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Challengers

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Challengers (2024) is a romantic comedy film about Tashi, a former tennis prodigy turned coach, transforming her husband into a champion. But to overcome a losing streak, he needs to face his ex-best friend and Tashi's ex-boyfriend.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Justin Kuritzkes.
Her game. Her rules. (taglines)

Tashi Donaldson

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Patrick Zweig

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  • I'd let her fuck me with a racket.
  • I'm not going to the match. Not if you think you can just dismiss me. I'm not some fucking lapdog who's gonna sit around and let you punish me. I'm not Art.

Dialogue

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Patrick Zweig: I think maybe you're disturbed by the fact that she could've been with someone like me.
Art Donaldson: When we were teenagers.
Patrick Zweig: Huh. [Smiles] When we were teenagers.
Patrick Zweig: Wait, are you on Facebook?
Tashi Donaldson: What?
Art Donaldson: He's asking for your number. And so am I.
Tashi Donaldson: You don't know what tennis is.
Patrick Zweig: What is it?
Tashi Donaldson: It's a relationship.
Patrick Zweig: Is that what you and Anna Mueller had today?
Tashi Donaldson: It is, actually. For about fifteen seconds there, we were actually playing tennis. And we understood each other completely. So did everyone watching. It's like we were in love. Or like we didn't exist. We went somewhere really beautiful together.
Tashi Donaldson: [After Patrick notices her engagement ring] It was his grandmother's.
Patrick Zweig: How is she?
Tashi Donaldson: She died. Stroke.
Art Donaldson: Remember when you said you'd let me win?
Patrick Zweig: That was a lifetime ago. [Art stands up with a full-on erection]
Art Donaldson: What about my grandmother?
Patrick Zweig: [Slapping Art's erection] I hope she has a fucking stroke.
Tashi Donaldson: How often does this happen? Going after the same girl?
Patrick Zweig: Not as often as you'd think.
Art Donaldson: We usually have different types.
Tashi Donaldson: So you're saying I should be flattered?
Art Donaldson: Aren't you everybody's type?
Patrick Zweig: Your mom looks good.
Tashi Donaldson: I know she does, Patrick.
Patrick Zweig: I don't matter?
Art Donaldson: Not even to the most obsessive tennis fan in the world.
Patrick Zweig: We're not talking about tennis.
Art Donaldson: What the fuck else do I have to talk to you about?
Patrick Zweig: [Walks up to Tashi sitting on couch with open laptiop, to Tashi] He's not bad. I've played him at a few of these things.
Tashi Donaldson: What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be prostituting yourself for a place to sleep tonight?
Patrick Zweig: I'm staying at the girl's house.
Tashi Donaldson: Hmm. Must be the love.
Patrick Zweig: Hey, come have a cigarette with me. I need to talk to you.
Tashi Donaldson: Yeah, I don't smoke, and I'm not talking to you. [Picks up laptop with Patrick tapping cigarette carton on his phone with Tashi reluctantly glancing up and then grudgingly closing the laptop]
Patrick Zweig: [Smoking in alley with Tashi] I'm going to propose something to you.
Tashi Donaldson: Can you blow it away from me please?
Patrick Zweig: Sorry. It's gonna make you angry. I want you to be my coach.
Tashi Donaldson: What?
Patrick Zweig: Even if he wins the Open, completes his career Grand Slam, Art's still gonna retire as someone who's just really, really, good. That's what you guys have always done. But imagine if you could turn Patrick Zweig into a guy who wins a Slam. I still have a season. I still have one good season and I need you to bring it out of me. So... what do you think?
Tashi Donaldson: [Slaps Patrick across face] How fucking dare you?!
Patrick Zweig: Jesus Christ!
Tashi Donaldson: You want my best advice for you?! Do you want me to coach you?
Patrick Zweig: Yeah.
Tashi Donaldson: Okay, quit! Quit right now! Right the fuck now, quit!
Patrick Zweig: You know that when I'm good, I'm one of the best in the world.
Tashi Donaldson: You are the 271st best in the fucking world.
Patrick Zweig: I still have a shot!
Tashi Donaldson: You are 31, you have a better shot with a handgun in your mouth! [Patrick dryly chuckles and turns head aside] I mean, why don't you go home? Go home, ask your parents for a seat on the board, or you know what, matter of fact, ask them for money, okay? Go be like any other spoiled kid who has ever amounted to nothing in their fucking life, and stop this performance of being a down-on-your-luck professional.
Patrick Zweig: Tashi...
Tashi Donaldson: No, you're not 21 years old anymore and it's not cute to be walking around pretending like you need to grind it out at these bum-fuck tournaments, and sleep in your fucking car. And, it is unforgivable, that you would ask me to devote a single second, of my fucking time, to help you achieve your fucking dreams. What dreams, Patrick? You never had any!
Patrick Zweig: Is that what you and Art are doing? Living the dream?
Tashi Donaldson: That is exactly what the fuck we're doing!
Patrick Zweig: Then how come you hate him? You do. It's obvious, you do. You can feel him giving up already, even though you know he's not going to retire until you let him.
Tashi Donaldson: He is a grown man. He can do whatever he wants.
Patrick Zweig: Sure, sure, but he doesn't. He does whatever you want. Except now, he's not even pretending to like it. He's dreaming about eating hamburgers again. Watching your daughter, um... [waves hand near Tashi's chest for memory recollection] uh, Lily, grow up. Maybe doing some commentary on the tennis channel. He's ready to be dead. And you're starting to realize you might not want to be buried with him, 'cause who is he to you if he's not playing tennis?
Tashi Donaldson: So that's what you think he is to me? A racket and a dick. [Patrick lightly nods head with Tashi squinting in disdain]
Patrick Zweig: Does Art know about Atlanta? You keep saying you came here because Art needed matches. I think you came for something else.
Tashi Donaldson: [Scoffs incredulously and turns head aside and back at Patrick] Wha- you think I came here for you? You think I came here to throw it all away... [points at him] ...for you?
Patrick Zweig: Maybe you just wanted to see me.
Tashi Donaldson: I have seen you. You look like shit!
Patrick Zweig: [Turns head aside with Tashi walking away] I'm going to beat him. [Tashi stops and turns to him] If we both make it to the final. I'm going to beat him.
Tashi Donaldson: Even if you could beat him, it wouldn't change anything.
Patrick Zweig: It'll break him. You know it will.
Tashi Donaldson: It won't make you, okay? It's too late for that. [Walks away with Patrick walking after and grabbing her arm, slipping a piece of paper in her hand]
Patrick Zweig: My number in case you change your mind about the coaching.
Tashi Donaldson: I won't. [Walks on, glancing at paper and slips it into her pocket]
Tashi Donaldson: I know who you are. You're Fire and Ice, right?
Patrick Zweig: In the flesh.
Tashi Donaldson: Think you might be the worst friend in the world.
Art Donaldson: Maybe.
Tashi Donaldson: Definitely. Thank you... for lunch, Art.
Patrick Zweig: Can you do me a favor?
Art Donaldson: [Art, startled, takes the towel off his face]
Patrick Zweig: [Echoing Art from when they were teenagers] can you not, like, demolish me?
Art Donaldson: [Stares at him]
Patrick Zweig: Congrats on being 'a Phil's Tire Town Challenger finalist.
Art Donaldson: Yeah. You too. [Gets up and starts to leave]
Patrick Zweig: Art. Come on. Can we talk?
Art Donaldson: Can you put your dick away?
Patrick Zweig: This is a sauna.
Art Donaldson: What do you want to talk about?
Patrick Zweig: We've been here for a week, and we haven't said two words to each other. I don't want to go into the match tomorrow feeling like this. It's just silly, man. It's dramatic. [Art is silent] I mean, really, why are you still so angry with me?
Art Donaldson: That's a serious question?
Patrick Zweig: I don't buy that it's because of Tashi. Or, I don't think it's because of what happened to her. I think maybe you're still just pissed off that she and I used to be together at all. Maybe you're just really disturbed by the fact that she could be into someone like me.
Art Donaldson: When we were teenagers.
Patrick Zweig: Right. When we were teenagers.
Art Donaldson: You're right. I do find it disturbing.
Patrick Zweig: [laughs] Well, there's no need, man. Lots of girls were into me. None of them wanted to marry me. That's not what I was for.
Art Donaldson: What were you for? [Patrick is silent and Art glances down at Patrick's crotch who smiles and finally covers it with the towel] Honestly, I thought you'd be happy that I was in the draw. You've always wanted to beat me at a tournament, haven't you? Especially the week before the Open. It's the perfect confidence booster. I know what you're trying to do right now...
Patrick Zweig: [Laughs] I'm not trying to do anything. This is a challenger. I don't have to play mind games with you.
Art Donaldson: Right. You don't give a shit.
Patrick Zweig: I didn't say that.
Art Donaldson: We both know you have considerably more at stake here than I do.
Patrick Zweig: Do I?
Art Donaldson: Where do you get your swagger from? I mean, I understood it when we were kids -- you were hot shit: you could beat us all with your eyes closed -- but how are you still walking around like the world owes you something? You're 33 years old, your career's in the toilet, you're broke, nobody knows who the you are, and you walk in here swinging your dick around like I'm supposed to be afraid of it, but all I see is a naked little boy who's still screaming about winning the Junior US Open. Do you understand how embarrassing it is that you're here?
Patrick Zweig: Not quite as embarrassing as you being here.
Art Donaldson: I'm just stopping by, man. This is where you live. And it's almost certainly where you're gonna die.
Patrick Zweig: Listen, Art, I...
Art Donaldson: I've always tried to figure out what happened to you, but the more I think about it, the more I realize it's about what didn't happen. You didn't grow up. You still think we're seventeen. And now you still want me to be impressed with the fact that my wife liked you when she was a girl, but why would I give a shit about that? And why the fuck would I give a shit about what happens tomorrow? It's just practice for me, Patrick. Do you understand that? I mean, maybe you're playing for something else, but I'm just here working on my forehand. I'm just using you to get warmed up for a chance to win the Open, because it's the one thing in tennis I haven't done already.
Patrick Zweig: You've never beaten me.
Art Donaldson: [Laughs] So what? This is a game about winning the points that matter. You beating me is a nice story for you to tell people when you're giving them tennis lessons, but I guarantee you the thing they'll all be the most excited about is that you met me at all. They'll ask you what I'm like. They'll ask you if I'm nice. They'll ask you if we were friends. And then they'll ask you how I did it. They'll ask you And You one have to tucking clue what to tell them. I mean, I could try to explain it to you, but the to knows that yet want to cele want telling yourself whatever worthless stories you've been telling yourself about why our lives have turned out the way they have. And even if you did want to know, I couldn't possibly explain it to you in a language you'll understand, because the thing you learn when you've been operating at my level for as long as I have is that it's so fucking lonely to win this much. Nobody gets it. But everyone on Earth gets what it's like to be you. The reason why they're sending a camera crew from ESPN to cover a fucking challenger tomorrow is that people like looking at my face on TV because they think it might help them solve the mystery of how I have what I have. But you're getting your own personal close up right now, so you should understand better than anybody: there is no fucking mystery -- you just can't have it.
Patrick Zweig: [Patrick laughs] I just wanted to come in here to wish you luck, Art.
Art Donaldson: That makes no sense.
Patrick Zweig: I wanted to tell you that I'm looking forward to it. I miss playing with you.
Art Donaldson: Oh yeah? I don't miss playing with you... I'm too old for it.

Cast

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Taglines

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  • Years have passed. Her past has not.
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