By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Richard Loncraine
Starring: Bernard Hill | Eleanor Bron | James McAvoy | Jon Favreau | Kirsten Dunst | Nikolaj Coster-Waldau | Paul Bettany | Sam Neil
Country: france, united_kingdom
Year: 2004
Running time: 118
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0360201/combined
Bruce says: “Being a huge tennis fan, I approached WIMBLEDON with certain trepidation. Would this romantic comedy be as bad as I feared? The answer is ‘no, it wasn’t really bad at all,’ although it should have been much better. Be forewarned: WIMBLEDON is a predictable, feel-good film.
“Peter Holt (Paul Bettany) is having his last hurrah, except he is about to leave the tennis world with a whimper rather than a bang. Once ranked 11th in the world Peter did manage to win two tournaments (titles, they are officially called) but as Wimbledon begins he is ranked 119th. Were he not a Brit he wouldn’t even be playing but he manages to wrangle a wild card entry. Peter has always had potential; he’s just never lived up to it. After Wimbledon he plans to announce his retirement.
“Peter’s brother plans to make a bundle betting against him. His mother and father have no interest in their son. His parents aren’t on speaking terms since his father caught his mother snogging a gentleman golfer in the Golf Club parking lot.
“Peter is boarding at the Dorchester during the tournament. By mistake he is given the key to Lizzie Bradbury’s suite and he interrupts her shower. Lizzie is an up-and-coming young American who many favor to win Wimbledon. She is blond, perky and flirtatious. She exudes self-confidence.
“After 25 years of practice, hitting 100 balls a day and over 1 million over all, Peter is about to end his career on lowly Court 17 as he plays his first match. That doesn’t happen nor does his career end in the second round. In the third round he defeats his best friend Dieter Prohl. Suddenly his mother calls, his agent returns after an interminable hiatus and he begins a wild affair with Lizzie.
“As Peter progresses from win to win his mother stops her incessant gardening, his father come down from the treehouse where he has been living and his bother goes broke betting against him. The biggest obstacle suddenly is not Peter’s iffy tennis game but Lizzie’s father (Sam Neill), who goes to incredible lengths to keep them apart.
“Paul Bettany is well cast as always seems to be the case with this extraordinary, capable actor. Kirsten Dunst does not fare as well in her role. Their romance is believable, however. The subplots involving the families are cute and filled with whimsy. What is missing is subplot involving tennis. That is a shame for tennis lovers – a great opportunity was lost by not presenting a better glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes in the tennis world. 3 cats”