This week at the cinema
Battle of the Sexes (2017)Genre: BiopicDirector: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie FarisStarring: Emma Stone, Steve Carrell, Andrea Riseborough, Elisabeth Shue, Alan Cumming, Sarah Silverman, Natalie Morales Duration: 121 minutesClass: 12AKRS Releasing Ltd
The US sports biopic is loosely based on a 1973 televised tennis match between Billie Jean King, 29, and Bobby Riggs, 55.
The match attracted a lot of attention and was viewed by an estimated 90 million people around the world. King’s win is considered a milestone in public acceptance of women’s tennis.
In this film adaptation, directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, Emma Stone plays the role of King and Steve Carrell interprets the part of Riggs.
The plot looks into how while the two players were trapped in the media glare, off-court each was fighting more personal and complex battles. With King’s husband urging her to fight for equal pay, she was also struggling to come to terms with her own sexuality, while Riggs gambled his legacy and reputationin a bid to relive the glories of his past.
The film garnered very positive reviews. The critics’ consensus on Rotten Tomatoes reads: “Battle of the Sexes turns real-life events...