‘I Hope This Isn’t A Frustrating Answer To You’: Challengers’ Writer Shares His Take On The Film’s Divisive Ending

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In a slightly different wording: Luca Guadagnino’s film “Challengers” was one of the standout movies of 2024 despite premiering at the start of last year. The captivating, steamy tennis-themed romance featuring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor left viewers spellbound, with the movie’s reviews being exceptionally positive. From its energetic EDM soundtrack to the intricate and seductive portrayal of a complex trio relationship, there was little to criticize – until the film’s controversial ending caused debate among viewers.

In the closing moments of “Challengers,” a hint of reconciliation occurs within the love triangle involving Tashi, Patrick, and Art. Despite this, numerous questions remain unanswered, causing viewers’ dissatisfaction. Yet, writer Justin Kuritzkes expresses no urgency to tie up all loose ends, even if it leads to an enigmatic conclusion for the story.

In simpler terms, For me, the moment when everyone in the movie has opened up to each other and all their secrets are revealed, and the boys play their best tennis ever while Tashi returns to playing tennis after many years, is what I was looking forward to. To me, that moment satisfies my expectations from the movie, and who ends up winning the match doesn’t matter anymore because we’ve already moved beyond it.

I don’t mean to be annoying, but” could be an alternative way of expressing that both phrases convey. However, in the given context, it seems more appropriate to replace “No offense, but” with “I understand where you’re coming from, but,” as this better sets up for presenting a contrasting view or counterpoint without sounding overly blunt. As for the tennis score, 30-love means that the server has won three consecutive points and their opponent has not yet won any, so it is an advantageous position to be in during the game.

Regardless of your feelings about it, the characters’ actions in the final scene appear intentionally unrelated to the game.

In the decisive match point, the duo of Faist’s Art Donaldson and O’Connor’s Patrick Zweig are getting increasingly close to the net. A subtle grin emerges on Art’s face as they strive to execute remarkable defensive plays.

The moment arrives when everyone in the crowd pauses, almost holding their breath, as Donaldson leaps high into the air to strike the ball, appearing to soar over Zweig’s net. The scene unfolds slowly. Patrick lets go of his racket to rush and hug his longtime friend, disregarding the match’s result.

As the credits conclude, Tashi exclaims “Let’s go!” followed by her intense face transforming into a jubilant grin as she joins in the applause with the rest of the crowd.

So, let me clarify a few things. Who ultimately took home the tennis trophy? More crucially, who will find themselves in a romantic relationship, the game of love’s champion: Tashi or will it be the boys who prioritize their bond over hers? What does Art reveal about his affair with Patrick to Tashi? Lastly, how does Tashi react when Art decides to retire?

After viewing the movie “Challengers”, such queries could be expected, but the author expresses his appreciation for films that occasionally finish in an unexpected or sudden manner.

After their lives unfold, I can’t say for certain. It’s intriguing for spectators to ponder the outcomes. For myself, I appreciate how films create characters who live and breathe during the movie, but cease to exist once it ends. Even if a film depicts an entire life span, it’s still a manufactured box holding the raw, unpredictable nature of life and human connections. We’re peering into just a slice of something larger. If others wish to imagine the rest, that’s wonderful. But for me, I’ve had my fill.

I quite appreciate his disregard for appeasing the audience, and it turned out that his strategy was successful in the end. The various aspects of the storyline seemed to perfectly align, leaving many viewers with a sense of letdown upon exiting the theater, not due to disliking the movie, but rather feeling unsatisfied because there wasn’t even more content.

The duo Kuritzkes and Guadagnino excel at conveying intricate character emotions in an engaging manner, a skill they’ve consistently demonstrated. For instance, before completing their work on Challengers, the director of Call Me By Your Name had already approached the playwright Kuritzkes to adapt Queer for him.

In summary, both “Challengers” and “Queer” garnered acclaim from both critics and viewers. Among Luca Guadagnino’s films, it was only the score for the tennis movie that won a Golden Globe award in the past week.

Yet, there’s a growing excitement among fans about additional work from these creative individuals. As a result, they have officially agreed to collaborate once more with renowned actor Daniel Craig in a future DC superhero production.

You’ve not seen the end of their brilliance yet, it is only just the start.

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2025-01-12 03:07