The verdicts are out: both audiences and critics are digging Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino and starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor. The leading lady portrays Tashi, a tennis pro who ends up permanently sidelined from her career after a nasty injury. Fast forward some years, and she’s married to Art (Faist) when Patrick (O’Connor) reenters the picture as his tennis rival, and tension not only rises professionally but personally, too.
Their past threesome certainly adds layers to the situation, even in a movie where there technically are not any full-on sex scenes to speak of. Still, Guadagnino is a master at building this kind of tension and romantic hearing, and Zendaya has won effusive praise for her femme-fatale incarnation of a mature Tashi. And as if that wasn’t enough to entice you to watch, the score hails from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who know a thing or two about crafting music that you’ll find yourself listening to, long after the movie ends.
From a logistical standpoint, you might have a pressing question: How long is Challengers‘ runtime? 131 minutes.
Yep, the trend toward longer movies stands here, although this runtime is far less than, say, fellow contemporary dramas with award-type clout like Killers of the Flower Moon or Oppenheimer. Just don’t drink too much liquid before the show, and it will be all good.