Originally Reviewed
Monday January 2, 2006
Wimbledon has to be the only tennis film (or tennis anything for that matter) I've ever seen. I'm racking my brain to think of another film based around tennis, but coming up dry. I rented this film on the basis of someone else's review combined with decent ratings on Netflix. I don't like tennis, I know nothing about tennis and I really can't stand Kirsten Dunst in any shape, form, or being, still I surprising found some enjoyment here.
Wimbledon is your typical comeback story, Peter Colt (Paul Bettany) was once 11th overall in the world and now is 119th. Luck is on his side and he's offered a wildcard spot at Wimbledon where he plans to end his professional career. With not much hope of success, or support from family, Peter begins to feel like he might end up looking more foolish than he already feels he is. That is until he meets American tennis star Lizzie Bradbury, who he instantly falls in love with, and begins to use as adrenaline to win games. As the tournament proceeds Peter must deal with Lizzie's overprotected father, the pains of love, and the last chance he has to finally win Wimbledon.
Wimbledon actually moves along quite well, hardly ever dragging and constantly managed to sustain my interest. Paul Bettany is a pretty good actor in the films I have seen him in previously (A Beautiful Mind and Master & Commander) and he does a decent job here as well. Kirsten on the other hand was her same goofy self with the same frown and annoying smile, fortunately she didn't ruin the film for me, but her relationship with Bettany's character seemed incredibly stilted and forced. Luckily this was more of a sports film than a romantic comedy, had the story focused more on Lizzie and Peter I'd not have much to compliment. Overall, Wimbledon ends up being an average sports story about a sport that doesn't see much silver screen time, and is worth a look for fans or general audiences looking for a slight variance.
7/10
I liked the film too, but I'm known to have love for romcoms :) Loved the cast with Paul Bettany, James McAvoy, and that GAME OF THRONES hunk Nicholas Coster Waldau. I'm also not a fan of Kirsten. She never bought me with her acting, too fake if you ask me. Kinda like Gwyny Paltrow and Naomi Watts.
ReplyDelete@Dez - I don't even remember McAvoy being in it, must have been before he reached popularity. The only Kirsten film I barely like her in is Elizabethtown, and she is kinda like a Paltrow, but I wouldn't throw Watts into that mix. Watts is quite a good actress watch The Painted Veil.
ReplyDeleteahahha, you are getting old a bit, Answer, remember our famous argument on THE PAINTED VEIL last year? :)) We had quite a long exchange on it :)
ReplyDeleteI adored the story, the promising possibilities, the setting, but thought the director didn't have a clear vision and enough sensuality, and I also thought that Naomi's one-facial-expression acting ruined the film. It should have been Winslet, Blanchett or Collette next to Norton in that one.
@Dez - sorry I've got to remember a lot of things. I guess that just wasn't a very important thing to remember. Glad you mentioned though, so we didn't waste time going through it again! ;)
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