Battle of the Sexes recounts the fascinating, true
story of two vastly different tennis stars whose lives intersect at a pivotal
moment in the 1970s. I remember watching
and experiencing the hoopla and circus atmosphere surrounding this symbolic
tennis match during a period of great social change with the women’s rights movement.
Billie
Jean King (Emma Stone) is the reigning champion of women’s tennis who wants
respect for females in a male dominated world. She fights for equal pay for female
players which results in a boycott and a separate, competing tournament. Happily married, she falls into a relationship
with a female hairstylist. At the same
time, former men’s tennis star Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell), a hustler at heart,
struggles with a failing marriage and, desperate for fame and fortune to feed
his gambling addiction, hits on the idea to challenge the top woman’s tennis
star in a match. First taking on champion Margaret Court, both he and King are
on a collision course that culminates in a globally televised event.
The
film does good job building to an emotional, poignant ending. Stone is
marvelous as the tennis superstar on a personal journey who discovers another
side of herself and risks her marriage and career. Carell embodies the physical
appearance and of the narcissistic, chauvinist Riggs. They are supported by a solid
cast led by Sarah Silverman, Alan Cumming, and Bill Pullman.
A
defining moment brought to life by a strong cast, revealing script (Simon
Beaufoy), and sensitive direction by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine), it’s a refreshingly
entertaining film that should please Stone fans.
***
of **** stars (add ½* for Emma Stone fans)
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