Wimbledon

CinemaSerf6/10

Aug 4, 2024

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Plucky Brit "Colt" (Paul Bettany) has probably left his best tennis days behind him. Now ranked in the low one hundreds of the world rankings, he'd struggle to beat an egg. A wildcard to Wimbledon might serve as a fitting denouement for his career before he retires to make a few quid teaching old ladies (like Celia Imrie) at their exclusive country club. Luckily, his hotel gives him the wrong room key and he finds himself in a luxurious suite whilst it's official occupant "Lizzie" (Kirsten Dunst) is taking a shower. She's the real deal on the court and she takes a bit of a shine to the no-hoper - much to the chagrin of her manager/father (Sam Neill). As their relationship blossoms a bit, it has quite an effect on his game. His expected dismissal in round one doesn't happen, nor round two... She, on the other hand, crashes out a bit earlier than planned but can the two manage to salvage what's important from the lessons being learned? Could it actually be a love match? It's an amiable enough little romcom, this, with actually quite a tenterhook ending but the comedy is a bit thin on the ground and aside from the two at the top who do look like they are enjoying themselves, the remaining cast don't deliver so well - especially the dreadfully wooden Neill, the overly hammy Robert Lindsay and a curiously sterile badinage in the commentary box between John McEnroe and Chris Evert. Some of the tennis action is quite well structured, though, and the film looks fine. You'll just probably never remember it later.