In Review: Battle of the Sexes is ‘worth a watch despite it's deafeningly obvious approach’ says our reviewer

Battle of the Sexes. 12a.

 

Star Rating: 3/5 - worth watching

Synopsis

Fed up of the institutional misogyny and unequal financial rewards for women in tennis in the 1970’s, champion Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) decides to establish a females only tennis association.

Washed up former male champ Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell), an incorrigible gambler and hustler, sniffs an opportunity and baits King to a ‘battle of the sexes’ man vs woman match to revitalise his status and finances knowing that, with his greater physical strength, he will beat her.
It’s up to King to beat him and start the process of equalising women’s status in a high yield sport.

Review by Jason Day

It's a man's world, now as well as in the early seventies when this real-life tennis drama is set.

In this big screen treatment of the match that captivated the world, the fireworks of what was recorded on TV coverage make a loud impact.

It’s astonishing to hear some of the real-life sports commentary of the early seventies, when casual sarcastic sexism was the norm and not the headline grabbing exception as it is today.
Brilliant performances all round, especially from Carell and Stone, a summer of love period look that is bang on and an approach that, whilst leaving the male characters rather pointedly (and purposefully) in the shadows, this good hearted film is worth watching despite it's deafeningly obvious approach.

For more, see the full review: http://bit.ly/battlesexes
Cast & credits

Directors: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris. 121mins. Cloud Eight Films/Decibel Films/Fox Searchlight Pictures/TSG Entertainment. (12a)
Producers: Danny Boyle, Christian Colson, Robert Graf.
Writer: Simon Beaufoy.
Camera: Linus Sandgren.
Music: Nicholas Britell.
Sets: Judy Becker.
Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough, Natalie Morales, Sarah Silverman, Bill Pullman, Elisabeth Shue, Eric Christian Olsen, Fred Armisen, Martha MacIsaac, Alan Cumming.

 

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