Film Reviews

Wimbledon

• Rating:
• Director:
• Starring: Bernard Hill
• Details: UK/ 90 mins / (12PG).

Charming if incredibly slight, Wimbledon is a romantic comedy, set in the unlikely environment of professional tennis. Peter Colt (a star making performance from Bettany) is a no-hoper in the world of professional tennis and desperate to hang onto his tournament status. After scoring a wild card into the Wimbledon Championships, he meets and falls for the rising American starlet Lizzie Bradbury (Kristen Dunst). Her parents (Sam Neil in uber prissy mode) and mentor believe the distraction is bad for her game, and there is, of course, a dramatic turnabout in playing fortunes. Somewhat implausibly, it's Colt who actually starts to improve...
Although there's never much doubt as to how things will work themselves out in the end, Wimbledon glides along in a pleasantly diverting fashion. Bettany and Dunst make for a smartly attractive pairing and their chemistry is infectious, while the quality of gags remains reasonably consistent. If only the script hadn't been so slavish in its adherence to the structures of the Brit rom com flick, Wimbledon could have been really memorable. It's perfectly enjoyable as is, but you just wish they could have gone that extra yard.

Review by Garreth Murphy