Movie Reaction: Battle of the Sexes

Formula: Bend it Like Beckham / Wimbledon

I wasn't alive for the Battle of the Sexes, the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. I've only heard abut it in docu-series of VH1 and CNN. I kind of wish I could've been around for that moment. It's one of those events that perfectly tapped into the zeitgeist in a way that can't really be explained in a sentence or two. In that respect, it reminds me of the Trump election. That happened because all the right dominoes were lined up at just the right time for that to happen. In the case of the Battle of the Sexes, it was a moment with the the woman's rights movement and the conservative push against it had equal momentum. There were actual stakes, although things weren't so dire that you couldn't laugh about it. It couldn't've happened without King's popularity. It also needed someone with Riggs' shamelessness and showmanship. Then there's the excess of the 70s to add to the mix. All of that makes the Battle of the Sexes the perfect topic for a movie.

The first thing I need to make clear is that this is a Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) movie, with Bobby Riggs (Steve Carrell) as a prominent supporting character. Trailers make it look like more of a co-lead situation, and that's not the case. She's the main character. He's an irritant. The film covers King's role in the creation of a female tennis tour that got more equitable pay for female tennis players. While this is going on, the then married King begins an affair with the tour's female hairdresser. Meanwhile, Bobby Riggs is a mostly washed up former men's tennis champion looking for a new hustle. He finds it by tapping into the feminist movement of the time and starts challenging the best female tennis players to matches, promising a significant cash prize if they win. King, as the best female tennis player at the time, eventually accepts his challenge and they square off in the titular match.

Stone and Carrell are terrific. Both are playing real people with huge personalities. Stone has a tricky balance, because there's a lot of things going on in King's life at the time. She's a world class tennis player first, but she's also fighting for fair treatment for woman and coming to terms with her own sexual orientation. Stone never gets overwhelmed by all that, except of course, when the character is meant to be overwhelmed. Carrell has to add shading to Bobby Riggs, who only ever portrayed himself as a cartoon. He does a great job of showing that Riggs was probably more of a hustler and a showman than a chauvinist. It's all a game, as far as he's concerned. King realizes this, but also knows that his game could have real consequences. The film ends by calling this all a dance, and it really is.

The other supporting performances are good too. Andrea Riseborough is charming as King's love interest. Austin Stowell, as King's cuckolded husband, gets some great shades to play. That's a tough role. His character is in a difficult situation, and he plays it believably. Natalie Morales should be in everything because she's always delightful. I seriously don't understand how she hasn't be given a chance to lead a sitcom yet, but that's a discussion for another day. Sarah Silverman is a treat as the organizer of the women's tennis tour and King's biggest ally.

I suppose my big complaint about the movie is that it's not really about the Battle of the Sexes tennis match. That's actually just something going on in the background for most of the film, then it explodes into this spectacle at the end. The preparation for it is covered in a montage. And, the things the film covers instead are good. I could've watched a whole movie focusing on the early days if this women's tennis tour or King slowly accepting who she is. It was just too much for one movie. As a result, the end almost feels out of place, despite being the selling point of the film. In that way, it reminds me a lot of the Jesse Owen movie, Race, from a couple years ago. That turns into a-whole-nother movie in the last third when they go to the Olympics, which ended up being the best part. Battle of the Sexes similarly has trouble fitting the key event of the movie with the other stories it wants to tell.

Oh, and another small gripe. Maybe it's just me, but I feel like they went overboard to explain why Bobby (spoiler alert) loses the match. Like, the movie points out that no one is trying to say that women are better at tennis than men; the point is that if they can draw an audience like the men, they should get paid like the men. It was still odd how much they were showing King busting her ass and Riggs doing everything wrong to prepare for a match that was still somewhat competitive.

If Battle of the Sexes was a meal, this is what I'd have to say about it: I like the ingredients but the measurements were off. It's enjoyable to watch. There's a little something for everyone to enjoy. Emma Stone and Steve Carrell carry the movie. The non-Riggs "villains" are painted a little arch, although there's a lot of evidence to suggest that it's pretty accurate. I would've loved more time with the women on the tennis tour. The film as it exists is fine though.

Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend