The film opens and closes with a tennis match. On one side of the net is Art Donaldson (Mike Faist), the face of Wilson tennis rackets, stopping by this second-tier challenger tournament for a confidence boost on his way to attempt a Grand Slam. On the other side of the net is Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor), a broke and low-ranked competitor, who sleeps in his car before using online dating to secure a bed during the tournament. After winning their respective brackets, Art and Patrick face off in the finals. Between the beginning and end of the match are a series of flashbacks that raise questions about what the men are competing for.
Unlike a tennis match, which draws the crowd’s attention to the left, then to the right, then to the left, and back again, each flashback presents a new revelation that leaves the viewer unsure where to look next. The narrative unfolds beautifully, with each scene revealing just enough information to answer some questions and raise others. Director Luca Guadagnino (of Call Me By Your Name) has a gift for the slow burn. While many modern films are either predictable or jump the shark, Challengers slowly and deliberately builds to a climax that manages to be both shocking and narratively satisfying.