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Wimbledon
2004
Richard Loncraine's 'Wimbledon' is a lighthearted romantic comedy set in the high-pressure world of professional tennis. Peter Colt (Paul Bettany) is a 31-year-old Englishman who was once ranked 11th in the world, but has now dropped to a pathetic 119th. Realising that his days are numbered, Peter intends to retire from the .. Read more
| Starring | Kirsten Dunst, Paul Bettany, Sam Neill, Jon Favreau |
|---|---|
| Director | Richard Loncraine |
| Genres | Comedy, Romance |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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The latest in Working Title's rom-com production line follows the same likeable lines as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Bridget Jones's Diary. Paul Bettany takes on the role of fading British tennis player Peter Colt, who's facing his last Wimbledon but gets fuel-injected when he falls for US tennis prodigy Lizzie Bradbury (Kirsten Dunst). Richard Loncraine's movie is great on the loser mentality of British sport, and the actual matches are thrillingly souped-up by some decent CGI effects (as well as the pithy punditry of John McEnroe and Chris Evert). However, away from tennis, Wimbledon doesn't really nail either the comedic or romantic spots. It's amusing rather than hilarious, sweet as opposed to heartfelt — perhaps the smarts and sparkle of a Richard Curtis screenplay would have helped here. Still, Bettany and Dunst do the diffident Brit-meets-brash Yank relationship with appealing charm and, like a certain plucky player from these shores, the whole thing bumbles along with amiable predictability to an inevitable outcome.
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The poster for Wimbledon has Kirsten Dunst brandishing a tennis racket sideways so that at first glance it... read more on Time Out
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A love match that fails to score.
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Most helpful members' reviews (3)
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73 out of 91 people found this review helpful
Tie-break!
I really cannot make up my mind about this film, even having watched it twice. On the plus side, it sticks with the tried and trusted formula of British eccentricity whilst casting the beautiful Kirstin Dunst in one of the lead roles. On the down side, the CGI effects are at best cumbersome. There is just something that is not right in this film, the cameos are impressive in a way (they have got some big names in) but the delivery of their lines is as wooden as log fire. The flow of the film is just not there and I think that this is summed up by the ending - it just stutters along to a predicatble conclusion. Whilst also highly unbeleivable, the actual film miss out several key elements of a tournament - it is just all about the unlikely romance of two players. The only saving grace is a naked Kirsten Dunst, but she manges to keep her impressive baps covered (even with the slo-mo and zoom on boys)
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28 out of 36 people found this review helpful
Just watch it
Ok so it is cheesy, and unrealistic, but what do you expect from this type of film? An Englishman doing well at Wimbledon, and the sunshine (for most of the film). That just doesn't happen in real life, but thats why we watch films? To be entertained and this film does that. So it might not be something I would have sat and watched on my own, but cook your other half a nice meal, pour some wine and sit down and relax. I promise you will have a nice relaxing fun filled evening. It isn't side splitting laughter and if you are expecting that then it aint gonna happen! It just gives you a nice warm feeling inside and Miss Dunst is lovely!! (might be best to keep that view from your other half)
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25 out of 37 people found this review helpful
No spark
I didn't expect to like this film, but it was actually worse than I had feared. A film in the style of Brit-hits Four Weddings and Notting Hill but lacking any of the charm, humour or romance. A bit of a problem in a supposed 'romantic comedy'. You can see the punchlines of the jokes coming for miles. The central scene, where the unsuspecting lovers are susprised by paparazzi on their doorstep is pinched straight out of Notting Hill. The romance lacks any spark or tension, and the obstacles are flimsy and contrived. The only part of the film I didn't predict was the outcome, because I didn't think that it could possibly be that cheesy. But it was!
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Most recent members' reviews (2)
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Quality Film
Defo need to watch this one. Story is great, some cracking music throughout, i thought the special effects and camera work were both briliant. If you dont liek tennis, just watch it for the shower scene with Kirsten Dunst, WOW!
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Could have been so much better!
A fantastic idea for a romantic comedy, but this completely fails to deliver. So much effort went into this production (expensive CGI, even more expensive John McEnroe) not to mention the effort of filming at the Championships - but the extra effort that should have gone into the script simply isn't there. A pity, as this is the one thing that could have made the film any good.
What's so bad? Well let's start with some factual errors:
(1) Wimbledon has a fourth round
(2) All matches from Quarter Finals onwards are played on the showcourts - the hero in this film doesn't make it on Centre till the Final!!
(3) Tennis players know each other! There is no way ON EARTH that Pete, the main character of this train wreck, would not have recognised Kirstin Dunst in the shower - she's a world famous tennis star. Granted, he wasn't looking at her face, but still...
All this stuff could be overlooked if the characters and/or story were involving, but they're not. We learn nothing of the 2 main characters beyond their love of tennis, which makes it pretty difficult to give a thrupenny damn about either!
Worst of all though is the plot. Doing this type of Tortoise & hare story, you're really on a hiding to nothing unless you can subvert the predictable plot movements. The result is just corny. If he'd lost the final but learned something about himself along the way, the producers might have had a film on their hands instead of this glib dollop of disposable hyperdrivel.
I give it 2 stars, but only to set it a level above 'The Cat in the Hat'. Avoid!!
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73 out of 91 people found this review helpful
Tie-break!
I really cannot make up my mind about this film, even having watched it twice. On the plus side, it sticks with the tried and trusted formula of British eccentricity whilst casting the beautiful Kirstin Dunst in one of the lead roles. On the down side, the CGI effects are at best cumbersome. There is just something that is not right in this film, the cameos are impressive in a way (they have got some big names in) but the delivery of their lines is as wooden as log fire. The flow of the film is just not there and I think that this is summed up by the ending - it just stutters along to a predicatble conclusion. Whilst also highly unbeleivable, the actual film miss out several key elements of a tournament - it is just all about the unlikely romance of two players. The only saving grace is a naked Kirsten Dunst, but she manges to keep her impressive baps covered (even with the slo-mo and zoom on boys)
-
28 out of 36 people found this review helpful
Just watch it
Ok so it is cheesy, and unrealistic, but what do you expect from this type of film? An Englishman doing well at Wimbledon, and the sunshine (for most of the film). That just doesn't happen in real life, but thats why we watch films? To be entertained and this film does that. So it might not be something I would have sat and watched on my own, but cook your other half a nice meal, pour some wine and sit down and relax. I promise you will have a nice relaxing fun filled evening. It isn't side splitting laughter and if you are expecting that then it aint gonna happen! It just gives you a nice warm feeling inside and Miss Dunst is lovely!! (might be best to keep that view from your other half)
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25 out of 37 people found this review helpful
No spark
I didn't expect to like this film, but it was actually worse than I had feared. A film in the style of Brit-hits Four Weddings and Notting Hill but lacking any of the charm, humour or romance. A bit of a problem in a supposed 'romantic comedy'. You can see the punchlines of the jokes coming for miles. The central scene, where the unsuspecting lovers are susprised by paparazzi on their doorstep is pinched straight out of Notting Hill. The romance lacks any spark or tension, and the obstacles are flimsy and contrived. The only part of the film I didn't predict was the outcome, because I didn't think that it could possibly be that cheesy. But it was!
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18 out of 19 people found this review helpful
Good British Rom-Com
Its Kirsten Dunst in a short skirt for two hours - do you need to know more? ;) Ok Ok, well its a formulaic british 'rom-com' along the same lines as 'Notting Hill' and to a certain extent 'Four Weddings and a Funeral', but wonderfully it doesn't feature Hugh Grant at all. Its an obvious storyline but endearing and amusing in places. Bettany and Dunst, although on the surface an unusual pairing, light up the screen and make it look like its never been done before. Its a well-rounded, amusing, light-hearted way to spend 2 hours...and one that most men won't complain about because its Kirsten Dunst in a short pleated skirt for 2 hours!
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- Gromit from Canterbury
- Posted 05 Apr 2006 14:03
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9 out of 11 people found this review helpful
Distinctly Average
Run of the mill predictable rom com with the added bonus of crap tennis scenes thrown in.
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8 out of 9 people found this review helpful
Wimbledon, definitely a smash-hit
If you enjoy the odd romantic comedy, liked notting hill, bridget jones' diary or four weddings and a funeral, then this is definitely for you. Paul Bettany's performance is inspired, and combines beautifully with the wonderful Kirsten Dunst to produce one of the best 'feel-good' movies i've ever had the pleasure of watching.
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7 out of 9 people found this review helpful
Save an hour and a half of your time
SEE THIS FILM!.. If you've had a labotomy.
Amazingly, this is a movie you can see without watching it. Just read the synopsis and then shut your eyes and imagine the most bland, formulaic film you can around it.
All the boxes have been ticked from past British successes, but never was a film so cynically put together. And because it's SO predictable, it bores, quite literally, for England.
Paul, Paul? For shame! I hope it was a terribly large cheque -
7 out of 9 people found this review helpful
Cheesy but OK!
This is definitely one of those films that aims straight for the feel-good factor - and plays to almost every British fantasy you can name - Brit in line to win Wimbledon, gets a gorgeous, successful American to fall for him with ease. And by the way, all British families do live in massive Baronial mansions (don't they?!)
Directorial style was obviously limited to "Think about Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts".
Having said that, it is still enjoyable - and the tennis matches do capture at least some of the suspense that the real competition generates! Worth viewing. -
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
An entertaining solid but predictable serving.
Comedy Romance - Dunst the beautiful up and coming tennis pro, and Bettany, the aging guy who is giving Wimbledon his one last shot before throwing in the towel. As these two get together in this predictable yet amusing comedy much against Dunst's father who fears it is too much of a distraction for his daughter. Although the film has predictable ending and storyline it none the less delivers a good solid entertaining film that you find hard not to like.
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5 out of 6 people found this review helpful
Easy Watching
This film was what I would call easy watching, no need to concentrate. Liht entertaining, obvious story line. But overall a good mvie.
Critics' reviews (3)
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The latest in Working Title's rom-com production line follows the same likeable lines as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Bridget Jones's Diary. Paul Bettany takes on the role of fading British tennis player Peter Colt, who's facing his last Wimbledon but gets fuel-injected when he falls for US tennis prodigy Lizzie Bradbury (Kirsten Dunst). Richard Loncraine's movie is great on the loser mentality of British sport, and the actual matches are thrillingly souped-up by some decent CGI effects (as well as the pithy punditry of John McEnroe and Chris Evert). However, away from tennis, Wimbledon doesn't really nail either the comedic or romantic spots. It's amusing rather than hilarious, sweet as opposed to heartfelt — perhaps the smarts and sparkle of a Richard Curtis screenplay would have helped here. Still, Bettany and Dunst do the diffident Brit-meets-brash Yank relationship with appealing charm and, like a certain plucky player from these shores, the whole thing bumbles along with amiable predictability to an inevitable outcome.
-
The poster for Wimbledon has Kirsten Dunst brandishing a tennis racket sideways so that at first glance it... read more on Time Out
-
A love match that fails to score.
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