By Paul Hall
Although I was only a pint-sized version of myself in 1973, I heard about the battle that had the country’s attention and knew the sides being drawn. In the new film Battle of the Sexes, the men are pitted against the women as that battle — the memorable tennis match — plays out at the Houston Astrodome.
Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) was successful on the men’s tennis circuit. Now, over 50 years old, his time on the court is spent hustling the men who challenge him. If there’s money on the line, he wants it and will do anything to get it.
Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) has just become the first woman in the history of tennis to earn over $100,000 in one year playing the game she loves. She is at the top of her game, holding the number one ranking in the sport.
King has one complaint: The pay disparity in the game. She believes she can do better and bands together with her manager Gladys Heldman (Sarah Silverman) and several of the top women in professional tennis to set sail into uncharted waters, forming their own tennis circuit.
Before the tour starts, King meets hair dresser Marilyn Barnett (Andrea Riseborough). This chance meeting will be crucial in helping King understand the person she is and learning to express herself. Barnett’s presence lifts a weight that had been planted firmly on King’s shoulders and helps her grow fully into the woman she desires to be.
Meanwhile, Riggs still dreams of the big payday. He takes on the role of the perfect villain as the male chauvinist who wants to show the dominance of his gender. Courting King at every turn, Riggs tries pushing every button, continually suggesting they play an exhibition match against each other.
One day King finally gives in. And thus starts an intense press run up to one of the most memorable sporting events that the world has experienced.
Directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris were the team behind Little Miss Sunshine, and their ability to mix comedy with dramatic subject matter comes through like a ray of light. Couple their talents with a cast including Stone, Carell, Riseborough and others, and you have a match-winning formula. Riseborough is a revelation as Marilyn. She brings a conflicted yet loving personality to life, someone who only wants to help.
My chief complaint is although it is a two-hour film, it just scratches the surface of the complex pieces of this puzzle. From Riggs’ past successes on the court to the relationship he forged with King, there seem to be substantial details left out of the film. And while we witness the centerpiece match in adequate depth, the epilogue is all that remains to springboard into King’s future efforts to solidify equal pay and LGBTQ rights. But a feature film’s length can’t show off the depth of what was at play with each lob and volley.
Not a smash, but definitely a winner, this film will stick with me, and it should make any viewer appreciate Billie Jean King more than ever. Two people from different backgrounds do battle and ultimately discover a mutual respect for each other despite the public discourse. Seems to me a lot of people, on every level and every side, could learn a thing or two from these individuals.
Paul’s Grade: B+
Battle of the Sexes
Rated PG-13
Stars: Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough
Directors: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Brought to you by the publishers of TV Guide, the ultimate TV resource packed with celebrity news and commentary on what’s new and what’s good to watch. Get TV Guide at 88% off the cover price: call 800-866-1400 or visit tvguidemagazine.com. ©TV Guide 2017.
NEW THIS WEEK
Blade Runner 2049
Rated R
Stars: Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas
Director: Denis Villeneuve
K, a new blade runner on the LAPD, discovers a long-buried secret that could destroy society as we know it. The discovery sends K on a journey to find former blade runner Rick Deckard who’s been missing for 30 years.
The Florida Project
Rated R
Stars: Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite
Director: Sean Baker
In the shadows of one of the happiest places on Earth, 6-year-old Moonee is living with her young mother in a small motel. Although her rebellious mom has issues, she loves her daughter — but is love enough?
The Mountain Between Us
Rated PG-13
Stars: Idris Elba, Kate Winslet, Beau Bridges
Director: Hany Abu-Assad
Ben and Alex are two strangers who find themselves in a struggle for survival after their plane crashes on the side of a remote snow-covered mountain. As they realize that help may not be coming, they set out on a journey to find safety and push one another to endure.
My Little Pony: The Movie
Rated PG
Voices of: Emily Blunt, Kristin Chenoweth, Liev Schreiber
Director: Jayson Thiessen
A new pony is coming to town who wants the magic of the other ponies. Her intentions are not so sweet and innocent, and all the ponies will need to friend up to save Equestria.