Day 184 - Battle of the Sexes

Day 184           Battle of the Sexes [2017]

                    

Screenplay                    Simon Beaufoy

Director                         Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris

Cinematography            Linus Sandgren

Music                            Nicholas Britell

Leads                            Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough, Sarah Silverman, Bill Pullman, Jessica McNamee, Alan Cumming, Natalie Morales, Eric Christian Olsen, Austin Stowell

Production                     Decibel Films, Cloud Eight Films

IMDb                                6.7/10

Rotten Tomatoes               85%

The most shocking thing about this film based on a true story is how recently the events depicted actually took place. Again, the USA has disappointed me in its claim to be the most modern, civilised society in the world when gender equality was still a dream in the 70s. If a man such as Bobby Riggs tried to pull that stunt today his life in the world of tennis would be over. Imagine Pat Cash challenging Serena Williams to do that now under the claim that men are better than women? Let’s ignore the fact that Serena would probably beat him 6-0 6-0 6-0 whilst pregnant and with one hand tied behind her back. Cash’s name would be dirt forever more. And yet much of America’s sporting community and general society embraced this match between a self-confessed chauvinist pig and an incredible athlete who believed strongly in women’s rights. Sorry. I have ranted before really explaining what the film is about. In 1973, the former men’s singles tennis number 1, Bobby Riggs, challenged the star of female tennis, Billie Jean King, to an exhibition match where the winner would take away $100,000. Steve Carrell plays Riggs and Emma Stone plays King. Although I can’t pretend I know what either person was like in real life both actors convinced me that they were spot on with their imitations. I have to say Emma Stone was a bit too Emma Stone-y for me. I’m starting to feel like she acts the same in every film of hers I see. The gender equality discourse was the most interesting thing about the film really. I thought they made it a bit too fun when it could have been more of a hard-hitting feminist film. You know - drive home how fucking awful men were back then. The sense of entitlement is sickening. I didn’t enjoy it that much at least it conveys something meaningful.

Acting                            3.5 / 4

Writing                              3 / 4

Cinematography                3 / 4

Music                                2 / 4

HWF rating               2.5 / 4