Battle of the Sexes

I'm not saying women are better. I've never said that. I'm saying we deserve some respect. Battle of the sexes is directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and written by Simon Beaufoy. It stars Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough, Natalie Morales, Sarah Silverman, Bill Pullman, Eric Christian Olsen, Alan Cumming and Elisabeth Shue. Music is by Nicholas Britell and cinematography by Linus Sandgren. Back in 1973 there was a tennis match - a show event - where self proclaimed media hustler Booby Riggs (Carrel) took on supreme ladies champion of the era Billie Jean King (Stone). It would be tagged as The Battle Of The Sexes and the importance of such has echoed through time to still be relevant today. Here we have a film running at two hours in length that actually plays more as a King biography than it does a piece about the tennis match at pic's closure. Why not just call your film Billie Jean King? That would still have worked and been more closer to the themes playing out. On the King biography terms it's a fascinating and engrossing film, her battle with her sexuality issues - and the media threats that such a thing of the era would produce - and her wonderfully stoic stance for women's acceptance rights in sport. Unfortunately since the focus is more in this area the film becomes repetitive and over stuffed, and crucially it sadly puts the Bobby Riggs story firmly into the background. However, there's a lot to like on show here if one can forgive it its ill thought out unbalancing act. The cast performances across the board are top line. Stone and Carell are kind of a given, the latter really nailing the characterisation, but key turns by Riseborough, Olsen, Silverman and a wonderfully flamboyant Cumming light up the period play. The last third as we head towards the match of the title is excellent, characterisations have been set up for maximum impact, while the writers do not pander to gloating or PC banner waving to leave us on a positive and thought provoking note. If only the Riggs axis had been given more meaty substance, and the mid-section not practically slow to a snails pace, then we would have had a better movie more befitting the title - and historical event - than the one we get. 6/10

Emma Stone and Steve Carell are terrific. 'Battle of the Sexes' is an interesting look on the famous tennis match from 1973 between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. I'm sure it takes all the usual creative license that biopics tend to do, but that's doesn't bother me - especially with this type of event. Stone (King) and Carell (Riggs) are definitely what hold this film together, without those two I don't believe it would've been as enjoyable. Sarah Silverman (Gladys) and Andrea Riseborough (Marilyn) are alright, though the main attraction here are the two leads. Talking of Marilyn, I didn't really care for the love stories on show - with Marilyn, but also those involving Larry (Austin Stowell) and Priscilla (Elisabeth Shue). The rest is sufficiently entertaining, though. It's sometimes a little too on the nose with the (obviously positive) message it's portraying, but that's just a small thing to note. Overall, this is a production I'd recommend you watch - tennis/sports fan or not.