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Battle of the Sexes - a disappointment

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Posted on September 30, 2017 at 04:38:40
Dr Phibes
Audiophile

Posts: 195
Location: Brooklyn
Joined: September 7, 2008
I try not to beat my chest here so I don't annoy others, and if someone saw "Battle of the Sexes" please chime in - I would appreciate your perspective. Me? I was annoyed by the film.

Like most bio-pics, instead of focusing on the details concerning the historical significance of the "battle of the sexes", we spend 1/3 of the film on the romantic relationships. This focus on relationships limited the film time to historic superficialities that I already knew.

I'm not oblivious that many same sex/lesbian relationships might be perceived and presented as "hot strippers gettin' down" and this film wanted to present the adversity, fear and child -like innocence woman-folk might experience crossing the lesbian line. I found the same sex relationship focus tedious, a bit retarded and over-glorified. Don't get me wrong, I'm as "left" as the next guy ... but certainly, too much time was spent on romantic intimacy. I found myself impatiently waiting for Steve Carell, who was fantastic as Bobby Riggs (who won me over in The Big Short)... but there was far too little screen time left for Riggs/Carell.

There were a few terrific scenes - when Riggs tries to rekindle his marriage - the scene where King explains to Bill Pullman "that he doesn't like woman" and the film successfully conveys the cultural importance of the event -but overall I found the peripheral characters too obvious, bordering on parody. But that's all we had time for -quick glimpses of ham fisted depictions of characters with little gray area.

And was Riggs husband really such a pussy? Kneeling at the shrine of the wants and needs of Billie Jean King? He seemed more unbalanced then a devoted partner in "love", or dedicated to "friendship".

Have a great day - Jim

 

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Carell was funny . . ., posted on October 7, 2017 at 17:24:13
Billy Wonka
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Posts: 3768
Joined: April 25, 2013
Contributor
  Since:
October 15, 2013
He was just the guy to play Riggs and Emma was a top-drawer choice as well. I felt the love-interest was a little overdrawn and played as if BJK was seduced into surrendering to lesbianism by this hairdresser, alone. A tad long, I think the romance was too much for the running time.

 

You could watch this version..., posted on October 1, 2017 at 09:46:27
RadioWonder
Audiophile

Posts: 1236
Location: Arizona
Joined: March 16, 2003
Starring: Holly Hunter, Ron Silver, Matt Letscher...
Free for Amazon Prime members...

 

looks interesting thanks!, posted on October 1, 2017 at 16:01:00
PhilJ
Audiophile

Posts: 2826
Joined: January 20, 2002
...

 

RE: You could watch this version..., posted on October 1, 2017 at 13:40:48
Dr Phibes
Audiophile

Posts: 195
Location: Brooklyn
Joined: September 7, 2008
Radio Wonder- I will check it out -I have Prime so probably tonight. Thank you for the referral!

 

Battle of the Sexes - a disappointment, posted on September 30, 2017 at 11:47:53
mkuller
Audiophile

Posts: 38130
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: April 22, 2003
>...many same sex/lesbian relationships might be perceived and presented as "hot strippers gettin' down...>

Disappointed by the lack of hot Emma Stone lesbian sex?

Most critics were disappointed by the lack of humor.

 

RE: Battle of the Sexes - a disappointment, posted on September 30, 2017 at 12:09:12
Dr Phibes
Audiophile

Posts: 195
Location: Brooklyn
Joined: September 7, 2008
Thanks for the reply. I'm sorry, I'm sure what you mean by ...

"Disappointed by the lack of hot Emma Stone lesbian sex?"

And Riggs was ridiculous in a humorous way- and almost lovable.

Did you see it?

 

Not yet...(nt), posted on September 30, 2017 at 12:16:03
mkuller
Audiophile

Posts: 38130
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: April 22, 2003
(nt)

 

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