WimbledonReviews: Wimbledon
directed by: Richard Loncraine Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 9781417018437 Format: Color, Full Screen, NTSC ISBN: 1417018437 Label: Universal Studios Languages: Manufacturer: Universal Studios Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Universal Studios Release Date: December 28, 2004 Running Time: 98 minutes Studio: Universal Studios Theatrical Release Date: September 17, 2004 Rating:  - [ F*#k a duck.] - love is zero in tennis. This film is far too underrated for all that it is. Wimbledon is the tale of dear Peter Colt(Paul Bettany) who's beginning to learn that his tennis career is coming to and end and how in-fact he must deal with it. Everything seems to be going downhill until he meets upcoming super-star Lizzie Bradbury(Kirsten Dunst) and she help teach him how to love both the game and life again. Now true this plot is not the most original, take Bridget Jones or You've got Mail and make them tennis players and TA-DA! But with that said, the performance of Paul Bettany makes it so much more. Bettany is simply brilliant, over-thinking and awkward coming from a typically cold and slightly 'off' Brittish family to the fast-paced world of tennis. He doesn't quite fit in anywhere and doesn't have anywhere or anyone to run to. James Mcavoy is also pleasant as Peter's no-good gambling brother. If you are a tennis fan it's nice to see a film with tennis in mind, although the match scenes are pretty weak and it's obvious neither Bettany or Dunst have much tennis experience. A great, insightful film on growing up and learning to cope with whatever life serves up! Rating: - Good British fun.This is a fun movie with the British feel in its directing. The humor is light, but the atmosphere created in this film is great. It's a great film to help relieve stress from the day. Warning, does contain sexual scenes, but no nudity. Rating: - "Surprisingly zesty."In this film, as has-been tennis player Peter Colt surprisingly ascends to prominence, his agent manages to line him up with a new Frito Lay potato chip to endorse, called "Surprisingly Zesty." This, to me, is as good a label as any when trying to describe this film. WIMBLEDON is surprisingly zesty. Tennis, in the states, is fairly popular but not as huge as the big three sports. So to say that this romantic sports film manages to be very entertaining is an unexpected triumph. Love is such a strange racket, especially when it comes with no strings attached (sorry). WIMBLEDON tells of what happens when British tennis pro Peter Colt, on the very last legs of his career (once ranked 11th in the world, he's now 119th), meets young and fiery American, Lizzie Bradbury, as she competes for the very first time in the Wimbledon tournament, the most hallowed of grand slams. Sparks go up, and Peter and Lizzie venture into a mutually agreed carefree romance. Peter, having earned a wild card berth into the tournament but having already decided to retire immediately afterwards, finds his game suddenly elevated. And, because athletes are ridiculously superstitious, he assumes his unexpected success stems from his fling with Lizzie, as, so far, he's spent the eve of each of his Wimbledon matches with her. As he keeps winning, the pressure is on to maintain the romantic routine. This, even as he begins to seriously fall for Lizzie. On the other hand, Lizzie finds herself losing her game face and focus. And, this, as she begins to seriously fall for Peter. So there goes the carefree romance... I happen to dig tennis. I date back to Sampras, Agassi, Graf, Hingis (when she was at the top of the world), and even as far back as my man John McEnroe. But most folks I know just aren't that into tennis. However, regarding WIMBLEDON, you don't have to be a fan of the sport to get into the story. This is tennis made accessible and the play on the court is grippingly presented. You actually get into the matches. Paul Bettany has that slim, athletic build to convincingly pull off his role, and he did plenty of the stunts (even if, a lot of times, the tennis ball had to be inserted graphically). One only wishes that Kirsten Dunst had been on the court more (but, no, she isn't as convincing as Bettany on the tennis court). I don't know too much of Paul Bettany. I've only ever seen him in two other films, the rollicking A Knight's Tale (Special Edition) (he plays Geoffrey Chaucer) and the mediocre Firewall (Widescreen Edition) (where he plays the lead villain). This is actually Paul Bettany's first time as a romantic lead, yet I wasn't all that surprised by how easily he shouldered that role. Guy simply spews that casual charisma (these Brit gents all must attend How To Be Disarming and Urbane 101). Of course, his rootability is enhanced by the film's use of "radiohead," a device in which the audience is allowed to listen to Peter's turmoiled, neurotic thoughts during his matches. It's fun listening to his mind state scale increasingly frantic heights, the deeper he advances. Peter Colt is such a warm, wry, and engaging character. You can't help but pull for this underdog, on and off the court. I don't want to say too much about Kirsten Dunst, 'cause I've been crushing on her for a while now. I'll just end up gushing like a numbnut. But, listen, the romance is frothy and light and easy to swallow, buoyed by Bettany and Dunst's sparkling chemistry. Even if you don't dig the tennis play, the love story makes you want to stick around. Not to mention, WIMBLEDON is pretty funny, with one of my favorite moments taking place during one of Peter's matches and involving a sheepish Jon Favreau. The leads are ably supported by Sam Neill (as Lizzie's stern pops), Jon Favreau (as Peter's dubiously sly agent), Nicolaj Coster Waldau (as Peter's German friend and practice partner), and a fresh-faced James McAvoy (as Peter's brother, who bets against Peter in his matches). I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Peter and Dieter, it comes off with such effortless warmth. Tennis bedrocks such as Chris Evert, John McEnroe, Mary Carillo, and John Barrett (the voice of English tennis) give their seal of approval by being in the movie as themselves. This opens up several funny moments with Johnny Mac poking fun of his (in)famous personality. The film crew received permission to shoot scenes on Wimbledon grounds, this lending the picture another layer of authenticity. Who wins Wimbledon? Who loses? Does Peter end up being an unhappy tennis director at a posh health club? Will Lizzie manage to curb her temper and refocus her drive? Does John McEnroe drop any F bombs? Look, just go see the movie. Rating: - Best Sports-themed Romantic Comedy in agesFor me, there's nothing like a good romantic comedy, and when the story is set in the sports world, my interest level can be counted on to double. This one has a tennis theme, so naturally I checked it out as soon as it became available on DVD. British journeyman pro Peter Colt, played in a bit of stellar casting by Brit actor Paul Bettany, has never quite made it to the top, and is now resigned to the end of a long career. He's got a wild card for Wimbledon, and plans to announce his retirement after the prestigious tournament ends. When a mistaken room assignment brings him to the suite of American star Lizzie Bradbury (Kirsten Dunst) - romantic sparks fly as the repartee flows - she behind the frosted shower glass, he bags in hand in the hall. It's all great fun, and we know right away this one's gonna be good. When in a surprise, Peter wins his first match on court 17, things begin to look up for him. The romance is right on track too, as the two discuss the merits of fooling around on the night before a big match - over fish and chips, no less. For Peter, fooling around seems to have hurt his game. His second round match is a budding disaster. He's headed for defeat until who should show up but Lizzie to cheer him on. In a stunning turn of events, he plays for her and wins. A streak that continues when in round 3 Peter dispatches his best friend and practice partner Nikolaj (Dieter Prohl) - despite the increasingly evident disapproval of Lizzie's driven father and coach, Dennis (Sam Neill), and the re-appearance of Peter's long absent agent Ron (Jon Favreau). Meanwhile, Peter's dysfunctional family add really great touches of color. His feuding mother and father (Bernard Hill and Eleanor Bron)have reached the point where his father has moved to the treehouse in the back yard of the mansion, and his younger brother Carl (James McAvoy) provides comic relief as to the disgust of the bookies at the betting shop he bets against his brother("He's been on such a good losing streak."). All told, Wimbledon is a light-hearted love story with a strong sports angle filled with great one-liners and several nice little plot threads that add up to an outstanding whole. I really loved it. I think it's the best sports-theme film to come along since "For Love of the Game." Art Tirrell is the author of "The Secret Ever Keeps." "Simply put...the best underwater scenes I've ever read." - reviewer Meg Westley Rating:  - Love story?Really this film falls short, not bad but it just peters out in every category. The categories are: 1) Love and Relationships: Hmmmm, not really feeling it here, there just is not much of a convincing connection between the two main lovers. 2) Triumph and Rising to the top: The whole film tries in vain to make the viewer feel like they are seeing greatness, but for a player who ends up in the big one, it just does not make one feel it. 3) Family and other things: Give me a break, what kind of mother would be planting flowers in her garden and scoff when her husband tunes the radio in to hear their son's match being broadcast at Wimdbledon? A real mom would drop the lettuce and trowel and be glued in. The portrayal of the parents, particularly his mother is poor. The girl's father is about the same, he never really shows any emotion, I mean c'mon people there were times in this film when he should have been furious with the guy who was seeing his daughter, and his strict behavior towards her as some overbearing father wanting his daughter to succeed was very, very weak. They could have cast a loaf of bread or Oscar's trash can lid as her father and gotten better results. Just reaches out into so many different areas, and yet never really hits any major points in any of them. The relationship is a joke and even the paparrazi style of assault being shown in the film is short lived, like everything else. They tease the viewer with a million different things and then let it all just roll along. Still okay but could have been so much better. Trying to mix a love story with an underdog sports story is not easy, but at least try! I suppose if you like Tennis you might like this movie. John McEnroe is in it and boy howdy I wish we could have seen HIM make a cameo appearance on the court. Loved the way he used to throw his racket and scream at those incompetent line judges. Sorry, did not mean to be so hard on them, but you need instant replay in this sport or otherwise the people who should win will not always do so. Wimbledon ReviewsMore reviews:Buy Wimbledon Sale Reviews Deals
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