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Challengers (R)
May 31 - June 7
Showtimes:
Fri May 31 at 7 PM
Sat Jun 1 at 2 PM
Sat Jun 1 at 7 PM
Wed Jun 5 at 2 PM
Wed Jun 5 at 7 PM
Thu Jun 6 at 1 PM (please note the early start time)
From visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist – West Side Story), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor – The Crown) — his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win.
Running time: 2 hours, 11 minutes
FILM REVIEW – Challengers, by Christine Merser
There is a reason why “Challengers” has become the darling of the independent film and theater community. I have never seen a film that shows the entire genesis of manipulation the way “Challengers” does—how to plan it, how to execute it, and the devastating effects of it. Best of all, the three protagonists each manipulate each other and maybe, in the end, themselves. It’s a primer around a human condition that we would all wish we could control.
Do not miss this film.
I read some of the reviews. Some controversy there. And, I agree that the ending will take a little time to digest, but it’s worth the time. Go back afterward and review the first time they were all three together, and you will find the key to that mailbox. The tennis scenes are great. The only thing that might irritate you if you do play is Josh O’Connor’s serve. But it’s a small price to pay.
Zendaya. I thought she was a model. Walker of red carpets. Maybe a singer? Wasn’t sure. Her fifty films (yes, 50!) are not in my sweet spot, but the “Dune” series cannot be ignored. And the woman can act. I mean really act, and either they brilliantly used her stand-ins in a way no other tennis movie has accomplished, or she can also hit the tennis ball.
Oh, the games we play in life. Sometimes we are aware of them, and sometimes we haven’t a clue. To watch them unfold in a film that is also exciting and filled with twists and turns you didn’t see coming is not to be missed.
Christine Merser, a writer and recent Maine replant, has been a film reviewer for Screen Thoughts for the last ten years. Rated four stars and recently obtained by Spotify as one of their podcast series, Screen Thoughts houses her podcasts with other reviewers from the industry, as well written reviews . “I think that we humans are cemented in our point of view around explosive issues. Stories can change hearts and minds, especially when they are viewed in the darkened theater, without pushing their way into your point of view in a debate over dinner. I love going to the movies.”
Presented in Partnership with Pine Tree Yarns
All ticket sales are final – Nonrefundable and Nonexchangeable.
All tickets are available for purchase at the door beginning 30 minutes before showtime, or in advance* through our online box office.
*Advance tickets or confirmation emails may be printed for admission OR you may check in with your email address at the theater box office when you arrive.