Wimbledon Review
by Susan Granger (ssg722 AT aol DOT com)September 18th, 2004
Susan Granger's review of "Wimbledon" (Universal Pictures)
That dainty Kristin Dunst ("Spider-Man 2") is far from convincing as Lizzie Bradbury, a hotshot American tennis player with a fiery John McEnroe temper, is tempered by the fact that this underdog tale isn't about her. It's about Peter Colt, played far more persuasively by pale, lanky, freckle-faced Paul Bettany ("Master and Commander"). She's just the girl who courts him. At 31, Britain's Peter Colt is an old-timer on the circuit. Once ranked 11th in the world, he's now 119th. To him, that means "There are 118 guys out there who are faster, younger and stronger." At the Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, he's the faded English wild card, reluctantly preparing to retire to teach tennis to middle-aged ladies at a posh club. Enter snippy wild-child Lizzie whose carnal urges are irrepressible. Their libidinous courtship is charming if formulaic and, predictably, their foreplay seems to transform not only his forehand but his serve and backhand as well. Unfortunately, Lizzie's serve goes "mushy," much to the consternation of her dad/coach (Sam Neill). (It's hard to get too concerned about this since Dunst obviously can't play tournament tennis - and it shows. To his credit, Bettany learned to fake it far better.)
Screenwriters Adam Brooks, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin pepper the sweet passion with eccentric supporting characters, like his parents (Bernard Hill, Eleanor Bron), kid brother (James McAvoy) and huckster agent (Jon Favreau), along with her arrogant ex (Austin Nichols). Watch hunky Nikolaj Coster-Waldau scene-steal as Colt's pal, Dieter, while director Richard Loncraine ("Richard III") bounces from courtship to center-court with stylish CGI shots. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, "Wimbledon" is a wry, tightly-strung 6. It's a contrived lesson in love.
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