La plus belle victoire

It's a romantic comedy. Let's face it: it's not going to be winning any Oscars. For its genre though, it was a very enjoyable movie and even a step up since the romance was often, in a way, the B storyline. A fairly unique premise and excellent work from Paul Bettany as usual. Bernard Hill, James McAvoy, Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau and Jon Favreau gave memorable performances also, but Kirsten Dunst left a little something wanting.

The camera work and narration was different and very interesting. I also liked that the "roles" were reversed and it was told more from Peter's point of view

9/10.

This film is about a failing professional tennis player recapturing his glory through an unlikely romance.

Though I do not normally care for tennis, I am captivated by "Wimbledon" The plot is predictable and formulaic, but still it does not stop me from enjoying it. Both Paul Bettany and Kirsten Dunst are brilliant and adorable, and have great chemistry together. They are so sweet, and makes a perfect couple! The tennis sequences are exciting, and I particularly like the shots where they simulate the view from the tennis ball, being shot to the ground then back up.

So, there is finally a date movie that both boys and girls will enjoy. Romance for the girls and tennis for the guys. It's a great combination. I enjoyed "Wimbledon" a lot.

for the record, i never tend to go see movies of this nature, but since Kirsten Dunst is in it, i had to check it out. the main reason why i enjoyed it was pretty much Kirsten. her acting is quite alluring to me. paul bettany did a good too though.

the movie itself though....lacked substance. i can't be too harsh on this film though because i know that it wasn't meant to be an "Oscar Winner". in fact, Paul Bettany said that this was simply a Friday night with friends romantic movie. looking at the movie that way, it was good. but i also happen to be a moderate tennis fan, and the action was pretty cool.

there was very good chemistry between Paul and Kirsten, and the whole romantic aspect was mysterious regarding how the relationship formed so quickly. truth is though, it ain't that funny. sure maybe there's a part in there that makes you half smile, but that's about it. In terms of tennis playing, there were some damn cool tennis sequences. some of the best i would say. but that doesn't really make up for the somewhat empty story-line. all in all, this film ain't too bad. the people that watch it oughta be tennis fans or Kirsten fans (!). other than that, everyone else is just going to be watching another shallow romance flick.

"Wimbledon" is another one of those agreeable, English-flavored romantic comedies which in years past would have starred a stammering Hugh Grant. This time the principals are professional tennis players and the setting is Wimbledon. Paul Bettany makes for a good romantic lead in the Grant mold without the latter's sometimes annoying cloying and also is convincing as a tennis player at the tail end of his career. But Kirsten Dunst, the love interest, while giving a very likable performance, does not look her part. She also is not helped by the screenplay, which does not present her as a particularly compelling match. In fact, the character seems more like one that usually would be set up as the rival, missing the elements of the "intended". Further causing the film to come across less than compelling: Every character, save one, is nice, making it nearly conflict-free. Not a waste of time, but nothing memorable, "Wimbledon" is a tension-free, pick-me-up: The movie equivalent of a lightly-flavored carbonated water: effervescent, but lacking any distinct taste.

...comes another romantic comedy, almost exactly like it! Having picked up on the blatant similarities between Paul Bettany and Hugh Grant as foppish, witty Englishmen in Wimbledon, it came as no surprise to me to learn that Hugh Grant had originally been considered for the lead role of Peter Colt. If you have ever seen a film starring Hugh Grant as the lead, you know now what Wimbledon is essentially like and how it is acted because Paul Bettany's tennis-playing character Peter is exactly like a Hugh Grant character--confused, witty and extremely English. While Bettany does not quite have the the charming part down to perfection yet, he is much more attractive than the king of romantic comedies. He is also strangely compatible with Kirsten Dunst and that makes it a nice romance story.

While centering the plot around tennis (Wimbledon, in fact) is fairly uncommon, this is only a disguise for a genuinely ordinary and well-milked premise. Man is out of touch and out of luck and meets a wild, free girl who will help him awake from his sedated mental state and make him feel alive again. Conflicts inevitably rise, because the man and girl are two players in Wimbledon and so there is more at stake than just a love affair; they are both competing to win. In the end, this film is really quite cute and often at least a little funny but believe me when I say it's nothing you haven't seen before. I mostly enjoyed it because of Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau, to be honest.