Tennis, Anyone...?

Have you seen Tao of Steve? If you have, you would like Tennis anyone. Don't let the title fool you. There are a lot of good tennis scenes but this is more than a tennis movie. This movie is about two friends(one actor actor played by Donal Logue and the other one Tennis instructor who teaches Hollywood producers and directors played by Kirk Fox), their lives and figuring out themselves and lives. Donal Logue did great job both writing and acting in this independent small budget film. Just because of this movie is independent film, actors in this film were not holding back, and that makes this movie very funny and unique in many levels. Donal Logue has not had major break through with major studio film just yet, but he seems enjoy doing his own things by incorporating his talents (writing and acting) into independent films where he seems comfortable and successful. I really like the film. It seems very real (as plot, deep development of characters) and has a heart. It got me thinking that "is it based on Donal Logue and Kirk Fox's real life??" After all, I totally saw that his tennis skills were improved through the film. Finally, Donal Logue is quite a good tennis player! It is coming from me, a tennis instructor,. ;) For the conclusion, I later found out that Donal Logue and Kirk Fox actually met on the shooting of Mel Gibson's epic film Patriots from special features of this DVD. So this turned out be based on real friendship among them. "Cool!!!"

Slow start but builds characters and then has good tennis scenes. Compared to previous tennis movies this is not bad. The best thing about it is the way it realistically incorporates the sports action scenes with real people and a plot. The actions scenes are believable although require you have a sense of humor. The depiction of raw competitiveness under a guise of sportsmanship is as fitting for the Hollywood plot as for tennis. This move captured the essence of friendly intense competition on and off the court. Low budget, not your typical Hollywood fare. This very low budget movie will appeal to those who have a strong interest in tennis and are not offended by a little raw crudeness.

The movie has some few good moments but in general, it takes SIDEWAYS concept of the story of two losers that find out some orientation through a common passion (in this case, Tennis). Beside of some technical errors (out of focus scenes and editing mistakes, beside others), the characters stand far from you so you never get involved with their feelings. It is more a plain cartoon than a black comedy.

Nevertheless, there are some fresh jokes on the movie that can be enjoyable if you are related to movie industry, otherwise, you will pass them without pity or glory. The happy ending is predictable and it will satisfy audience, because of Jason Isaacs's great performer as a deceitful, arrogant and hypocritical movie star.