BATTLE OF THE SEXES

SWITCH: 'BATTLE OF THE SEXES' TRAILER

Their handling of the whole film is one of its blessings, their unique mix of humour and melancholy overcoming some of the biopic clichés that occasionally dampen Beaufoy’s screenplay. Shot on 35mm with many nods to 70s filmmaking, ‘Battle of the Sexes’ has an immediacy and a texture to it that comfortably nurtures the emerging feminism and the rampant chauvinism that are integral to the narrative and the period. There’s something imaginative and whimsical to their approach, which help the emotional moments land. The cast are uniformly excellent, with Carrell as brilliant as we’ve come to expect as Riggs, and notable turns by Riseborough, Sarah Silverman (in a genuinely great dramatic role) and Alan Cumming. The true power of the film though is Emma Stone, delivering another superb performance in an endless stream of them that solidifies her as one of the best actors of her generation. Her Billy Jean King is a gorgeous mixture of determination and vulnerability, and watching her walk the line between the two is a pleasure to watch. Off the back of her Oscar win for ‘La La Land’, this has us watching a truly great actor further stretch her muscles and exploring (and conquering) new territory.

‘Battle of the Sexes’ somehow works as an historical document, and a fresh and vital film for us now. Its messages of gender equality and portraits of inspirational women standing up against male-dominated structures within their sport seem particularly important for audiences to see now. In a period of superb queer cinema, it also offers a small but moving contribution, marrying this feminist sporting icon with the push for not just gender equality but sexual equality. Under the sure hands of Valerie Faris and Johnathan Dayton, and with the superb central performance from Emma Stone, ‘Battle of the Sexes’ is an engaging, moving and often thrilling experience, one that may have you cheering and crying in equal measure by the end.

PICTURE & SOUND
The strongest aspect of the excellent 1080p 2.39:1 transfer is that it maintains and celebrates the grainy texture of the intended image rather than working against it. Detail and clarity is still consistent, though the washed-out quality of the image can occasionally make it a little soft. This adds to the verisimilitude of the film though, and while this isn’t a reference image disc, it demonstrates how high definition can compliment distinct visual approaches. The disc also has the expected DTS-HD MA 7.1 track that has become a standard for Fox releases, and this one has a robust, rich quality to it, balancing the sound design (especially powerful in the final match), dialogue and Nicholas Britell’s score nicely.

SPECIAL FEATURES
There isn’t a lot on offer with the film in terms of special features. ‘Raw Footage: Billie Jean's Grand Entrance (No Audio)' (2:17) offers archival footage of Bille Jean’s entrance into the match, but this is the only footage of the original match included. ‘Reigniting the Rivalry’ (18:52) is a handsomely made if perfunctory look at the making of the film, with interviews with all the major players involved. There’s some nice snippets in there, but with a period production of this scale, it hardly scratches the surface. Far more engaging is ‘Billie Jean King: In Her Own Words’ (10:30), where the tennis legend herself discusses her battles for equality and the match itself, providing a useful historical commentary for the film itself. The set is wrapped up with a few image galleries.

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