are hardly ever explored yet are constantly weaponized by themselves to toy with one another and also by Tashi. This ever changing, seemingly unsustainable dynamic is so electric in the most frustrating ways possible, which means there really never is a dull moment.

One of the things that keeps the slower moments feeling impactful is an energetic editing style that, as you may have guessed, seeks to emulate the back and forth that comes with playing tennis. These quick, harsh cuts are used rather deliberately, while sometimes even the camera gets into the action with quick swings back and forth between those talking. A conversation the trio have early on relates playing tennis to a relationship; you and your opponent have this kind of understood rhythm with each volley. You feel that way in scenes off the court as well, as conversations become games of one upmanship. If tennis is a relationship, then the only way to get ahead is a betrayal, a blindside, something that knocks the other down a peg. You feel that same dynamic when the characters are talking as well, almost building a metaphorical game in your mind. Opinions and accusations are served up and rebounded back and forth until someone eventually finds a hole in the defenses and goes for the kill. The camerawork translates this idea incredibly well, along with the music. There’s a motif that occasionally pops up in conversations that, at first, might feel out of place. That is, until you realize a similar motif is utilized in intense moments of the actual tennis matches. These parallels take the idea of the film being centered around tennis and run with it in an exponentially awesome way, taking what could have been a very straightforward sports drama and turning it into something thoroughly intriguing.

Of course, if the camera work is going to be dynamic during dialogue, surely it must also deliver on the actual action. Not since the Bee Movie have we seen a film featuring some of the most intensely shot games of tennis I’ve seen on film. The camerawork has this satisfying build to it, at first presenting the games from more of a spectator point of view, but as the film builds to the final game, we get way more up close and personal in truly insane ways. There’s split diopter shots, instances where the camera becomes the ball; they even get under the court at some point which just blew me away when I saw it. The film certainly makes some bold, at times off the wall choices on how the present these matches, but I think the film is all better for it, crafting a unique visual style that feels fresh for Luca’s filmography and properly translates the energy of an intense game.

I never really connected tennis to techno before, but damn does it work incredibly well here. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails deliver an absolutely energetic soundtrack of electronic and synth-heavy pieces that get the blood pumping and pair so well alongside both the matches and the dramatic character moments. This is especially apparent in the climax, which is just tennis balls to the walls madness. This is where the camerawork really ramps up, with the music working in harmony alongside it. This match, which we’ve constantly cut in and out of for flashbacks throughout the film, transforms from a simple physical altercation to an all-out emotional war. Mind games are played, composition is lost, and the stakes become something bigger than just winning a tournament. There’s a moment in this climax that elicited an audible “OH SHIT” from me, something I really wasn’t expecting. Can’t spoil it, but as soon as you see it coming it floors you, leading to a somewhat abrupt yet cathartic ending that forms the final piece to complete this complex puzzle.

If you’ve seen Luca’s past films like Call Me By Your Name or Bones and All, you may think you know what you’re getting into, but don’t be so sure. What Luca does with pacing, narrative structure and even his use of alluring eroticism feels just familiar enough yet so different to what he’s done before. This really is a grand slam of an achievement, wrapping outstandingly layered performances with a humorous, heartbreaking and high-octane story. The technicals really elevate this film beyond what it could have been in lesser hands, crafting so many standout moments that I think I’ll be thinking about for a while. From its biggest swings to its smaller moments of romantic and platonic intimacy, Challengers took my expectations and blasted them over the fence. Cannot recommend this one enough. It almost makes me want to get back out on the court, where I’ll inevitably roll my out of shape ankle and die on the spot. A warrior’s death if there ever was one.

RATING

TOPSPIN SPRITZ

A good spritz is the perfect drink for a hot summer where you and you homie need to duke it out on the court for the affection of a girl. No matter the outcome or status of your relationship, the Topspin Spritz is both light, refreshing, and packing a welcome hint of botanicals and lemon. For added fun, garnish with a melon ball to make it truly tennis themed! The ball is in your court, so get the advantage on the summer heat and serve up a great cocktail you’re sure to love! Deuce!

INGREDIENTS

• 2oz Empress gin
• 1oz lemon-ginger vermouth
• 1/2oz lemon juice
• 1/2oz honey syrup
• Top: Sparkling water
• Garnish: Frozen melon ball

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a wine glass, add gin, vermouth, lemon juice and syrup.
2. Fill with ice, then top with sparkling water. Stir to combine.
3. Garnish with frozen melon ball on a skewer.