Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
#1
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Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
The true story of the 1973 tennis match between World number one Billie Jean King and ex-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs. Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and written by Simon Beaufoy. The film stars Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough, Elisabeth Shue, Austin Stowell, and Sarah Silverman.
#3
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
Wow. Both of them really look the part. Good casting choices. What will be really interesting to see is how they do in the tennis scenes. Most actors don't look at all convincing as competent tennis players. It's a sport that has rarely been staged in a good way.
#4
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
They can use face-replacement technology.
I remember watching the match. It was such a sideshow. I wonder if they'll cover much of his previous match against Margret Court.
I remember watching the match. It was such a sideshow. I wonder if they'll cover much of his previous match against Margret Court.
#7
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
Wasn't it always suspected that Riggs tanked the match because he was a big time gambler? I'm pretty sure he smoked Margaret Court so everyone thought he would smoke King, which made him throwing the match all more suspicious?
Someone correct me if my facts are off as I remember this from a documentary on this.
Someone correct me if my facts are off as I remember this from a documentary on this.
#8
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Re: Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
This opens limited today. I don't see it playing anywhere near me until next week.
Currently 87% on RT: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/battle_of_the_sexes
Currently 87% on RT: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/battle_of_the_sexes
#9
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Re: Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
This opens wide this week.
#10
Re: Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
In St. Louis, but it's opening in 4 theaters, two of them art houses. The film seems poorly publicized. I have not seen the trailer in a theater, and I go weekly. The TV ads are fleeting. I'm interested in the film if it plays to the facts, -I remember watching the actual match when it happened, -but I don't expect it to do well.
Last edited by DWilson; 09-29-17 at 06:35 AM.
#11
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
^ There were tons of ads during ESPN coverage of the US Open a month ago. I think that was a smart use of their advertising budget.
#12
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
This isn't a movie for the masses. I'm sold, though. But it won't be playing anywhere near me for a while, and when it eventually does, it will be on for one week and gone.
#15
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Re: Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
Yup, I christened my Movie Pass with this film. I quite liked it. Well acted. More exploration of Billy Jean King's budding sexuality than I was expecting. Carell is great in this -- not unlike his performance in Foxcatcher, he totally inhabits his character. The match itself was well done and looked pretty authentic.
Nothing amazing or Oscar worthy, but it was a well made entertaining film. And I would expect Carell to get a Comedy Actor Golden Globe nomination for this (even though I'm not exactly sure the movie is actually a comedy).
BTW : I totally didn't recognize Elizabeth Shue even though she doesn't look all that different; just haven't seen her in a while.
Nothing amazing or Oscar worthy, but it was a well made entertaining film. And I would expect Carell to get a Comedy Actor Golden Globe nomination for this (even though I'm not exactly sure the movie is actually a comedy).
BTW : I totally didn't recognize Elizabeth Shue even though she doesn't look all that different; just haven't seen her in a while.
#16
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
She looked really old in this. I enjoyed the movie. The two leads were great.
#17
Re: Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
Quality job putting you in the head space of both Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. Carell needs to stick to serious roles, he is light years better in these types of films - Big Short, Foxcatcher, Battle of the Sexes.
#18
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Re: Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
Agreed with the comments. I watched it this afternoon. It is a good film. Everyone in it is great in their roles. Golden Globe acclaim, sure. But this is no serious contender for Oscars, IMO. It is a bit vanilla and doesn't have the edge or style of something like I, Tonya.
And yes, Carrell should stick to dramatic/series work. This is usually the case for "comedic" actors. Their dramatic stuff is tends to be fantastic.
And yes, Carrell should stick to dramatic/series work. This is usually the case for "comedic" actors. Their dramatic stuff is tends to be fantastic.
#19
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
I was surprised how good this was.
A must see for anybody who missed it.
A must see for anybody who missed it.
#20
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Re: Battle of the Sexes (2017, D: Dayton/Faris) S: Emma Stone, Steve Carell
Watched this last night.
The good: Great cast. Alan Cumming and Elizabeth Shue and the like are always fun to see.
The bad: I’ll come right and say it. This film is too gay. It’s almost all about her sexuality and not enough about her athleticism.
For me this is a bit personal. As a young person I trained from about 5 to 15 at the Billie Jean King tennis center in Long Beach, California. My family and I, including my grandparents, would play there. I met her on a couple of occasions. Never was the subject of her sexuality ever brought up. I watched this thinking I might share it with my daughter who has taken up tennis. Glad I didn’t. The movie places her sexuality first and foremost. It spends almost no time showing her practice or train or master her mental state; instead it spends the majority of its time on her first romance.
It’s one of those fantasy sports movies. I could give numerous examples, but I’ll skip to the worst one at the end. BJK gets a special hair cut from her lover just before the big match. The film suggests that this finishing touch indicates she now has everything she needs to win. A flipping haircut! So condescending.
BJK is an amazing sports person. What makes her great is her tennis ability and her determination. Her sexuality has nothing to do with it. Would you make a Michael Jordan film that was mostly about his courtship of his wife?
I’m not saying her sexuality should go uncommented upon, I’m saying it shouldn’t be 90% of the movie.
Rocky is a movie about a heterosexual relationship more than it is about boxing. And the Karate Kid is more about a friendship than it is about Karate. But those are fictional characters. BJK is a real person. There’s more than enough about her and her story to make a feature film. It doesn’t need to be reduced down to a romance.
I notice she is not a producer on the project. That says a lot.
The good: Great cast. Alan Cumming and Elizabeth Shue and the like are always fun to see.
The bad: I’ll come right and say it. This film is too gay. It’s almost all about her sexuality and not enough about her athleticism.
For me this is a bit personal. As a young person I trained from about 5 to 15 at the Billie Jean King tennis center in Long Beach, California. My family and I, including my grandparents, would play there. I met her on a couple of occasions. Never was the subject of her sexuality ever brought up. I watched this thinking I might share it with my daughter who has taken up tennis. Glad I didn’t. The movie places her sexuality first and foremost. It spends almost no time showing her practice or train or master her mental state; instead it spends the majority of its time on her first romance.
It’s one of those fantasy sports movies. I could give numerous examples, but I’ll skip to the worst one at the end. BJK gets a special hair cut from her lover just before the big match. The film suggests that this finishing touch indicates she now has everything she needs to win. A flipping haircut! So condescending.
BJK is an amazing sports person. What makes her great is her tennis ability and her determination. Her sexuality has nothing to do with it. Would you make a Michael Jordan film that was mostly about his courtship of his wife?
I’m not saying her sexuality should go uncommented upon, I’m saying it shouldn’t be 90% of the movie.
Rocky is a movie about a heterosexual relationship more than it is about boxing. And the Karate Kid is more about a friendship than it is about Karate. But those are fictional characters. BJK is a real person. There’s more than enough about her and her story to make a feature film. It doesn’t need to be reduced down to a romance.
I notice she is not a producer on the project. That says a lot.
Last edited by Mabuse; 10-23-19 at 09:27 AM.