"Wimbledon" is another one of those agreeable, English-flavored romantic comedies which in years past would have starred a stammering Hugh Grant. This time the principals are professional tennis players and the setting is Wimbledon. Paul Bettany makes for a good romantic lead in the Grant mold without the latter's sometimes annoying cloying and also is convincing as a tennis player at the tail end of his career. But Kirsten Dunst, the love interest, while giving a very likable performance, does not look her part. She also is not helped by the screenplay, which does not present her as a particularly compelling match. In fact, the character seems more like one that usually would be set up as the rival, missing the elements of the "intended". Further causing the film to come across less than compelling: Every character, save one, is nice, making it nearly conflict-free. Not a waste of time, but nothing memorable, "Wimbledon" is a tension-free, pick-me-up: The movie equivalent of a lightly-flavored carbonated water: effervescent, but lacking any distinct taste.
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Placemat1 January 2005
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butchfilms7 February 2009This movie was better of what I expected, it was interesting and entertaining.
I had seen Paul Bettany in " Gangster No. 1 (2000)" and I was surprised that he could do a romantic comedy so well too, he had a good chemistry with the beautiful Kirsten Dunst who is always good in this kind of movies. The plot is interesting and I liked a lot the tennis games scenes. What I didn't like so much were some silly moments involving Peter Colt's brother and manager.
Peter Colt is playing his last tournament at Wimbledon and there he will meet Lizzie a young tennis player with a great future with whom he will begin a romance behind her father's back ..........
I recommend watching it if you like romantic comedy movies. -
katryna11119 September 2004Wimbledon is a cute story where cute people fall in love, make great love, than have an inevitable and predictable fight in the middle of it all.
Even though this movie follows the formula's of most romantic comedies, it is saved by above-average chemistry with its leads, (Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany) and the tennis aspect it is focused around. The romance between Dunst and Bettany works because they share the commonality of their sport, which helps to ignite their relationship.
If you're not a lover of cute sappy moments like barefooted walks in the park or 10 mile jogs resulting in a big cuddle-fest, than at least see this movie for its realistic tennis scenes. These scenes (which were really shot at Wimbledon) are extremely well done, especially those of Bettany's matches, where you can hear his comical inner thoughts before he serves the ball. The scenes reflect the pressure and intimidation that every tennis player must feel once he steps out onto the court.
While Wimbledon is certainly not the best romantic comedy, I left the theater smiling rather than gagging. And for me, that's a good thing. -
seaview113 September 2004The sport of tennis serves (no pun intended) as a good background in Strangers on a Train and Pat and Mike. As the focal point of a full feature, it has never produced a solid film. Instead, there would be the occasional lightweight drama like Players (Dean Paul Martin and Ali McGraw) which fizzled back in 1980. Wimbledon, while a marked improvement over the former, does nothing to change the status quo.
Primarily a star vehicle for Kirsten Dunst (Spiderman, Bring It On) and rising star Paul Bettany (Master and Commander, A Beautiful Mind), the storyline is the stereotypic budding romance between Dunst who is the up and coming tennis star, and Bettany, the aging midline star who is trying for one last shot at being champion at Wimbledon. Their romance blossoms much to the consternation of Dunst's father (Sam Neill) who fears distractions for his daughter. There are a few subplots involving Bettany's quarreling parents, his playing partner, and his opportunistic agent (Jon Favreau). It's not too hard to figure who might win/lose or where the romance will lead.
Stars Dunst and Bettany are likable and have a nice chemistry but not much script to work with. There are a few nice lines and situations piecemealed throughout, but the plot is paper thin and the dialogue is unimaginative. This was from the people who brought us Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral? Ah, look at the credits more closely and Richard Curtis is missing; not even a Hugh Grant cameo is in sight. Sam Neill, Bernard Hill, and Eleanor Bron (Remember her from the original Bedazzled?) are wasted in minor roles. The tennis scenes are somewhat fun with the stars putting their all in the physical matches, but the tennis balls are almost too perfect as the special effects become too obvious.
Bettany is destined for more substantial roles and Dunst won't be hurt by this lightweight comedy/drama. One could only imagine what they could have done with a more lively script and complex characters. Sure it's nice to look at and the stars are a cute couple, but this was a squandered opportunity. -
Steph19855 October 2004*spoilers* alert
I felt that the film was a step up from your typical airy fairy, not funny, Julia, Sandra or Meg romantic comedy. However, having said that, it still wasn't the best movie i've ever seen. There were the funny moments, and the token dickhead character (Bettany's brother) kept the light laughs flowing. Of course, love prevails at the end. Dunst's overprotective father, Neil, eventually warms to the man he's so sternly told to stay away from his daughter. Funny though, how after she's been knocked out of the competition that he finally pushes her to go for him (oh, and he professes his love for her on national television). Bettany's washed out tennis star character uses love as his inspiration against young pro game heavy weights to beat all odds and win the grand slam. I really enjoyed Bettany's portrayal of the washed out Peter Colt. However, i usually love Dunst's performances, but there was something that she brought to the character that didn't sit right. A certain hardness i suppose, that was unnecessary and an overly forced American accent. I particularly liked the visual effects on Colt when he was playing. I thought they were quite effective and creative, getting us inside his thoughts and emotions. All in all, i thought the film really wasn't bad, and i think i would quite happily watch it again.
3.5 stars out of 5. -
Overall I felt this was quite a good film that subtly redefined the mould of the British 'chick-flick' romantic comedy/drama.
It almost lost me in the first few scenes when Robert Lindsay was introduced as the tennis club manager with stereotypical skinny moustache to let you know he is a bit of a sleaze, but work through that and the underlying sub plot of this being Peter Colt's last chance to not be one of the barely remembered, did not quite make it tennis club pro's works quite well.
The Lizzie Bradbury character of the female lead also veered away from the stereotype for that role, although cute and very sexy her character is not particularly nice and it took me a while to get attached to her. However the reality is that at that level of competition in truth how many people are 'Strawberries and Cream nice' very few, so top marks to the script writers for a realistic heroin.
It was good to see a film of this ilk without Hugh Grant as the lead, no disrespect to Mr. Grant but you can only recycle him as the romantic Brit lead so many times. Paul Bettany worked well with a script that was clearly written for Hugh to the point that in the early shower scene if you shut your eyes (which I would highly recommend any red blooded male not to do) you would think it was him playing Peter Colt.
I firmly expected a twist at the end which did not come, to the extent that the ending was quite a surprise, enough said without invoking spoilers.
Also top marks to the old and new British character actors in the lesser parts who always bring an ironic smile to a local in this brand of movie. -
...comes another romantic comedy, almost exactly like it! Having picked up on the blatant similarities between Paul Bettany and Hugh Grant as foppish, witty Englishmen in Wimbledon, it came as no surprise to me to learn that Hugh Grant had originally been considered for the lead role of Peter Colt. If you have ever seen a film starring Hugh Grant as the lead, you know now what Wimbledon is essentially like and how it is acted because Paul Bettany's tennis-playing character Peter is exactly like a Hugh Grant character--confused, witty and extremely English. While Bettany does not quite have the the charming part down to perfection yet, he is much more attractive than the king of romantic comedies. He is also strangely compatible with Kirsten Dunst and that makes it a nice romance story.
While centering the plot around tennis (Wimbledon, in fact) is fairly uncommon, this is only a disguise for a genuinely ordinary and well-milked premise. Man is out of touch and out of luck and meets a wild, free girl who will help him awake from his sedated mental state and make him feel alive again. Conflicts inevitably rise, because the man and girl are two players in Wimbledon and so there is more at stake than just a love affair; they are both competing to win. In the end, this film is really quite cute and often at least a little funny but believe me when I say it's nothing you haven't seen before. I mostly enjoyed it because of Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau, to be honest. -
tabuno25 January 201931 October 2004. This fun, sporting romance of a movie would been better received by the larger movie-going audience if the sport's emphasis had been on America - but nevertheless, for any anti-Brit - that just too bad. I enjoyed the movie and even as a former high school tennis player, I even found the tennis scenes believable and exciting - this movie had a good balance between its romance and sport (something most sport-romance films often fail to be able to do). While the romance and action were typical, the basic flavor of movies nowadays have advanced a bit, including Wimbledon. It's not fun and games. There are even losses. But getting in the tennis player's mind, namely Paul Bettany, was a nice touch along with the decent tennis action. A must see for female tennis players who like a bit of romance along with anyone who likes tennis and behind the scenes comedy and entertainment.
An excellent date movie, with a sport-bent. Seven out of Ten Stars. -
Sweet_Ophelia2 October 2004Peter Colt (Paul Bettany) was once ranked 11th in the tennis world back in the 90's. Now with the prime of his life behind him, ranked number 119, Peter decides to throw in the towel and play his last ever Wimbledon tournament before gracefully bowing out of the gentleman's sport for good and going to work at a tennis club tending to clucky old ladies. All he wants is to go out in style, keep his dignity and try not to cock up too badly. That is, until he meets American tennis sweet-heart Lizzie Bradbury (Kirsten Dunst). Lizzie is the tennis world's new golden girl, and looks to have Wimbledon in the bag... that is until Peter proves a costly distraction. They instantly take a liking to one another, and their relationship moves pretty quickly into the bedroom. Her side-tracked mind becomes apparent to her ambitious father (Sam Neill) who can feel his daughter's priorities taking a turn. Meanwhile, Lizzie is improving Peter's game by acting as his 'lucky charm'. Now Peter has to ask himself.... can the long-shot win the tournament?
'Working Title Films' are the same lot who brought us "four weddings & a funeral" and "bridget jones's diary" and while they stick to pretty much the same formula with Wimledon, it's a formula that works and produces a satisfying romantic comedy. Bumbling, charming Brit meets American hot-shot. Boy gets girl. Boy loses Girl.... and all the rest.... While this is nothing new essentially, it is still a very great movie.
Paul Bettany is a gorgeous leading man, pulling out all the charms and making himself impossible not to like. Be sure to keep an eye out for Bettany, who is more used to taking the back-seat supporting role in films (A knights tale, a beautiful mind etc...) but after Wimbledon, he has proven himself a more than capable and lovable leading-man.
Kirsten delivers a some-what aggressive performance as Lizzie. Sure she's a head-strong American, but couldn't Dunst have made her a likable head-strong American? It's not a bad performance, just a little 'off' at times, not quite hitting the mark she should have aimed for in this romantic comedy.
Jon Favreau plays Peter's manager, a typically sleazy businessman... but he does it so well, and with such delivery that he's also impossible not to like. Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau plays Peter's German friend. It's a small role, but my God, this guy is a hunk and a half. Sam Neill is pretty forgettable, playing a fairly wooden one-dimensional character. The other noticeable performance comes from unknown James McAvoy who plays Peter's annoying brother, Carl. Great comedic timing and genuinely likable.
Wimbledon is filled with quick wit, dry English humor, fantastic (although computer-generated) tennis matches and a stand-out leading man. What's not to like? It's a great film for a good laugh and is a definite pleaser. Game-set-match! -
It was what I expected in a lot of ways. Kinda' hokey, kinda' corny, but entertaining. A run-of-the mill romantic comedy with few surprises on that end. The actors did a good job keeping it interesting and fun. Dunst played the strength or her character well, but never seemed to take the heavier scenes seriously enough. Paul Bettany was solid, but in a lot of scenes, he overplayed the stereotypical Hugh Grant British stammering and awkwardness. It should be noted that this is from the same team that made Notting Hill.
I must give the movie a LOT of credit for transferring the game to the screen rather well. Wimbledon did an outstanding job at depicting the psychological game within the game. At some points I actually felt the tingling in my legs that I remembered from the starting blocks in my first track meet. Intense. The visual effects were also well done. In some ways it played like The Matrix only instead of the war against the machines it's Wimbledon and instead of "the one" it's some British guy.
In spite of its genre-specific clichés, it was original enough for me to enjoy. I gave it a 6 for being an enjoyable movie, and an extra point for its visual effects and dramatic power. I recommend it to the romantic comedy fans and mild sports fans. -
annamagnani7 October 2004The friend I saw "Wimbledon" with joked that whoever wrote it must have googled "cliches" and then tossed every one of them in this sorry excuse for a romantic comedy. So banal it's offensive. Not even Paul Bettany's sexy overbite could save it. Its half-hearted effort at combining sports with a love story annoyed me to no end. Hardly a decent shot, let alone sequence, of any actual tennis play and dialog about the game amounted to such trite wisdom as "play through the pain." It appears the film makers targeted this film towards young women, assuming they'd identify with Kirsten Dunst. Sure...an arrogant, hothead trollop who'll give up her dream for a quick shag.
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mystery_angel1218 December 2004There aren't many Tennis movies so when one does come out, Tennis fans are quick to see it and quick to judge it. As well as being a movie about Britain's famous Wimbledon Tennis Tournament it is a romantic comedy. I think a lot of people who see the movie and are disappointed with the so called lack of Tennis scenes are forgetting the movie is also about the romance between the two tennis players (Paul Bettany and Kirsten Dunst.) I loved the movie, I thought it was quirky, romantic and fun. There are heaps of real-life tennis couples and this movie is a great example of how two people from different places and upbringings can change each other's lives. If you like romantic comedyies or sports movies than I definitely recommend this movie.
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Faisal_Flamingo18 June 2006It is not a masterpiece nor it is a bad movie .. it's just an OK romantic comedy movie about Tennis. It could be better if it was an independent movie but anyway, I enjoyed it even that in some moments I felt it is "too much" Hollywood type of a movie. I believe the best thing in the movie that it gave me a general idea & taught me some basic things about Tennis .. I had a friend in high school called Omar Althaqib who was the champion of tennis in Saudi Arabia but I never asked him about the rules in tennis matches & I wasn't so interested in Tennis at that time, I think he might "LUV" it if he ever watched it. Kirsten Dunst was good but I believe there's something wrong with the character. She's an amazing unique tennis player but she lacks confidence?! .. this is doesn't make sense to me but anyway, it is not that deep movie .. it is a kind of fun movie & one of the few movies about a nice sport. Watch the movie with no high expectations and you'll probably LUV it.
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DeathByTelevision20 August 2005I wasn't expecting Schindler's List when I sat down to watch Wimbledon, but this movie scrapes the bottom of the barrel when it comes to supposed lighthearted romantic fare. Professional tennis players Peter and Lizzie simply meet, have sex and fall in love before we've seen them have a meaningful conversation. Throughout the movie, we never learn exactly what these two see in each other. We're supposed to blindly believe that they met and fell madly in love for no reason, with Lizzie suddenly becoming a muse for an over-the-hill tennis player. There is absolutely no suspense in any of the tennis matches, and every turn is completely obvious. With such a weak script and such a phoned in performance by Kirsten Dunst, this played like a bad TV movie of the week.
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jfrankalmighty16 November 2004for the record, i never tend to go see movies of this nature, but since Kirsten Dunst is in it, i had to check it out. the main reason why i enjoyed it was pretty much Kirsten. her acting is quite alluring to me. paul bettany did a good too though.
the movie itself though....lacked substance. i can't be too harsh on this film though because i know that it wasn't meant to be an "Oscar Winner". in fact, Paul Bettany said that this was simply a Friday night with friends romantic movie. looking at the movie that way, it was good. but i also happen to be a moderate tennis fan, and the action was pretty cool.
there was very good chemistry between Paul and Kirsten, and the whole romantic aspect was mysterious regarding how the relationship formed so quickly. truth is though, it ain't that funny. sure maybe there's a part in there that makes you half smile, but that's about it. In terms of tennis playing, there were some damn cool tennis sequences. some of the best i would say. but that doesn't really make up for the somewhat empty story-line. all in all, this film ain't too bad. the people that watch it oughta be tennis fans or Kirsten fans (!). other than that, everyone else is just going to be watching another shallow romance flick. -
copperncherrio13 March 2011Following two fine tennis players at Wimbledon and how their career changes as a result of their love affair. First of all, I'm not a big Dunst fan but I love Paul Bettany, but have never seen him in a love/romance film or role.
Also there are some amazing tennis shots throughout this film, and some great filming concepts. The chemistry was believable and so was the plot.
Both do a great job and there are great tennis scenes that correlates with the plot as well as a entertaining story. Of all the chick flicks that I've forced myself to watch, I think this one has the most of what I want from chick flicks: unique background and real conflict. -
"Wimbledon" would be the typical romantic comedy if it were not about tennis. This makes it both a romantic comedy and a sports movie at the same time. It would not be original at all in case tennis were not the main issue in the plot. In general, it is a very nice comedy with very good length and pace and fine actors and acting. Another strong point in the movie is its nice photography of London and a nearby English town, specially the first, which is a city I like a lot. Paul Bettany is the main actor and plays the role of a relatively veteran tennis player who is not at his best. In Wimbledon, he meets a younger player portrayed by Kirsten Durnst. Sam Neill is in the movie her father and there are a couple more well-known actors doing decent jobs in their respective roles. I am not a particular fan of any of these actors, but they are all good. Paul Bettany shows he is versatile: comedies, action, dramas, mystery; diverse roles, etc. I think the tennis scenes are pretty well.-made. Probable, tennis fans will enjoy more than I did or will find more defects, but surely, everyone who does not demand too much and enjoy this kind of comedies will like it. I insist on that it is not so innovator and the end is predictable, like in most romantic comedies, but enjoyable indeed. 7.
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irishphat10 December 2004Sports Movies are usually immensely positive good-natured affairs altogether. Wimbledon is no different as Tennis tries to drag itself into the mainstream and gain some appeal with tykes around the globe. Some schmaltz thrown in along with the lovely Kirsten Dunst and you have a line-up capable of taking on any audience. Or do you?
Tennis. Rusedski, Agassi, Sharapova et al. They make big news once a year as we all tune into Roland Garros and Wimbledon but how big a deal is it really. This movie tries to drag the sport kicking and screaming into the 21st Century.
With two excellent leads in the Lovely Kirsten Dunst and a surprisingly charming Paul Bettany(Master Commander) and a supporting cast including Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), Jon Favreau (Swingers) and back-up folk such as John McEnroe and Chris Evert there's plenty of people who can make a movie enjoyable.
The main gist of things is that aging Brit Peter Colt(Bettany) has decided to make one last bash at the Championship, expecting to make a quick exit. The night before his first match he meets Lizzie Bradbury - the rising American starlet who sets his pulse racing and seems to spark him into action. The movie follows their blooming relationship while keeping up with their progress through the tournament. Not the massive cheese-fest it could have been as Colt gets fairly lucky along the way and it appears he was once class having been ranked 11th in the world at one point. Focus seems his problem, not ability. His new lady love hones that focus as he makes an assault on the title.
The tennis coaching for this was done by former headband-lover Pat Cash. By all accounts they had to abandon plans to make them look really good and had to add the ball in digitally later. Not for want of effort, both leads spent weeks in preparation for their roles. A well paced movie, you don't really have time to get bored and as such it remains wholly enjoyable for the duration. Sam Neill is pretty good with what little he has to do as the over-protective father who manages to avoid the cliché of being unreasonable for the sake of it. The rest of the cast are fun and entertaining particularly the younger brother (Carl) who some may recall as Pvt. Miller from Band of Brothers. Well worth a trip, Irishphat rating is a healthy 3 out of 5. -
moviefan2003va21 January 2005I think this was a good movie, however, I think it was marketed in the wrong way. It was marketed to appeal to younger audiences but more mature audiences would have found the movie just as entertaining. It's a good romantic film. Bettany is a credible, untapped romantic lead. He has terrific chemistry with Dunst. He perfectly channels the self-doubting, humble, and aging tennis pro who is sensing the sun setting on his career. He is a shoo-in to be beaten in the first round of Wimbledon until he meets Dunst who inspires him to continue on and eventually win. Very, cute, charming film with a cast that makes it slightly more exceptional than most romantic movies covering this same territory.
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bbagnall4 January 2005I've been waiting a long time for an actual tennis movie, and finally here it is and it does not disappoint. Normally I don't feel compelled to comment on the opening credits, but the sequence is so brilliant I have to. As you hear a ball being whacked back and forth, the credits start appearing to the far left of the screen, then the far right, back and forth. Suddenly you realize everyone in the theater is craning their heads back and forth. The film makers have just gotten everyone acting like a tennis crowd. You know right away the film was made by someone who actually watches tennis.
The film has a fair amount of amusing comedy, such as how no one except for Peter Colt can seem to remember that Peter Colt was once ranked 11th. He's moderately wealthy and he's never been hungry, but at 31 he is starting to become a little too old for tennis so he decides it's time to hang up the racket after Wimbledon.
The film does a great job of showing the various types of tennis games pro's go through. There's the experienced player versus the rookie. There's the friend versus friend match. There's the game where everyone is cheering for the other guy. And finally, there's the game where you play your worst enemy.
By the end of the film, you will understand why tennis winners usually fall down on the grass and start weeping after they win the title. I have one question though - why the @*%& did they use a rap song at the end of this film? -
I've just seen the film on DVD, and I really liked it! I didn't really have any expectations at all, because I had never heard of it. I found it really enjoyable though; a charming little story with rounded qualities: romance, humour, and a little suspension and excitement added. Not too predictable, but it didn't give me any big surprise either. I much appreciated the photo and the light, many of the scenes from Brighton were beautiful. We're in the midst of spring here in Stockholm. The days are getting longer, the light is soft, trees are budding, and the fruit trees (apple, cherry, pear) are in full bloom. Love is in the air, and the film had some of that feeling to it.
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Hint52318 March 2005Wimbledon tells the lame tale of a regular tennis player who suddenly becomes king of the bling, and wins the tennis tournament. For starters, if your 118th in the world, you ain't gonna win the biggest hot-shot tournament in a week. But Hollywood has to make a sappy movie, and in order for that he HAS to win. Next most predictable thing: the romance. It follows the basic, lame, step-by-step romantic stuff. 1. Boy Accidentally Meets Girl 2. They Bond, do something together. 3. For some reason, they are not meant to be together, but they stay together. 4. Boy or Girl does something not good that ruins it all 5. They apologize in some obscure way. 6. A Happy, sappy ending. So Wimbledon is a horrible film, and should not have earned a dollar in profits.
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PyrolyticCarbon7 October 2005Straight off I have to make something clear, I wasn't really looking forward to watching this. A romantic comedy movie from some of the Working Title team based on Wimbledon didn't exactly set my pulse racing. I did not want another comedy from this stable, for me Love Actually had stretched the idea enough for me.
So after seeing it I'm very surprised I enjoyed it so much. Despite the rom-com badge and the almost unbelievable premise of Wimbledon it's actually very entertaining and the focus is very much on the com side of that genre label.
Movie The movie has a lot of style right from the very cool opening credits. The filming of the tennis scenes are well done and keep the flow of the movie going. Imagine showing all the crucial Tennis matches for two players climbing through the stages in Wimbledon without the story going dull and the cinematography going into a standard and repetitive style? Well it doesn't, it's almost matrix-esue in it's style in fact. For sports and romantic films, it certainly breaks the mould.
Putting aside the style and the fast paced music, what about the story? Well it's actually got a few twists which are quite unexpected and although it does tread typical ground, the turns are enough to keep you guessing as to the outcome and keep you hooked.
Neat the finals this really does come out and I was very surprised to find myself on the edge of my seat for some of the points, and indeed some of the matches.
It's very funny too, and Paul Bettany shows a particular talent for timing, comedy and looks on camera. It's Bettany that really carries this movie backed by strong performances by Kirsten Dunst, Sam Neill and some smaller British filled roles for Bettany's characters family.
Bettany is totally believable from playing the tennis matches through to the romantic moments. His acting talent shows through amazingly well and is aided by a fantastically written script with some truly funny moments. In particular the self talking moments when we travel inside the head of the tennis player during a match. They seem to capture perfectly the moments of self doubt we all seem to have, quite insightful.
Sound Presented: English - Dolby Digital (5.1) Sporting an excellent Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack at times you can hear the ground around you applauding, or the sound of a ball going past. When a moment of dialogue appears everything is dialled down and there's no attempt at over use.
Picture Presented: Widescreen 2.35:1 Anamorphic Something that struck me was the potential to have the screen be overpowered by the greens of Wimbledon and with the traditional weather there was a thought that the movie would look too dark and dull. Neither is true.
The picture is sharp and vibrant through the movie, clear and bright and very colour rich, it retains this look through even the more complex of special effects match shots.
Extras Presented: Audio commentary with Richard Loncraine and Paul Bettany, 'Welcome To The Club' featurette, 'Ball Control' featurette, 'Coach A Rising Star' featurette, 'Wimbledon: A Look Inside' featurette, Trailers The featurettes are about how the tennis was filmed, how the actors were trained, looks inside Wimbledon itself, and some further looks into the movie. They are quite short and interesting, but they aren't the main draw here, they just serve as distractions from the superb audio commentary from Bettany and the director Richard Loncraine.
Insightful, funny and quite revealing, we hear much about the behind the scenes, shots that never were and how the actors got on together. This was one of the better commentaries I've heard and well worth listening to. Both Bettany and Loncraine are funny and self depreciating, typical British humour.
Overall It's a funny and very enjoyable movie, actually quite a surprise and in a way actually funnier than Love Actually. It also seems to capture the inner dialogues that people face daily very well, as well as some of the other dialogue being nailed rather well. Bettany shines in this film and it shows the huge talent that he has. -
This is such an adorable movie that it's hard to understand at first why it wasn't a huge hit. An underdog English tennis star (Paul Bettany) falls for a strong-willed rising woman's champ (Kirsten Dunst.) The funny thing is, I think cultural differences between England and America really stifled this movie's appeal. The hero is such a nice guy, but I think his willingness to be sort of pushed around and second best comes across as weakness to American audiences. Perhaps not so much in England where it's more acceptable to know one's place and settle for whatever society deems appropriate. And then there's the moment where he considers taking work as a country club tennis pro, and a little group of very attractive society ladies (of mature years) make it very clear they're looking forward to having him as a stud for hire. And the movie sort of bungles the moment, since what comes across is not how attractive he is but how he's too timid to say no to anyone!
At the same time, it's interesting that Kirsten Dunst plays a very strong-willed and determined young woman and that in itself seems to make a lot of people uncomfortable, perhaps more in England than America. And it's hard to tell whether it's modern women or Americans of both sexes who are being stereotyped as selfish and crude.
Then again, there are some minor touches that are slightly creepy. Sam Neill, dark and sinister and aging very badly, is quite off-putting as the American girl's manipulative "stage father." You keep getting the impression he doesn't know this is a comedy! Maybe they told him it was OMEN V: ANTICHRIST AT WIMBLEDON. Or maybe he's just royally ticked off that his face has dropped five inches in the last twenty years, giving him the look of a mountainside after a mud slide. Whatever the cause, Sam Neill is glowering and snarling in every . . . single . . . scene . . . and coming across more like late period Bela Lugosi than anyone you'd meet at Wimbledon . . . or anywhere else outside the crypt. -
TalentedRipley4 October 2004This movie is exactly what I expected. Not worth the money I paid to see it in theaters, however it was not my turn to choose the flick, so I reluctantly went. This movie is not about Tennis, so very little point in commenting on the fact we don't see actors actually playing tennis. They weren't good enough for real action, I understand that. The story was stupidly predictable, this is also expected I have come to understand when it comes to seeing romantic comedies. I can't comment on Kirsten Dunst's acting ability, because it gets me angry that people still give her starring roles even though she hasn't done a decent job of sincerely portraying a character since she was in "An Interview with a Vampire". Paul Bettany was memorable but there was a definite lack of chemistry, and also a lack of good material to work with. The story itself was lacking in substance, but also just straight laughs... I hate when people say its a perfect date movie....as if people on a date don't want something entertaining...so I think I would say this....this is a good movie to rent when it comes out on DVD and you plan to make out on the couch while you are supposedly watching it.