BATTLE OF THE SEXES REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In the wake of the sexual revolution and the rise of the women's movement, the 1973 tennismatch between women's World #1 Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and ex-men's-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) was billed as the 'Battle of the Sexes' and became one of the most watched televised sports events of all time, reaching 90 million viewers around the world. As the rivalry between King and Riggs kicked into high gear, off-court each was fighting more personal and complex battles. The fiercely private King was not only championing for equality, but also struggling to come to terms with her own sexuality, as her friendship with Marilyn Barnett (Andrea Riseborough) developed. And Riggs, one of the first self-made media-age celebrities, wrestled with his gambling demons, at the expense of his family and wife Priscilla (Elisabeth Shue). Together, Billie and Bobby served up a cultural spectacle that resonated far beyond the tennis court, sparking discussions in bedrooms and boardrooms that continue to reverberate today.

Battle of the Sexes comes from the married filmmaking duo Jonathan Dayton and Valeria Faris who are best known for directing the heartwarming drama, Little Miss Sunshine, which also starred Carell. The pair are known for creating a drama that can be entertaining by adding small bouts of comic relief throughout, however, it still has an emotional touch. The same can be said for Battle of the Sexes. Its tone is lighthearted and is an easy watch. The issues featured, including sexism, are handled with deft assurance. Women's liberation, sexual freedom, equal pay for equal work are all themes that feature heavily within the film. Battle Of The Sexes opens with King demanding why the prize money is eight times less than it is for men to which former tennis player turned advocate, Jack Kramer (Bill Pullman), replies 'it's important that the men get more money' which doesn't make sense. There's a fine line between preaching the gospel and dictating it, however, Dayton and Faris use humour and whimsy like a balm to sooth the serious scenes. Of course, the pair want to send out messages that hit home. They show the characters and their flaws with an even hand. It's the definition of comedy and drama.

The actors are all well chosen, especially Stone and Carell, who, by changing their appearances, resemble the characters they're playing. Stone, in particular, stood out as Billie Jean King as she captures all of her mannerisms and embodies her passion for tennis. However, she soon develops a relationship with her hairdresser, Marilyn (Andrea Riseborough) that she has to hide otherwise it could jeopardise her career. Although she never comes out in the film, at the age of 73, she is now open and honest about her sexuality and is an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. The real King was impressed with Stone's portrayal of her and said that she managed to capture her fierce determination to prove that women deserve equal rights. The relationship with Marilyn is effectively shown and both Stone and Riseborough share a lot of chemistry. Despite the love she has for her female partner, King felt conflicted as she was still married to Larry (Austin Stowell). Despite knowing her affair with Marilyn, Larry remained faithful and supportive of Billie throughout her career. I wouldn't be surprised to see Stone, who earlier this year won her first Academy Award for her performance in La La Land, nominated for an Oscar next year.

Carell's portrayal of Riggs proved to be a challenge, due to the former champions player dying in 1995. His portrayal is similar to that of the Riggs that was shown in the media, a 'male chauvinist pig' as he described himself. While Carell, unsurprisingly, brings comic relief to the role, Riggs is seen as more as an antagonist because of his many sexist remarks. Despite Carell giving one of his best performances yet, Riggs is seen as a caricature. King, on the other hand, is shown as a genuine human being. I think this is due to the writing from Simon Beaufoy. He may have failed at making Riggs a likable character, however, he has written an engaging film that avoids the pitfalls of simplicity. The build up to the big match between King and Riggs is viewed with a wide perspective.

Battle of the Sexes captures the 70s really well through the clothing the characters all wear, the setting and the music. It really made me feel like I was experiencing the 70s, not just seeing it. I think a lot of people who grew up in this era will feel a sense of nostalgia. 

All of the drama involving the character's public and personal lives all leads up to the big tennis match that takes place at the end of the film. Of course, because of the way the characters are portrayed, we want King to win, mainly so that she can finally prove that women are worthy of their rights. For those, like me, who hadn't seen the original match from 1973, will find this scene very intense as I had no idea what the outcome was going to be. Fortunately, the end result was powerful and uplifting.

Overall, Battle of the Sexes is a well-made biopic as it recaptures the titular tennis match really well and it represented Billie Jean King's character in an effective way, making us feel for her. It also shows how hard women had to work to prove themselves worthy and is an important film that needs to be seen, especially by those who still think women don't deserve equal rights.

8/10