Since humanity first crawled out from the dust, the battle
between man and woman has been eternal. Who is smarter? Who is the
strongest? Are we all equal? These questions have befuddled people
for eons. ‘Battle of the Sexes’ toys with this issue with a quirky and
fun look at gender politics. Set during the 1970’s where universal
equality was a merging entity, it may not answer all viewers’ questions but
it’s an entertaining ride hitting goals.
In 1973, the tennis match between Billie Jean King (Emma
Stone) and Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) is hotly anticipated. Both giants
in their field, the duo’s rivalry extends beyond the court. Matching wits
in all possible ways, King and Riggs stir up plenty of publicity for their
looming court-side showdown. When the media get hold of their opposing
views, all bets are off. With man vs woman on the tennis field rapidly
looming, this battle of minds hurtles towards a finish where winner takes all.
‘Battle of the Sexes’ is much better than trailers
suggest. Whilst primarily using the typical ‘man vs woman’ motif, it’s a
lot more than that. Exploring themes of sexuality, love, rivalries and
being comfortable in one’s skin, ‘Battle of the Sexes’ has a densely
multi-layered script. It would have had little value had it just been
about one thing with the rich screenplay effectively making the most of its
true-life premise.
Backed by a solid story, ‘Battle of the Sexes’ also succeeds
due to its sympathetic portrayals. As King, Stone conveys the conflicted
emotions of her role well and genuinely gets under the skin of an interesting
person. Carell is less memorable due to him making Riggs more of a
caricature than true person. But both work well together in their scenes
and their co-stars aid in evoking the 70’s era well. ‘Battle of the
Sexes’ isn’t all about disco and flares with its emotional core more engaging
than any surface trimmings.
In an era where equality for all has been making headlines,
‘Battle of the Sexes’ is timeless despite its period setting. Sharply
directed and well written, it’s a movie worth watching. It may not settle
the constant gender debate but it proves how equality and fairness for all are
always things worth fighting for.
Movie Review Rating out of 10: 8
Movie Review by Patrick Moore
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