"Battle of the Sexes" is a well-made, important and rather special film. It tells a story that is frustrating at times but ultimately very powerful. 2017 has been a great year for films about women and "Battle of the Sexes" is another great one to add to the roster. A deserving contender this awards season and although it is unlikely to replicate the same success as Stone's "La La Land", "Battle of the Sexes" is worthy for nods in all of the major categories. It may have been marketed as a sports drama but "Battle of the Sexes" also plays incredibly well as a romantic drama; This is not surprising considering the directors have made a name for themselves in the romance genre. This is one of my favourite films of the year - great performances, a great message and an important story. 

"Battle of the Sexes" can be viewed from two different genre perspectives: a sports drama or a romantic drama. The love story is very well executed and although it tells the story of a lesbian romance, it is tastefully done and feels no different to how a filmmaker would portray a heterosexual relationship. This is where "Battle of the Sexes" triumphs; The film may be set in the 70s (and therefore has some backwards thinking characters) but the depiction of homosexual relationships is very progressive and liberal. Love itself is portrayed realistically- love gets in the way of King's success; It starts to become a distraction. On the other hand, as King's affection for Marilyn takes up so much of her time, it shows that she has genuine feelings for her; King never shows as much love for Larry. The film is named "Battle of the Sexes" because of the tennis match but the name could also be applied to the love triangle- King is figuring out who she is and who she loves. The film moves the relationship at a steady pace and it never feels rushed. Billie and Marilyn have some intimate moments that are quite touching. The film also includes a lesbian sex scene (relatively clean) which is respectfully executed. It is so important that cinema expands to represent society at wide and films like "Battle of the Sexes" encourage forward-thinking and are progressive (whilst telling a story about progressive people in the 70s). The LGBTQ+ community will be satisfied with this film and will likely rally behind it. Those who enjoy a good romance will also enjoy this film. 

On the other hand, this is a sports drama; The film also executes this well. Even though there is a lack of actual sport for the most part of the film, the final 20 minutes are the big tennis match. I liked how the film dedicated a whole section to the tennis match; They could have easily decided to condense the match down to a 3 minute montage but instead it was nice to see the match fill an extended segment. The match itself was the film's strongest sequence and one of the best examples of film-making in 2017. The directors and cinematographer were able to simulate an actual tennis match; It felt real. The entire film builds up to this match, the audience are fully aware how important it is for Billie to win. The match is engaging from start to finish, has viewers on the edge of their seats and cheering along. The moment Billie wins was incredibly satisfying; It wasn't just a victory for Billie but a victory for women. One of my favourite moments at the start of the match was when Bille gifts Bobby with a pig (because he's a chauvinistic pig himself); This was a witty and memorable moment. I was actually surprised that Bobby Riggs' role in this film was quite small; More time is spent on the romance between Billie and Marilyn than the rivalry between Billie and Bobby; The filmmakers could almost be saying that a misogynist like Bobby doesn't deserve the screen-time, something as important as love does; While most of Bobby's scenes show him as quite a pathetic gambler, Billie actually has a life outside of tennis. Bobby challenges another top tennis player, Margaret Court after Billie first refuses and humiliates her in front of the watching public, Riggs is victorious; Billie and friends watch the defeat which is what motivates her to accept the challenge; Not only does she want to win for herself, she wants to win for female tennis players. This made the finale all the more moving. 

"Battle of the Sexes"'s overall message is very important and powerful - equality. Throughout the film, the characters are seen acting out for equality. For example, the female tennis players all get knowingly get kicked out of the tennis organisation because they arrange matches at the same time as ones that have been organised by the tennis organisation in order to prove a point (the prize for female tennis players is lower than for men). The way Riggs and other male characters speak about women in this film is disgusting and shocking - women are literally branded as inferior and incapable of equalling men. The female characters are all inspiring, strong and defiant- they do not let the negativity stop them, they continue and ultimately prove that they are equal. What is also really good about the representation of women in this film is that these sporty female characters are not portrayed as masculine and 'butch', they are all still very feminine; The hair salon is a frequent location for the female characters and Billie takes care of her appearance for her matches. This representation is also progressive because sporty women too often have their femininity stripped from them in films. Another great moment is when Bobby's wife stands up to him; She questions why he speaks about women in such a derogatory way when she is the main breadwinner for their family. It becomes clear that Bobby uses misogyny as an act. However, it is the commentator who is the true chauvinistic pig. "Battle of the Sexes" tells an inspiring story about an inspiring woman.

The performances are very strong. Emma Stone transforms into Billie Jean King. Stone may have won an Oscar just last year for "La La Land" but her performance in "Battle of the Sexes" is worthy of another. Stone has matured into an excellent actress and I'm so happy the world is finally getting to discover her talent thanks to great roles (and performances) like this. Stone's strongest moment in this film for me was when a news reporter asks her a sexist question and she tackles it with a great answer- she asks the reporter about his daughter, wife and other key women in his life; Many of the men in this film regard women so poorly yet they all likely have mothers, daughters and wives who they owe a lot to. Stone performed this scene excellently, everything she said felt so authentic (considering actresses get so many sexist questions on the red carpet, Stone likely dug up some of her real anger for this scene). Steve Carell seems to have little range when it comes to his more 'serious' roles. I would liken his portrayal of Bobby Riggs to his performance in "Foxcatcher"; Two unlikeable characters. However, Carell is impressive and does exactly what is required of him. The supporting cast are all also very good. The chemistry between Stone and Andrea Riseborough (Marilyn) is electric- Riseborough is also very likeable and their relationship is convincing enough for the audience to route for the couple to reunite at the end. Sarah Silverman also takes an impressive turn in this film with an unrecognisable performance; Silverman plays Heldman and is great; She's funny but the character also has a sense of maturity and authority that I didn't think Silverman would be able to convey. A great cast has been assembled for "Battle of the Sexes" and they all deliver, Emma Stone provides further evidence as to why she is one of the strongest actors working today.

"Battle of the Sexes' is a well-acted film that balances sports, romance and drama. It was refreshing to see a lesbian romance portrayed on the silver screen and because it was done so well, this film provides a framework for future films. The final 20 minutes of the film are magnificent; Everything from the camerawork to the performances to the atmosphere simulated the feeling of a real life tennis match. The tennis match also helps to boost the scenes that preceded it as everything comes together- Billie is not just trying to win any mundane tennis match, this victory actually matters. Emma Stone and Steve Carrell are perfectly cast and both excel, Sarah Silverman surprises. "Battle of the Sexes" is another important female story told in 2017- it shows that sporty women can also be feminine, represents women well and most importantly, depicts an inspiring story of how one woman changed tennis for all.  "Battle of the Sexes" is a crowd-pleaser that will have audiences roaring during its finale.