Saturday 30 September 2017

Battle of the Sexes (2017)

Billie Jean King always spoke highly of her famous rival Bobby Riggs. They supposedly remained fiends until he died. She also remained friends with her ex husband after coming out as a lesbian and was named godmother to his children with his next wife. Riggs’s wife takes him back and they live out a happy life together. This story of overcoming sexism is couched in this very friendly, and rather safe, culture. The film embraces this dynamic going on to point all this out in the end ensuring that we all leave feeling good about everything.

The film is very sympathetic to all involved (with the one exception of Bill Pullman’s character, who gets to be the bad guy that we all hate. Otherwise the struggle against misogyny is presented as a cheerful, friendly struggle which had little harmful effects. It is like a fairy tale, and they all lived happily every after.

Other than feeling a bit disappointed in the sugarcoating Battle of the Sexes does to the whole issue it’s hard not to enjoy this film. Carell is astonishes charismatic as the man who exploits sexism for financial gain (I know... that’s my point). Stone is finally playing someone other than Emma Stone in a movie and its great to be reminded what an amazing actor she is, not just an amazing screen presence (which she also is). The film is feel good fodder for the multiplex crowd and its excellently done.

But I couldn’t help just feeling a little let down in the way it lets everyone off the hook. As historical fiction its great. I understand the film makers were going for a certain kind of movie. As. Feel good personal story it’s a triumph. Well filmed, performed, it’s an accessible and thoroughly enjoyable film. As a movie about the struggle to overcome oppression it leaves a lot to be desired.

Battle of the Sexes
Starring: Emma Stone, Steve Carell,  Andrea Riseborough, Sarah Silverman, Bill Pullman
Directors: Valerie Farris, Jonathan Dayton
Writer: Simon Beaufoy

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