'Faist nails the difficult role of the nice guy who is strong and loyal but might not be tough enough to withstand the wringer that the other two characters seem like they’re about to put him through.'
The quote above comes from a review of Challengers by critic Matt Zoller Seitz on Robert Ebert's site. I posted some promotional images from the film earlier in the week (HERE:) At the time, although I tried, I hadn't yet seen the film. Since then, I noticed it was on demand, so was able to watch last evening.
I really enjoyed it, especially the level of sexual tension in so many of the scenes on the court. The churro scene was a bit of a disappointment, given all the hype, but each time any combination of the three leads were on screen together, erotic intensity ensued.
All three main cast members, Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor were great, but I think it was Faist's turn as Art that really drew me in. I'm a firm believer that with most films or television shows, there is one character that pulls you in. There are many reasons this happens, most often because there's something about the character you identify with, even if you don't initially see it.
I thought Art, (Mike Faist) was the emotional center in the film, and the character I most identified with. Although I'm gay, I was in a major love triangle with a woman in the center, and I wasn't always so nice when it came to the other guy in the triad. Not only did I find Art the emotional core, I thought he was one of the only characters to show much emotion. It wasn't that that the other actors and characters weren't emotional, but it was hidden a bit by their drive to win and their obsession with the game.
It was nice to see Faist get a chance to shine. Although he's put some great performances on stage and in film, he's not always given his due. Having played Riff in West Side Story, the character often gets lost in the hype. It doesn't help that Riff is killed off at the end of the first act. In Challengers however, he's on equal footing with his co-stars, and for me, his performance really pulled the story together.
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