What is it about tennis that gets such a firm grip on so many filmmakers?
Maybe it’s the sheer athleticism of the game. Or, perhaps, the tenacious, back-and-forth strategy involved. Then again, maybe it’s simply because it’s sexier than, say, chess.
“Challengers,” starring Oakland native Zendaya, the latest net winner, is rallying into theaters this week, so we decided to put on our best whites and serve up some tennis movies that we think really aced it.
All are available for home viewing.
“Borg vs McEnroe”: The iconic 1980 Wimbledon matchup between tennis titans Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe gets a vigorous, thoughtful narrative retelling with Shia LaBeouf well cast as the mercurial American pro and Sverrir Gudnason tapping in to the more interior nature of the Swedish tennis star. Where to see it: The 2017 film is available to watch for free on Tubi and is available on other platforms.
“Final Set”: Best-selling author Taylor Jenkins Reid immersed readers into the intense mindset of a victory-seeking female tennis star as she stages a single-minded comeback in her 2022 novel “Carrie Soto Is Back.” Director/screenwriter Quentin Reynaud’s exceptional 2022 drama flips genders to tell a similar yet different story. This one’s about 37-year-old Thomas Edison (Alex Lutz, giving the role his all) and his relentless last shot at getting into the French Open.This is a heck of a watch. Where to see it: Available on Amazon Prime and various platforms.
“Battle of the Sexes”: Oscar winner Emma Stone steps convincingly into the role of a 29-year-old Billie Jean King while Steve Carrell turns in one of his best dramatic performances yet as a 55-year-old Bobby Riggs. Their performances power this entertaining re-creation of that groundbreaking match where Riggs and King squared off in a media-frenzied match in 1973. The attention to period detail is impeccable. Where to see it: Available on various platforms.
“King Richard”: Will Smith collected his first, and infamous, Oscar for his terrific portrayal of the unconventional father of two tennis greats — Serena and Venus Williams. Reinaldo Marcus Green’s feature benefits just as much from Smith’s work as from the astute performance of San Francisco native Aunjanue Ellis as his strong-willed wife. Where to see it: Available on various platforms.
“John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection”: Hot-headed tennis maverick John McEnroe continues to be the focal point of many filmmakers. (The revealing, introspective 2022 HBO documentary “McEnroe” being one of the best.) Another is this little-known 2018 gem from director Julien Faraut that takes 16-mm shot footage, mostly from the 1984 French Open, to show us how he was courting perfection. Faraut’s bold film looks at the body mechanics that made McEnroe such a powerful athlete. Where to see it: available for free on Tubi and available on other platforms.
“Match Point”: Woody Allen channels Alfred Hitchcock — after all, “Strangers on a Train” did feature a man character who was a tennis player — for this thriller about two incredibly beautiful narcissists (Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Scarlett Johansson) caught up in lies and infidelity that trigger a murder. It’s one of Allen’s better films, and features a dollop of tennis since Meyers’ character was once a tennis coach. Mostly, though, this is about people behaving badly. Where to see it: Available for free on Peacock, as well as for a fee on on various other platforms.