It’s early on in the first act when Zendaya’s character Tashi Duncan explains the conceit of Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Challengers’. Speaking about her match against Anna Mueller she says “A tennis match is a relationship” and that “for one moment we understood each other perfectly, and so did everyone else.” Making it clear that the centerpiece of the film that is the tennis match between her husband Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) and her ex boyfriend Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) should be read as the relationship between the two of them, in every way one could imagine a relationship. And furthermore the promise that we the audience will understand them for who they truly are by the end of it? A tall promise, but one I was more than glad to have fulfilled.

The plot of the film is honestly fairly basic, especially at face value. Two long time friends fall in love with the same girl and vie for her attention throughout their lives. But it’s in this simplicity that we get into the crevices of this love triangle. It’s rote to simply say that as they win points in the tennis match it reflects how they climb the ladder for her favor. The distinguishing factor is that while they battle over her, they also learn more about one another and the connection they share. Even if it takes a lifetime and a winner take all tennis match for them to finally realize that the girl they were both chasing wasn’t the only prize after all, it was their own love for each other that they were playing for as well.

Throughout the film Zendaya is pitting them against one another, and all for the glory of the game. She’s initially only interested in the one that’s playing well, both in terms of their skill on the court, and their ability to navigate the game of romance. The more backstabbing the more she digs herself in. But by the end we realize that Tashi’s love of the backstabbing is not designed to tear the boys apart. But rather it’s their passion and love for the game, and for each other, that piques her interest in the first place. After all, the first romantic interaction she has with them is her making out with Art on a motel bed, then turning to make out with Patrick, then inviting them to all make out with each other, as she pulls away and watches the two of them, passionately kissing each other after she’s removed herself she smiles in a way that implies that maybe this was her plan all along. And just like she does in the motel room, she orchestrates the final tennis match so that by the end of it they will rekindle that flame.

The relationship and rivalry between Art and Patrick reminds me of Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter in Brian Fuller’s series ‘Hannibal’. Those two were constantly one upping each other, trying to understand one another, and at the end of the day, had an incredibly complicated connection that made them best friends with an aura of sexual attraction. Both of these couples, in Hannibal as well as Challengers, hint at the level of attraction and love that exists between male friends, the homosexual nature of machismo that is inherent in all pissing contests, and the blurred line between hatred and adoration, all of which are things most straight men don’t like acknowledge.

The other piece of media this movie reminds me of is Jackass, particularly Jackass Forever (though that’s probably because it’s freshest in my mind). If you are capable of watching any of the Jackass films and telling yourself “There’s no homoerotic behavior found in these male friendships! No Sir!” Then I think you may have watched the wrong film. Maybe you accidentally put on Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Jack’ instead? Though that’s a considerably worse time than any of the Jackass movies so I feel pity for you.

It’s reductive though to simply talk about Art and Patrick’s love for one another, to say their relationship is the only one the films interested in is false. After all it’s Tashi that brings them together, their love and passion for her is equally important. And much like Johnny Knoxville is showing off for us, Art and Patrick are showing off for her. Tashi is in the audience for the match, she oscillates between audience surrogate and a production mastermind. It figures that Zendaya also operated as a producer for the film, reflecting Tashi in more than just her performance on screen.

That relationship, the one each of them have with Tashi, is equally as the one they’re discovering with each other on the court. When the movies asks itself “Is Art in love with Tashi or Patrick? Is Tashi in love with Patrick or Art? Is Patrick in love with Tashi or Art?” The final sequence to me is a simple and resouding “Yes!” As they’re playing and showing they’re each perfect masters of the game, closing in on the net, hitting impossible shots, not even letting the ball take a bounce they collide into an embrace. And much like she did at the beginning of the film during her match against Anna Mueller, Tashi stands up and lets out an involuntary “Come on!” not in a way that implies frustration mind you. But more like a celebration, and a begging for more tennis just like what she just experienced, and more love and understanding like she just experienced. They do, after everything, all love their jobs, and all love each other.

4.5/5