Fresh and Exciting

A Masterpiece!

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

The advent of Andy Murray has badly aged these type of films. When you have a true life British Wimbledon champion, you care less about a fictional one.This film gets served regularly during Wimbledon fortnight. It is a passable rom-com starring an actor who is rather unsuited to the genre.Paul Bettany plays Peter Colt, a has been British tennis player about to call it a day. He has a wildcard for Wimbledon and at his hotel he encounters rising American tennis star Lizzie Bradbury (Kirsten Dunst) who is coached by her father (Sam Neill.)What starts as flirting ends up being a bit more serious, the upside being Peter starts to win, he gains the attention of the British public and his agent (Jon Favreau.)It is a likeable film but it is rather bland and also by the numbers with very little comedy.

Wimbledon (2004): Dir: Richard Loncraine / Cast: Paul Bettany, Kirsten Dunst, Sam Neill, Jon Favreau, Austin Nichols: Striking film about victory and achievement both in sport and in relationships. It stars Paul Bettany as a tennis player who once ranked 11th in the world but now reduced to 119. Now he intends to retire whether he wins or loses. A chance meeting with a female tennis player played by Kirsten Dunst sparks a romance that her father and manager forbids. Excellent setup establishes a love for tennis as well as certain tension. It becomes repetitious after each game and romantic encounter. The inclusion of Bettany's parents is also not necessary but director Richard Loncraine translates the game footage well with great camera work. Bettany is flawless as he makes upset victory after upset victory all the while never making it quite certain for viewers. Dunst completes the equation as a female player trying to maintain focused. Sam Neill as her father is too wooden, and Jon Favreau as the manager is equally cardboard. They both play more out of convenience than purpose. Austin Nichols plays the arrogant jerk American player up against Bettany, and even that is a weak character. While the narrative is somewhat conventional it does deliver a fascinating study of tennis that is surprisingly filled with tension while showing us what is truly important in life. Score: 8 / 10

I enjoyed this film. I always loved watching Wimbledon and this film reminded me of Goran Ivanisevic winning Wimbledon as a wild card some years back. I wonder how much this story was inspired by that event? In any case plot is connected to those two weeks in Wimbledon when tennis comes to town. I am glad that we have a film which portrays all those events.I remember when I was there in 1994 and tried to get in, but I was not able, could not find a ticket, and I did not feel like lining up for one, pardon queuing. I watched all on the screens outside. It was a lot of fun! I thank the actors for acting well in this film. I really enjoyed Peter character played so well by Paul Bettany, after all I could of been that Peter in a different life, eh? ;)

Wimbledon is one of those movies that leaves you wanting more of something, I don't know what though.The scenes at the famous Wimbledon club are absolutely beautiful, Paul Bettany did a superb job in looking like a real tennis pro. The games looked real and engaging, good tennis overall, but....What was missing? Was it maybe the fact that the girl was not a nice person and showed her real personality on court being nasty, crude and spoiled brat? I couldn't help but wonder if a real tennis player like her would even give a second glance to a player like him, a has been!It's a not bad film really, it was obviously made with the uttermost care and it succeed to a point but not into the realms of a great film, and before long it will be forgotten, unfortunately.Watch it if you have no better options, it's at least entertaining, and non-demanding.